# Thinking of moving to spain......



## lewis225 (Aug 1, 2012)

Hi,

I have been looking at posts on here for a few months now and thought it was about time i posted my situation and see what everyone thinks!!

I am currently living in the uk with my husband and two young children, i am not working and my husband works away. Our parents both live abroad so currently we have no help from family where we live. My mum has been talking for a while now about moving to spain and with the house prices in spain falling, she is seriously thinking of moving in the next 6-12 months. She doesnt work and my dad currently works from home and comes back to england when he needs to for meetings etc so would do the same from spain.

I am currently thinking about whether to join her and move to spain with my children and my husband work in england for 2-3 weeks and have 1-2 weeks off in spain. I would then have the support of my parents and my brother and sister who are in their twentys and would move with them and also see my husband much more then i currently do in england.

We are looking at the moment at the area around estepona and would ideally like two houses on one plot in a village about 20 mins inland. We dont currently speak spanish but i did do it at school so know the basics and would definatly like to get better so would like to be in an area that is mostly spanish, but with some english around to make friends with. We are thinking of renting first so we are definate about the area as once my mum buys a house she is planning on staying for a long time and doesnt want to be unhappy with the house or the area.
We would keep our house in england and rent it out to friends so if at any point it doesnt work out for us we would be able to return fairly easily.

I would just like to hear your veiws on our situation and how it would work with becoming a resident and healthcare etc And also if any other mums have moved to that area, what it was like moving with young children and not being able to speak the language very well! And my oldest is only 2 1/2 at the moment but would like to know what the schools are like for the future!

Sorry if i have gone on a bit, but thank you very much for taking the time to read this and i look forward to hearing from you all soon 

xxxxx


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

lewis225 said:


> Hi,
> 
> I have been looking at posts on here for a few months now and thought it was about time i posted my situation and see what everyone thinks!!
> 
> ...


:welcome:

since you have the work side of things sorted there's no real reason why you shouldn't move to Spain - & the fact that you will have family support is a huge bonus!!

with your husband still working in the UK you can get healthcare by using form S1 

as for registering as resident is concerned - if you've been reading the forum you'll know that there is still some confusion as to what you need to prove income - but hopefully by the time you get here _someone_ will know!


----------



## lewis225 (Aug 1, 2012)

Thanks for your reply!!

Thats what i thought that as long as im not looking for work in spain i can only see that it is going to improve our lives, especially as i will moving with my family. I just wanted to see if anyone that has lived in spain for a while especially with young children could let me know what problems if any they faced?! And what areas would be best for us?!

I have been reading lots of posts on residency and it has really confused me, so im glad im not the only one!!

Thanks for your help


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

lewis225 said:


> Thanks for your reply!!
> 
> Thats what i thought that as long as im not looking for work in spain i can only see that it is going to improve our lives, especially as i will moving with my family. I just wanted to see if anyone that has lived in spain for a while especially with young children could let me know what problems if any they faced?! And what areas would be best for us?!
> 
> ...


When we moved here my 2 were a bit older than yours - 4 & 7 - the biggest problem at first was the fact that none of us could speak Spanish - the girls learned pretty quickly - I took a bit longer but my late husband never did - but then he worked away a lot too

my biggest problem at first was the fact that it was just me & the kids in a foreign country- we were used to him being away but it was different being totally alone without my support network.......... the first time my husband went away I suddenly realised that I didn't even know what number to ring for an ambulance  - you'll have your mum so that will be easier

after a couple of weeks I discovered that there were tons of us 'part time single mums' here, and started to make friends

my younger dd hated the food - you couldn't easily get English food then - until we discovered that she LOVES allioli.......... so we just smothered everything with that & she was fine

dealing with all the paperwork was a challenge - but not too hard to be honest & apart from the current confusion it's not as bad as some people insist it is


----------



## fergie (Oct 4, 2010)

Hi,
I have attached an article about the S1 form,which if you are entitled to it should be applied for before you come to Spain, so it is worthwhile checking with the office in Newcastle.
I came to Spain nearly one year ago, having been expat in HK for the Uk fro 4 years, as my husband still works in HK I have been backwards and forwards to HK and the Uk in the last year as well.
Due to me spending most of the time in Spain, and being over 60yrs old last year, I asked whether I was entitled to S1, the answer from Newcastle was NO, as we had lived outside the UK for 4 years in Hk before moving to Spain.
We are lucky because we both still have private healthcare paid by my husbands company. My full state pension from the Uk should have started already, but this has been very slow since I sent in the forms, I have paid UK NI and tax all my life, except for the 4 years in HK.
Best to check with Newcastle.

S1 form | Longer term healthcare & insurance cover living in Spain | Spanish-Living.com


----------



## Calas felices (Nov 29, 2007)

*Moving*

I think you need to look at the reasons you want to move and why Spain. As I understand it your mother and father currently live abroad and so you (in essence) would be moving to live with them. Two small children, hot summers, cold winters, Spanish bureaucracy, no benefits, language problems, possible transport difficulties for father and husband. This has been rehearsed many times on the forum. Perhaps you need to ask why is your mother wanting to move to Spain from where she currently lives.


