# Just 2 weeks to go!!



## Kerry UK (May 7, 2013)

I am getting so excited now that my planned move to Spain is becoming a reality!!! I would like to say a huge Thank You to everyone on this forum who have advised me over the last 6 months while I have been researching my move. I am now flying to Alicante on 18 December and staying in a small hotel in Guardamar (where I hope to live) for 22 nights. I plan to look for a long term rental while I am there, as well as enjoying a very different Christmas and New Year! I still need to open a Spanish bank account before I leave, so that I can transfer funds over for advance rent etc, and there are many other things I need to sort out once I have arrived.

My hotel has free WiFi, and I will be taking my laptop, so I hope to post regular updates once I am there. I am a little nervous, doing this alone, so I may just find myself logging on here from my hotel room, for a little reassurance or encouragement lol! I am so very certain that this is the right move for me, but I am sure I will have the occasional wobble, or lonely moment, while I am there, and it will be really good to check in here for a friendly word now and then.

I know there are a few people on here who are in the early stages of planning their moves, so if there is anything I can help you all with, while I am staying there, please don't hesitate to ask.

Kerry x


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## Trubrit (Nov 24, 2010)

Hi Kerry, firstly congratulations and good luck. I moved to Spain 3 years ago and it was the best decision I have ever made in my life. I have found the people very warm with a hint of tunnel vision but some things amuse me still, like the hazard lights on their cars being used for everything from stopping in the middle of the road to talk to their mate in his car on the opposite
side of the road (with the magic lights on, of course) to triple parking in a busy high street whilst you pop in to get some ****. You will also find that the Spanish have to talk forever in shops, if there is ever a need to do business in a mobile phone shop remember to take your flask and sandwiches as the wait could be a long one. What the heck they find to talk about with a phone is beyond my comprehension.......it is a bleedin phone. Finally, beaurocracy......... no I refuse to go there as I have a heart problem.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Kerry UK said:


> I am getting so excited now that my planned move to Spain is becoming a reality!!! I would like to say a huge Thank You to everyone on this forum who have advised me over the last 6 months while I have been researching my move. I am now flying to Alicante on 18 December and staying in a small hotel in Guardamar (where I hope to live) for 22 nights. I plan to look for a long term rental while I am there, as well as enjoying a very different Christmas and New Year! I still need to open a Spanish bank account before I leave, so that I can transfer funds over for advance rent etc, and there are many other things I need to sort out once I have arrived.
> 
> My hotel has free WiFi, and I will be taking my laptop, so I hope to post regular updates once I am there. I am a little nervous, doing this alone, so I may just find myself logging on here from my hotel room, for a little reassurance or encouragement lol! I am so very certain that this is the right move for me, but I am sure I will have the occasional wobble, or lonely moment, while I am there, and it will be really good to check in here for a friendly word now and then.
> 
> ...


How exciting!!! Keep in touch with us in here, so any 'wobbles' - I'm sure someone will help. And in turn, you can help others 

Enjoy


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## Janeym8 (Mar 8, 2013)

Hope all goes well with the move
Jane


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## caromac (Nov 16, 2008)

Good luck and enjoy your first steps! Lets hope we all get some lovely sunshine!


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

Hi 

There good luck......We are about 8 weeks behind you, scary and exciting times.


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## brocher (Mar 21, 2011)

Good luck!

Do you mean you will try to open a Spanish bank account while you're in the UK? Not sure if you can do that, can you?


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## pnwheels (Mar 3, 2013)

Hi Kerry, all the best. We just moved to Algorfa last week and opened a bank account very easily- just half an hour in the local Sabadell branch and collect debit card a few days later. The only I.D needed was our passports. Hope this helps


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## Agapito (Dec 3, 2013)

Hi Kerry

I love and admire your spirit. Take care and good luck


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## Kerry UK (May 7, 2013)

brocher said:


> Good luck!
> 
> Do you mean you will try to open a Spanish bank account while you're in the UK? Not sure if you can do that, can you?


You are right brocher, I thought I could do this and transfer funds over before I go, but apparently not. I don't want to carry loads of Euros with me for rent and deposit etc, but I think I might have found another solution. I went into my local Santander branch today, and have been told that if I have a Santander current account in the UK then I can withdraw Euros from any Santander ATM in Spain, free of charge. My current Halifax account said they would charge me for each withdrawal, plus a percentage of each amount withdrawn. Also, the Santander exchange rates don't seem too bad, going by a Google search of others who have done this. So I have an appointment on Monday to see about transferring my current account to Santander, which would enable me at least to have access to my funds while I am there over Christmas and New Year, and while I am flat-hunting.

Once I am there, I will open a Sabadell Prestige Care account, as this seems to meet my needs - worth checking out for anyone still looking into Spanish non-resident accounts. And then I understand I can set up a Regular Transfer Plan (see here https://www.bancsabadell.com/cs/Satellite/SabAtl/Regular_Transfer_Plan/1191359575878/en/ ) to make regular transfers to cover my rent and living expenses, and hopefully to satisfy the residency requirements.

Thanks everyone for your words of encouragement, much appreciated!

Kerry x


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## pnwheels (Mar 3, 2013)

Hi Kerry, it might be worth comparing the rates offered by one of the currency exchange firms, Currency Fair, Tofx, Currencies Direct...etc. They seem unbeatable for transferring regular amounts.


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## Kerry UK (May 7, 2013)

A little update on the banking situation, for anyone who is interested. I have now opened my Santander current account, and if my debit card arrives before I leave then at least I will have free Euro withdrawals, which will be great if I need funds for rent/deposit. I have also registered the debit card I already have with the Halifax, for use in Spain, in case my Santander card doesn't arrive in time. It only took a few minutes in my local branch, and they told me it will avoid any problems with me using my online banking whilst I am there. Hope this is helpful to someone, it's not something that had occurred to me before.

As a bonus, the Santander guy I met with today has managed to find me around an extra £50 a month! I have some money in a Halifax savings account which is earning virtually nothing in interest. But Santander pay 3% interest on their 123 current account, subject to a few conditions, on balances from £3k to £20k, so I will be taking advantage of that once my account is up and running. Thought that might be of interest to someone who still has a UK address and some savings they want to keep in the UK.

Kerry


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