FOR BETTER OR WORSE

That seems to be the question when it comes to deciding where to live, either Spain or England, I see that someone has posted over the last few weeks that they are thinking of moving over with small children and giving up life in the U.K a bold move I think but then when you see what is going on over hear (England that is) I think I may join him. "Double dip rescission" what ever that means is upon us, all I know is that my wages are the same and what I bought last week is costing me more this week so I have to buy less, there is going to come a time when I will not be able to put fuel in the car(£1.42 ltr) I am sure if nothing else waking up on a sunny day in Spain makes a lot of worries go away. So look out here I come.

Quesada

It depends on whether you are likely to get employment here. Bear in mind there is 23 percent unemployment here and you will also need private health insurance until you are at retirement age. If you have a profession like doctor, physio for example you might survive. If you are hoping to come here and run a bar -- forget it.
Kids going young into schools learn Spanish very quickly. Past the age of about 7 they won't keep up unless they go to British school - which are private. And you need to learn Spanish too.
I do think many people think we have hot weather all the year round. But winters are cold (and sunny) and heating is expensive. I would say food is cheaper in UK where you have a lot more 2 for 1 type deals. So I suggest you come over for a few weeks and rent somewhere and try it out. It's wonderful if it works - but the sad statistic is that 70 percent of Brits go home.

Commented mail in Quesada 2012-04-26 16:50:34 UTC

Where on earth do you get the figure that 75% of Brits go back thats got to be the most false statement of the decade .

Commented fred pegman in San Miguel de Salinas 2012-04-27 16:24:59 UTC

Afraid it's true. I used to write for a local paper and that was the accepted figure several years ago - even before the worst of the recession. Now many people are trapped here. Banks have baskets of keys people have left with them when they have departed, because they could no longer pay the mortgage.
This is an article from the Guardian.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jul/24/spain-expats

Commented mail in Quesada 2012-04-27 17:09:23 UTC

This comment shows the silliness of people choosing to stay anonymous,at least the first three comments made by anonymous,I would address the next part of my comment to the anonymous who "used to write for a local paper" thank you for the link,but unlike you I didnt see that 70% of Brits returned home.on my link that you gave me it said One white van man,who operates illegally
stated that 70% of his work was taking stuff back to the U.K.....In case you didnt see it I will repeat 70% per cent of one white van mans work was taking stuff back to the U.K.But as an ex newspaper worker,I guess you really knew,that didnt mean 70% of Brits were going back home,

Commented Alan in La Marina 2012-04-27 19:21:59 UTC

No, I didn't mistake the thing about the white van man - it's a coincidental figure and I didn't draw my figure of 70 percent leaving from that. I can actually read!. And why are you and the others being so defensive about it anyway? Are you unaware of the parlous state of affairs here - the empty homes and shops speak for themselves. Certainly Russians and Scandinavians are now moving back here. But the main exodus is Brits packing up and going home. I know the owner of a removal and storage company. He would certainly also tell you his traffic is all one way.
I've been here ten years and have no intention of leaving, and believe me I wish things were different. But how can it be right to give people thinking of moving here a rosy picture of Spain when we all know it's on the verge of bankruptcy? Get real.
And my name is Suzanne

Commented mail in Quesada 2012-04-27 21:44:31 UTC


Hi All
I remember when I bought my villa on quesada 7/8 years ago. At that time it was the Germans who were leaving the place "En masse" as their government had decided to tax them on their foreign property and that was the final financial straw for many people however I think historically we see this type of coming and going,failure vs success happening for a variety of reasons all over the world.

I too am defensive when people make sweeping statements about financial and economical climates simply because there will be people reading this stuff who hang on every word of the writer and that does not bode well if your wanting to big up you area.

I dont believe there is a75 percent return home rate. Yes I have witnessed families with financial problems some of whom have returned home but equally I have witnessed success.

I commented on here just last week about diversifying and I do beleive that if you are prepared to diversify and take on a little of this and that, you will survive.

