# Two young disillusioned males



## 4froale (Jul 6, 2015)

Hi all and thanks in advance for any help provided on this subject. Me and my friend are both 22 years old and have become disillusioned with life in England. We are both in 9-5 office jobs which pay mediocre salaries allowing us to just about do the things we want to do (couple of nights out a month, one holiday a year etc). We of course would like to earn more money and drive flash cars but then again wouldn’t we all? It’s not the money aspect at all, its in fact the happiness. Around a few months ago we both discussed ‘a new start’ abroad for the first time. The problem we are both wondering though is where do we start???
Life at home is fine and this isn’t a factor into why we want to move abroad. We have no problems with families and both still live at home (paying board of course). We could both afford to move out but having had this in the pipeline for a while, we decided it would be stupid. 

We basically want a new start and are willing to try our hands at anything. So any help would be appreciated from those who have been in a similar situation and those who could share their own experiances would be appreciated.


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## 4froale (Jul 6, 2015)

Perhaps not clear enough in my OP about what info we are looking for.

What areas would you recommend for young Brits looking for work? 
What prices for accommodation etc?


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## Dunpleecin (Dec 20, 2012)

If you think your pay is bad in the UK, then if you move to Spain, you'll find that the pay is worse. That's assuming you can get a job in the first place. Unless you have your social security number and can speak fluent Spanish, the only work you will get is with ex pats either on the grey market, or in a bar or something. Obviously, lots of people have the same idea as you, but many don't even have a job in the UK to fall back on so they come here in desperation thinking that the grass is greener. So if you have a decent job in the UK, even at minimum wage, that's probably double what you'll get paid here.

If you're really serious, the best thing you can do is to see how long you can get off work and use that time to come to Spain on a fact finding mission. Depending on what your work skills are there may be a need for them, but like I say, you may well not get the same pay as the UK.

Good luck, but if I were in your shoes, I wouldn't leave the UK if I had a job and still needed work.

What you could possibly do, if you can afford it, is to buy a cheap apartment in Spain so that you have holidays on tap and can possibly rent it out too. Then you could come out when you like and enjoy the Spanish sunshine without the stress of having to find a job. Given the exchange rate there are fantastic deals on property right now if you look in the right place for the right thing.

Good luck!


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## 4froale (Jul 6, 2015)

Thanks for the info and advice.


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## bigdrunk (Aug 12, 2014)

Look at working in Gibraltar and living in Spain, not sure what your experience is work wise but it's the only chance I can see of getting close to what you are after.

Both my wife brothers do this already, we are moving over in September and my wife will be doing the same. I'm fortunate that I can work online from anywhere at the moment.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Dunpleecin is absolutely right, I'm sorry to say. Unemployment for the 18-25 age group in Spain is sky high, around 50% nationally and higher still in some areas. Very many well qualified young Spaniards have had to leave the country to find work (lots of them have gone to the UK because finding a job is much easier there) and they have the advantage of being native Spanish speakers in addition to their university degrees and other qualifications. The ones who are still here would also, of course, be prepared to do anything for a job.

It might be possible to pick up work "cash in hand" in a bar or restaurant if you arrived at the right time of year, but you'd find yourself working much longer hours than you do now, for much less money, so I really don't think your quality of life would improve. If you don't have a legally contracted job here so you are paying social security contributions, you are not covered for treatment under the Spanish state health service (your EHIC card should not be used if you are living here rather than just visiting on holiday).

Having just seen the previous post, yes, finding a job in Gibraltar and living across the border in Spain would be a more realistic option if you are prepared for the commute and maybe being caught up in the border crossing queues you may have seen on the news. People do this because the cost of housing in Gibraltar is very high.


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## 4froale (Jul 6, 2015)

thanks for the help all. Gibralter has been discussed and is still an option. 

We both work in admin on not much more than Minimum wage. Both have a reasonable amount of gcse' and have worked since 16 years of age. We understand that it is hard to get work in spain etc and this is why we are on here, to get advice. Thanks for the help so far.


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

Most of the work is in the main cities (i.e. Barcelona and Madrid).

Rather than "trying your hand" I think it would be better to target a particular skill that is in demand in those cities, and work at it. Generally this means teaching English, for which there is a demand, but you need to make sure you enjoy doing this because it requires a fair bit of dedication.

Pretty much every other type of work requires you to have a reasonable level of Spanish, which would take several years to attain.


