To sell up and move to Spain ?

[MijasMaddie]

Hi MN’s!

I’ve nc! So in a nutshell.. I’ve got two DC (sons) 8yrs and 10yrs. DH is 13 years older than me. (I’m mid thirties he’s late 40s)

He works in financial sales and I’m a small business owner (pet care/boarding).

We have a home in a lovely place on the outskirts of London. BUT we are struggling to live!

My DH has unfortunately been out of work/made redundant SO many times! We’ve been together 13 years and it seems every 2/3 years he is out of work.

A couple of years ago he had to ‘leave’ instead of being pushed and was out of work nearly a whole year! This has put us in such a bad financial situation.

We now pay the mortgage and the bills but we have hardly anything to live on. The mortgage and outgoings are huge.

Credit cards maxed out. I’m in touch with debt companies etc only so much can be done!

Life is a hamster wheel and borrowing from Peter to pay Paul etc..

AIBU to sell up and move to Spain? We attended Spanish lessons (myself, DH, DC) but stopped a couple of years ago! So we are no way fluent!

I have no money nor does DH but we have money in our home. After selling our home we could have enough to buy a three bed apartment in Southern Spain (ideally Calahonda area).

DH is saying he’ll have to stay here and rent a room outskirts of London to work his job in the city etc.

I could get rid of my debts and this misarable life but I will also have burnt all bridges to ever be able to come back.

My youngest is 8 and a young sweet 8. He’d be happy and make friends anywhere. But my eldest is 10 going on Kevin the Teenager! I’d have to put them through Spanish state school (also thinking of doing Cambridge p/t home school modules) if he hated it then he’ll hate me!!

Pros - I’d have the debts and financial burdens weighing me down gone. I’d be living in a sunny climate.
I am qualified in beauty industry, massage, animal pet training care..

Cons- what if it all goes wrong?

I’ve wanted to move to Southern Spain since 2013. I love it there. I fully appreciate living there is different to a holiday.

Only other option is to sell this house and rent there for a year (?)

Are kids that are about to turn 9 and 11 too old to be put in a Spanish state school?

I cannot go on like this 😑 too over drawn too broke. Don’t know how I’ll afford food for this week!

The thought of selling up and being able to buy a spacious penthouse in Spain has never been so tempting.

Ps. I have experience in beauty, make up, massage in case you wondered what I’d do over there. Also a very experienced animal carer.

• also Brexit is a factor but as it stands I know I can still go there ...

Please give me some advice (shake some sense into me!) thank you! X

A friend teaches English as a foreign language. Many of her students are Spanish professionals, learning English to take jobs far below their pay grade over here.

It’s not great over there economically.

Fair- whereabouts does he live in Spain?

Rojales

Fair- oh I see! Think that’s Alicante (?) without the language I totally understand now.

That’s exactly why I’m looking into Calahonda. Chigwell on sea that’s me 😁 but I still totally get that the area I’m looking into can be hard or near impossible ... depressing but eye opening hearing everyone’s advice

Yes it's alicante. It's got a huge expat community from the UK, Netherlands and Scandinavia.

My sister and her DH bought a house off-plan around 12 years ago in S Spain, to the east of Malaga. It's not the sort of place I would want, but each to their own. She had intensive lessons in Spanish when they reserved their house so by the time they got there, she could get by quite well (and has continued to improve, to the extent that she has done translation within the Spanish legal system). Her DH on the other hand really struggled and as far as I know (we are low contact) still only knows a few phrases.

She printed out some cards and put them through people's doors on their estate offering English & Maths lessons as she has a UK teaching qualification. This brought her a lot of business. From that she was able to pay to get her hair done every week. Far from it being an extravagance, she saw it as a cheap Spanish conversation lesson with a free hair-do! Her DH set up his own small business working mostly for expats. He has over the years had a number of different jobs but lacking qualifications and conversational Spanish means that she has always been the breadwinner unless he has worked back in the UK.