What goes around comes around and it might get worse before it gets better, but it will eventually get better.

kind regards

Glass half full

Commented we love it here in Quesada 2012-04-28 16:15:56 UTC

You are still talking a load of bollocks get your facts right Suzanne

Commented fred pegman in San Miguel de Salinas 2012-04-28 16:34:58 UTC

So prove me wrong. I've posted two links on here proving how dire things are. Is there anything different you can post to show I'm talking 'bollocks?'

Commented mail in Quesada 2012-04-29 16:28:40 UTC

To the two anonymous posters re the state of the ecomomy in Spain.

I think it might be wise to let it go now. I have in the past (and im sure Steve will agree with me) seen posts get out of hand in terms of disagreements so much so that comments can end up being really personal and the gist of the debate becomes lost.

At the risk of teaching my granny to suck eggs, agreeing to disagree might be a solution for now.

Regardless of the 75 percent return home rate being right or wrong it doesnt do us any good in terms of outsiders looking in and while I wouldnt want to tell any lies I dont think its a good move economically, to shout it from the rooftops.

kind regards

Debra

Commented we love it here in Quesada 2012-04-29 17:05:05 UTC

I think that the facts are that there are roughly 2.5m people unemployed in England and 5.6m people unemployed in Spain. If you go to Spain in the hope of getting a job it is going to be extremely difficult. If you want to work on a self employed basis in Spain (legally) that and private health care come expensive. Many people go out to Spain for the better weather and thinking that they will get a job, and they have to come back as they won't get any welfare benefits; also many elderly people chose to come back as the facilities and infrastructure for caring for them in their old age are not available.

Commented spanglish in Quesada 2012-05-01 19:03:13 UTC

To Mike Hall

There is a double dip recession in Spain as well!!!

Commented spanglish in Quesada 2012-05-01 19:56:51 UTC

Hi Spanglish
your post raises the question who looks after the Spanish elderly, Surely they do not all have family to care for them, if so how do they aquire the care they need in their advancing years ?

kind regards

Debra

Commented we love it here in Quesada 2012-05-01 21:29:36 UTC

Hi Debra. The Spanish seem more family orientated and, I am sure not all, but I think that a lot of elderly are looked after/kept an eye on by their own families.

Maybe in advanced cases of dementia this may not be the case. There seem to be few care homes in Spain, although I have heard about one in the pipeline in the Torrevieja area. My friend, in Torrevieja, had great difficulty in finding a home to care for her mother - when she could no longer cope at home. In England we seems to be overrun by care homes!

In the local hospitals families (Spanish) of patients are often to be found looking after their needs - feeding, washing etc.

We have a house in Spain, and at one time we were thinking of living there on a full time basis (I am 65 and my husband is 68), but the infrastructure was not in place to do this since my husband has a lot of health problems. Whilst you are fit it is most probably a great place to be.

Commented spanglish in Quesada 2012-05-02 18:03:56 UTC

hello !! I just want to say that if Bristish Elder people are legally registered in Spain (residencia documents etc.), they have the same rights as spanish ones... so, they will find someone or nursing homes ready to look after them.. if they want to : it all depends on what they want or need. Bye.

Commented cjimenez54 in Los Balcones 2012-05-02 19:29:12 UTC

Even if they are legally registered there are not many homes from which to chose!

Commented spanglish in Quesada 2012-05-02 20:33:45 UTC

There is a lovely care home next to the Marquesa Golf Course which some friends of mine had a relative living there, and there is also one in Rojales itself, but I think this one is not so attractive as the one by the golf course. It has all private rooms, lovely outdoor space and a pool!!

Commented anita7568 in Quesada 2012-05-03 16:15:57 UTC

Hello, I am sorry to insist, but there are quite a lot of nursing homes, public or private : my own mother is living in one of them.you might have not been correctly informed, the best place to go to ios the Ayuntamiento and ask to the Social Assistant : she will give you the list.

Commented cjimenez54 in Los Balcones 2012-05-03 18:21:57 UTC

Hi, Don't want to get into an argument with you, but a couple of years ago, when we were enquiring about home help and care/nursing homes I had hardly any suggestions from either the town hall or the hospital. Regarding the care home I was looking rather into the future, but at that time needed to know about home care facilities as my husband is housebound - he has not left the house for two years except by ambulance. We were looking at facilities to match, or nearly match, the ones that we have in England - and were unable to find them. Hence we are still living in England!!!