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## oronero (Aug 24, 2012)

4froale said:


> Hi all and thanks in advance for any help provided on this subject. Me and my friend are both 22 years old and have become disillusioned with life in England. We are both in 9-5 office jobs which pay mediocre salaries allowing us to just about do the things we want to do (couple of nights out a month, one holiday a year etc). We of course would like to earn more money and drive flash cars but then again wouldn’t we all? It’s not the money aspect at all, its in fact the happiness. Around a few months ago we both discussed ‘a new start’ abroad for the first time. The problem we are both wondering though is where do we start???
> Life at home is fine and this isn’t a factor into why we want to move abroad. We have no problems with families and both still live at home (paying board of course). We could both afford to move out but having had this in the pipeline for a while, we decided it would be stupid.
> 
> We basically want a new start and are willing to try our hands at anything. So any help would be appreciated from those who have been in a similar situation and those who could share their own experiances would be appreciated.


Many moons ago, when I was a similar age to you, my friends decided that they needed to experience more than the normal surroundings they grew up in. They booked a 'round the world' ticket with a working visa for the Australia leg, stopping off at Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, America and finally back to the UK.

I joined them for 6 months in Australia, best thing I ever did, all of them had a blast, two of them settled in Australia and have been there ever since, nigh on 30 years!

Have you considered something similar, you may need to save some more and plan where to stop-off but I am sure that you would enjoy the experience.


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## 4froale (Jul 6, 2015)

Thanks for the help everyone. Australia and USA have been considered but we want to stay in Europe really. We are not tied down to Spain but we are both unhappy with our current life and definitely want a new start somewhere else.


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## angil (Sep 24, 2012)

4froale said:


> Thanks for the help everyone. Australia and USA have been considered but we want to stay in Europe really. We are not tied down to Spain but we are both unhappy with our current life and definitely want a new start somewhere else.


Things have changed in 30 years. If you both had University Degrees getting work visas for far flung climes would be easier. Not sure you can just up sticks and arrive in a country with a hankering for adventure these days. Even in Spain we had to prove we could support ourselves & have private health insurance, and this is the EU.
Have you looked at Malta? I have mentioned this before. I know very little other than some online research. It is in the EU, the official languages are Maltese and English (so no language barrier), there is a large 'youth' culture thanks the popular University, there seems to be a chance of employment, rental costs etc seem to be very similar to Spain. My daughter, as a British Citizen, could have attended Uni there for next to nothing so you could maybe take the opportunity to study there? 
Like I said this is simply from online research when were considering a move ourselves.
In Andalucia the unemployment for the under 25's was around 60%. That may have come down slightly since the Summer work has picked up again.


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## oronero (Aug 24, 2012)

There is no reason why what I suggested above cannot also be done in Europe, though you should take into account that most of Europe is not so easy to seek employment in given the domestic economies since 2009 and the recent uncertainty now with Greece.

Furthermore in Europe there is the language barrier which might hinder finding meaningful well paid work which is meant to fund part of the trip. With old Colonial Countries the language is not a barrier and whilst we were in Sydney most of us were earning more than we did back in the UK! Working and earning whilst travelling is a well trodden route, especially in Australia and New Zealand, in fact there are many established opportunities in making this successful for the younger generation. Between us we worked on building sites, pubs, Architect and Surveyor offices and a vehicle main dealership.

A couple of years later we also did the back-packing around Europe leg but the work opportunities were not quite the same, nor the earnings. It was more akin to a very long holiday,


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## oronero (Aug 24, 2012)

angil said:


> Things have changed in 30 years. If you both had University Degrees getting work visas for far flung climes would be easier. Not sure you can just up sticks and arrive in a country with a hankering for adventure these days. Even in Spain we had to prove we could support ourselves & have private health insurance, and this is the EU.
> Have you looked at Malta? I have mentioned this before. I know very little other than some online research. It is in the EU, the official languages are Maltese and English (so no language barrier), there is a large 'youth' culture thanks the popular University, there seems to be a chance of employment, rental costs etc seem to be very similar to Spain. My daughter, as a British Citizen, could have attended Uni there for next to nothing so you could maybe take the opportunity to study there?
> Like I said this is simply from online research when were considering a move ourselves.
> In Andalucia the unemployment for the under 25's was around 60%. That may have come down slightly since the Summer work has picked up again.


My friends entered Australia 30 years ago with 'Working / Holiday Visas' in place, they were valid for one year and you had to be under the age of 30 if I remember correctly. Having a University degree was not a requisite back then.

Another option back then was working in a 'Kibbutz' in Israel, though I am unsure as to whether this is 'safe' now.


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## Wibs (Apr 1, 2015)

What nobody has suggested is working for yourselves. If you like the idea of being entrepreneurs then PM me, and I will give a few suggestions to get yourselves up and running.