Their house is mortgaged - I think with Halifax - and in all that time it has actually gone down in value. They have a DS who attends the local newly-built state school. Whilst the healthcare system in Spain is excellent, I'm less convinced by the education. DN is 10 and for the last 3 years has been correcting his English teachers. They never write anything down and cannot pronounce English words correctly. DN is bilingual because my DSis works with him in both languages. I don't know what he will do for a living yet, because as someone else has said, unemployment there is horrendous.

Whilst I understand your dreams, I think in the present political climate, things are just too risky, especially with your DSs. Why not look at other places you could go, for example Manchester or Leeds which both have thriving financial centres? Alternatively, look at building your own business somewhere. Think outside the box: could you buy somewhere more remote, e.g. West Wales, the NE, where you could have some land for pet boarding plus possibly a pet-friendly holiday let? The quality of life for all of you could be so much better.

Can you jobhunt from here then also look into setting up in business in Spain once you arrive?

DCs in-laws to be are Spanish, live in Southern Spain. DC & fiancé will live there eventually but not right now as job prospects arent brilliant there. Theyre in a village as opposed to city tho, if youre moving to city it may be better for you.

Theyre out there several times a year. Ive been a couple of times with DP, going again in September. I love the lifestyle and climate, family and community vibe. I really could live there.

We arent a British family so maybe thats why I dont think up and leaving UK = disaster. Lots of people make a life away from the country they were born and raised in. I did. So did my parents. We survived, as many do.

Spanish schools are excellent by the way.

You will definitely have to learn Spanish before you go. & think about your marriage, because you out there & H living in UK doesnt seem a feasible idea. I think you need the 2 of you out there to make it work.

I love the lifestyle and climate, family and community vibe. I really could live

This is it Dee! ^

I cannot get that in Leeds etc. I suppose I wanted to hear some success stories on here ☹️

What about Hastings or Margate? Essex. Doesn't have to be up North. Commutable to London so your DH doesn't have to rent in the week.

Spain is a wonderful lifestyle IF you have a serious income.

@MijasMaddie not in Leeds itself no but in many places in Yorkshire you could. And Leeds has JOBS, specifically financial services ones too. And loads of dog services jobs too- I'm in the NW and there are certainly lots of doggy businesses doing pretty well.

@frazzled - exactly. Unlike Andalucia there are jobs in Leeds for both of them plus houses they could pay cash for and retain a lump sum.

It's not available on iPlayer at the moment, but if you can find a way to watch this programme 'Costa del Sol: Last Brits Standing', it would be very eye-opening for you OP. One of the families runs a bar in Calahonda and you should see the struggles they're having making ends meet. The other people in the programme are also struggling to find sufficient work. It's not all sun and sangria. And the reason why there are so few 'success stories' is because what you want to hear is a fantasy. If you're a wealthy retiree then yes, you can have that lovely life in the Med that I think you're dreaming of, but not if you're a skint mum of primary schoolers who would need to get earning immediately. When we moved back to this country (my home country), from living OS for six years, it took my DH three months to find a job - and that's nothing. Look at fairgame84s ex, unable to find work even with all his skills and unencumbered by debt and two small DC.

Jun- thank you for the reply and the clip! Saw a three min clip of the programme and ironically that awful guy is like a lot of people where I live here 😩🤣
In my ‘fantasy head’ I’d move there , H would get work in Gibraltar or stay and send maintenance over and We’d clear debts end be able to buy somewhere in the sun.

I understand and appreciate I could buy somewhere in the UK. I have no comments on that. Thank you everyone x

It's available on YouTube:

If you're DH is hoping for work in Gibralter, that would most likely be very difficult post brexit.

At the moment we in the UK have the right to Freedom of Movement. That means we can live, study, retire, work in the other EU countries. So long as can support ourselves. The same goes for mainland EU citizens here.

We also have reciprocal health care with Spain.