Commented spanglish in Quesada 2012-05-06 10:33:28 UTC

Hi Debra,

I am assuming that I am the 'Steve' that you are referring to? (Thinking of moving over with my 2 young girls, possibly a friend and her daughter). I would say that you are right to suggest that these comments do not become 'personal'. I do try to take on-board ALL points of view. But, there do seem to be some people that have commented with quite 'bitter' views now that things have turned a bit 'sour' in Spain. Let's face it, this is happening all over the EU and alot of the rest of the world to a greater or lesser extent! I am grateful for the the fact that I should be 'cautious', but it is also good to hear from people with their glasses half full! I would like to put myself in that catagory. I do have my own business, which I can mainly run via telephone and email from anywhere in the world. So, to sit with my laptop in the sun rather than the wind and rain (even with a drought! LOL), certainly is more appealing! It is also something that I am hoping to expand in Spain, which (in a small way), could help provide a few jobs to a few expats, but we will see! Finally, if my friend does come, she would effectively be my au-pair, to help look after my girls (I have had aupairs for the past 8 years here in the UK). She is also a qualified carer for the elderly, in their own homes. I have noticed quite a few comments about the lack of availability for this type of work, so maybe that is something that she would consider looking into.
Thanks again to ALL for your vaious comments, keep any thoughts coming. I shall have more questions soon, especially once I have been over to visit!

Best wishes, Steve


Hi Steve
good to hear from you again and im glad your making progress in terms of information gathering.

With regard to your friend who is a qualified carer/nurse, it appears there are not a lot of employed posts available in that field at the moment however my dad who is resident on quesada had a similar converstaion with a quailfied nurse recently who was also having difficulty finding paid employment.

Like me he suggested she could diversify given the huge amount of retired and elderly on quesada who might not be in need of around the clock support but who could do with partial help in some areas of their lives.

Lo and behold he received a card through is letter box about 4 days later advertising the services of a qualified nurse/ home care/home help operative.

So once again it seems that those with the foresight to diversify and pounce on opportunities are indeed having a degree of success.

To the stars and beyond thats what I say

kind regards

Debra

Commented we love it here in Quesada 2012-05-08 17:04:00 UTC

I have to agree, if you look, you do find ways to support and help each other out - and the sun really does make all the difference! Most of the good things that make life worth living, are free. You dont need nearly as much money here to live and eat well, as you do to live and eat poorly in the UK! I love the UK - but I get so depressed when I am there and there are just so many opportunities here that are WORTH the extra effort and being resourceful just becomes part of the adventure. Its all about perspective and being realistic and having the right attitude?

Commented MAS in Quesada 2012-05-09 19:09:09 UTC

Here Here well said Mas !

kind regards
Debra

Commented we love it here in Quesada 2012-05-10 21:01:02 UTC

Hi Maz, I agree, we all need to help each other out where we can, and be prepared to do a little bit of everything. I spoke to you about a year ago, well I have finally sold here in South Africa and will be arriving in Quesada late July early August. Hope to meet you then. Pamela

Commented pamela de Jager in Quesada 2012-05-18 17:18:19 UTC

I eat out quite a bit in England - and when I am in Spain and I don't notice a huge difference in price! I don't drink - so that doesn't enter the equation!
I must admit that the sun does make me feel a lot better. However June to September were too painful for me in Spain temperature wise. I prefer somewhere around the 24 degree mark - a confortable temperature for walking and for sitting outside cafes and watching the world go by!!
Most of the houses are not well insulated. I went to Spain in January. The temperature dropped so much at night that it was painful! I have air con (hot) but that was not enough to heat my very open plan house. I had to buy carpets; more heaters and curtains to go across the bottom of the stairs to stop the heat loss from the lounge!! I shan't be venturing out of my English centrally heated house to go to Spain in January again!! If I were living in Spain permanently I would probably invest in a log fire!

Commented spanglish in Quesada 2012-11-07 17:43:02 UTC