Wibs


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Wibs said:


> What nobody has suggested is working for yourselves. If you like the idea of being entrepreneurs then PM me, and I will give a few suggestions to get yourselves up and running.
> 
> Wibs


Are you aware of what that entails in Spain, I wonder? Being autonomo involves paying a fixed sum, around 250€ a month for social security, and you pay whether you earn 10€ 100€ or 1000€.
Another very relevant point is that immigrants under retirement age are obliged to prove an income of 600€ a month paidinto a Spanish bank plus substantial savings.
Working foryourself in Spain with no knowledge whatsoever of language orcustomsis extremely risky. Yes, unemployment is falling but in many parts of Spain,for example in my area, unemployment is still running at over 30% and most jobs are sasonal and involve long hours and low pay.
usually I would advise young single people to try their luck here but these guys have jobs at a better rate of pay and with better conditions than they would ever find in Spain. No Spanish, no local knowledge, no contacts, working 'in admin'....it's who you know that gets you work here and that takes time.
You and I are retired. We don't have to worry about work. Life is very different for us. I think I'm right in saying you haven't been here long? As you get more involved with your Spanish community you'll get to understand how hard life is for Spaniards so for these guys findingwork will be extremely difficult.
The best suggestion has already been made: keep the UK jobs, come for a couple of weeks' holiday andsee foryourself how things are.
I personally wouldn't base such an important decision on advice from a Forum. I'd want to see for myself.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

This is the reality of work in Spain: a friend works at a luxury golf resort. He works long hours for low pay. If he wants a holiday he loses pay. I pointed out that this was against the law. He said that laws in Spain exist on paper. I suggested he join a Union. He said he didn't want to as it could cause trouble at work and he would be sacked. After all, he said, there are hundreds ready to take his place.
If he is sacked, he can do nothing...he can't afford an employment lawyer. Besides, he would have to wait months for the case to be judged with no guarantee of a successful outcome.
His situation is not unique, it is the every day experience of very many workers in Spain. Not like the UK which, however dull and unattractive it may appear to some, offers a framework of basic legal rights in the workplace and redress via tribunals when rights are abused.
Spain is a land ofsun, palm trees, beaches, easy life...for those with the means to enjoy them as they are not 'free'.
For those without, it's a land of living from day to day, hustling to make ends meet...no way a Spanish 'dream', more a Spanish nightmare.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

4froale said:


> Hi all and thanks in advance for any help provided on this subject. Me and my friend are both 22 years old and have become disillusioned with life in England. We are both in 9-5 office jobs which pay mediocre salaries allowing us to just about do the things we want to do (couple of nights out a month, one holiday a year etc). We of course would like to earn more money and drive flash cars but then again wouldn’t we all? It’s not the money aspect at all, its in fact the happiness. Around a few months ago we both discussed ‘a new start’ abroad for the first time. The problem we are both wondering though is where do we start???
> Life at home is fine and this isn’t a factor into why we want to move abroad. We have no problems with families and both still live at home (paying board of course). We could both afford to move out but having had this in the pipeline for a while, we decided it would be stupid.
> 
> We basically want a new start and are willing to try our hands at anything. So any help would be appreciated from those who have been in a similar situation and those who could share their own experiances would be appreciated.


My question would be, what is it that you would like to get from Spain (apart from the summer weather) that you dont get in the UK??

Jo xxx


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

4froale said:


> Thanks for the help everyone. Australia and USA have been considered but we want to stay in Europe really. We are not tied down to Spain but we are both unhappy with our current life and definitely want a new start somewhere else.


You will find that you can't just go to either of those countries without having work organised, certainly not the US.
Same for Canada. I owned a property there but I could stay for six months only and was not able to work.
I lived in Prague for three years before coming to Spain. There were quite a few Brits working in admin jobs as Prague is well- situated as a transport hub and many logistics companies have quite large operations there.


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## amespana (Nov 10, 2009)

If you have a specialised skill Australia will welcome you with open arms.I retired 3 years ago at 56 and could get a job on incredible money out there next week.Some old pals of mine are still( recently) going out to Oz on big paying contracts,and they're over 65. Luckily we managed our lives well and are living the dream here in Estepona.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

Autonomo rules have changed recently so when you start you pay €50 a month for the first 6 months and then it increases until after 2 years you will be on €264 a month. What this entitles you to is free healthcare in the Spanish system. But you will need to find a very good form of self employment for this to work. The best advice will be to try and have as many holidays here as you can to see what is going on and learn if there is a gap somewhere that you might be able to fill. Cheap flights and very cheap hotels outside the peak season so if you manage it properly you could have several trips a year. Long weekends are a great idea when you are just doing fact finding trips...


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## Sirtravelot (Jul 20, 2011)

...can I suggest something totally different?

Look into Bicycle Touring. It's been a popular solution against a "quarter-life crisis" for some.

Work 6-9 months a year, save your money, then spend the rest of the year biking across as many countries as you want/can, sleeping in tents, hammocks, hostels, whatever. Google it. There's 20-something year olds who have traveled half the world doing that. A lot of them started with the same problem as you: living a "boring" life, wondering if there's isn't more out there.

If I didn't have certain duties and responsibilities right now, that's what I'd be doing.


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