The issue with working in Gibralter is the border. At the moment it is open. Spain had to give up their claim on Gibralter when we joined the EU. Previously it was a long process getting from Spain to Gibralter and vice versa.

If we do leave, Spain can contest Gibralter again and we'll have to have a proper border.

The only way to make Brexit go away is to Revoke Article 50.

Please sign petition.parliament.uk/petitions/241584 to keep sending a message to government. "Revoke Article 50 and remain in the EU.
The government repeatedly claims exiting the EU is 'the will of the people'. We need to put a stop to this claim by proving the strength of public support now, for remaining in the EU. A People's Vote may not happen - so vote now."

Thank you Biber! Will look into that right now x

June- I’m half way through the programme now. Never been so depressed and underwhelmed in my life since writing this post and seeing the replies and of course that god awfyl programme. Maybe I was living in ‘la la land’ ☹️
Social media has a lot to answer for as SO many people I know and know of live in sunny Spain and I’m in the mindset of ‘if they can do it so can I’
Suppose that’s human nature (?)

I haven’t RTFT so sorry if this has already been suggested. Try to join a FB forum for the area you are interested in. For example, I have a holiday home in Mojacar, Spain so am on a couple of forums and the advice from people actually living there, is invaluable.

This is pie in the sky. You need a foreigner id number to do anything in Spain. It's called a NIE, número de identificación de extranjero. And you use that to apply for residency. You can't get a NIE unless you have a job offer or enough money in the bank (can't remember how much as I came here twenty years ago)and private health insurance. Without a NIE you can't do anything.

I have read through most of the thread. I understand where you are coming from. we upped sticks from London and moved to a very rural part of the uk to start a business.

I know you want to hear only positive stories but that is just a bit unrealistic and a bit too "dreamy" to be honest. Its also not a good basis for going. by all means up sticks and leave with the full facts positives and negatives but if all you want to do is read the good stuff you are in for one hell of a shock when you are 6 months or whatever into your new life.

I think there are other options to help you out of your current financial situation but none of them are as "sexy" as living in the sun with carefree happy kids, the perfect job that fits in around them, plenty of money etc etc. and that just is not the reality.

when we move OP we take our baggage with us.

Sorry, its been a bubble bursting thread for you. I do think you need to look at moving but within the UK.

Nevermind Brexit and that you don't speak the language. Spain is not the solution here.

The ara you have chosen - Calahonda - is expensive (cheaper than Marbella but still expensive). There are cheaper areas.

Unemployment is very high in Spain. Even Spanish speaking people are struggling to get work I have a couple of close friends who are Spanish but live here in UK because it is easier to get work here. And they are both intelligent professional people.
You also need to think about health care. You will need to have insurance and although it is probably the last think on your mind at the moment your pension. If you are thinking of coming back to the UK. You won't get NI credits while you are abroad so it will affect what pension you finally get.
If it is your dream research it carefully to make sure it really will give you what you think it will is and consider all the implications.
Of course there is also Brexit still looming over us so there will be the fall out from that.
If it is a way of escaping your financial situation please consider carefully whether it will really help or make things worse.

Theresloadsof mainland Spanish working in the Canary Islands because job prospects are really poor in mainland Spain

@Biber - appreciate your concern is generally about repeal of Article 50. It doesn't affect the OP's DH's job as much as you might think though because Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory, not just part of the EU, just mentioning so the OP keeps a clear picture of the situation. The problems the Spanish have with Gibraltar remaining British won't be resolved by staying in the EU. The motor insurance businesses in Gibraltar are largely serving the UK; financial passporting has impacts there but more UK access has been promised in recompense. The main issue for Gibraltar is with the border when the Spanish decide to slow it down (which they do now and likely will continue to do) because people living in Spain can't get to and from work in Gibraltar, or get held up for hours each way. The other issue they have is that importing goods can get more difficult if the border snarls up, Gibraltar is not in the Customs Union anyway now and is a peninsula so it can get really stuck if goods aren't coming through.