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Calas felices said:


> I think you need to look at the reasons you want to move and why Spain. As I understand it your mother and father currently live abroad and so you (in essence) would be moving to live with them. Two small children, hot summers, cold winters, Spanish bureaucracy, no benefits, language problems, possible transport difficulties for father and husband. This has been rehearsed many times on the forum. Perhaps you need to ask why is your mother wanting to move to Spain from where she currently lives.


seriously??

her reasons are the same as mine were 9 years ago - a different lifestyle

her husband works away anyway - as did mine when we moved here

for me, nothing changed but my husband went away from a different airport - & I was living in a place I loved & my children were having a childhood at the beach/in the pool/in the fresh air

in her situation - why shouldn't she do the same ?


----------



## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

I would recommend you check with the DWP in Newcastle that you and your family will be covered for free healthcare in Spain as dependants for as long as you or your husband is paying NI contributions in the UK. The rules are changing so fast at the moment!


----------



## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Anyone not needing to work in Spain and in receipt of an income sufficient to enable the lifestyle they wish to enjoy should have no hesitation in buying their tickets.

I can't comment about people with children but others with experience can and will.

Under certain circumstances such as having paid sufficient NI contributions you may be entitled to reciprocal health care arrangements in Spain as are those in receipt of a state retirement pension....which isn't entirely 'free'....you've contributed towards it!


----------



## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Hello Lewis,

Welcome to the forum, your post reads like you have everything pretty much thought out.

I wish you luck in your new lifestyle!


----------



## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

As said, if your income is not from Spain then give it a bash. Don't sell your UK property and don't buy in Spain as prices are still falling and will continue to fall for a couple of years by the looks of things, you'd be a mug to buy now.


----------



## lewis225 (Aug 1, 2012)

Thank you everyone for your replies!! All very helpful i will have a look at the article about the s1 form and start getting my head around everything!!

In answer to calas felices the reason my mum wants to move is that she has been in the south of france for a long time now and would like to experiance life in a new country and a different culture! And i have never been in a position to move abroad before due to work etc so now seems to me the perfect opportunity to give it a go!! And it will be lovely for me and for my children to live closer to the their grandparents. As for the weather my parents are used to hot summers and cold winters as the south of france is very similar and for me anything is better than the rain we have been experiancing recently, it is much easier to keep the children entertained in the sun!! And we have spent some time with my parents so know what it is like.

Just wondered if any others with children live in the estepona to gibralter area and if it is a good place to live with children with a nice mix of spanish and english?! I have been looking at manilva and casares but only on the internet so am in the process of planning a trip in the next month or so but just wanted to see if anyone else lived in that area??

Thank you for all your help xx


----------



## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

lewis225 said:


> Thank you everyone for your replies!! All very helpful i will have a look at the article about the s1 form and start getting my head around everything!!
> 
> In answer to calas felices the reason my mum wants to move is that she has been in the south of france for a long time now and would like to experiance life in a new country and a different culture! And i have never been in a position to move abroad before due to work etc so now seems to me the perfect opportunity to give it a go!! And it will be lovely for me and for my children to live closer to the their grandparents. As for the weather my parents are used to hot summers and cold winters as the south of france is very similar and for me anything is better than the rain we have been experiancing recently, it is much easier to keep the children entertained in the sun!! And we have spent some time with my parents so know what it is like.
> 
> ...



I live within a short drive of Estepona and although my erstwhile 'little boy' is now a hulking man I would without hesitation say that it is an ideal place to bring up children.

It is quiet, no brash night-life apart from the port area and even that it tranquil compared to resorts further up the coast. It is a seaside town frequented mainly by Spanish tourists and has preserved its authenticity.

Last week we went for a stroll along the 'prom' with our dog. We stopped for a drink at a cafe and watched the world go by. Whole families barbecueing on the beach, children playing, babies in push-chairs, teenagers playing volley-ball - not a hint of the ugly noise and latent aggression you can detect in other resorts or the UK. Just peaceful enjoyment.

Casares is very pretty, a pueblo blanco but Manilva is more 'artificial' in that it is a recent creation, afaik not developed from an existing village. But then many British immigrants have settled happily there.

Now is a good time to come and see for yourself. Tourism this year is really down so I'm sure there are many bargains around both in rented villas/apartments and hotels.


----------



## lewis225 (Aug 1, 2012)

mrypg9 said:


> I live within a short drive of Estepona and although my erstwhile 'little boy' is now a hulking man I would without hesitation say that it is an ideal place to bring up children.
> 
> It is quiet, no brash night-life apart from the port area and even that it tranquil compared to resorts further up the coast. It is a seaside town frequented mainly by Spanish tourists and has preserved its authenticity.
> 
> ...


Thank you so much, this is exactly what we are looking for, we would like to be away from the main night life but as me and my husband are still young(ish) we would still like to go out for a nice drink in the evenings! 

And for children it sounds ideal, for me i was looking at manilva as it is closer to the coast but i think my parents would prefer casares. I think i will be getting some flights booked as soon as possible to come and have a look around.
Thank you!!!


----------



## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

lewis225 said:


> Thank you so much, this is exactly what we are looking for, we would like to be away from the main night life but as me and my husband are still young(ish) we would still like to go out for a nice drink in the evenings!
> 
> And for children it sounds ideal, for me i was looking at manilva as it is closer to the coast but i think my parents would prefer casares. I think i will be getting some flights booked as soon as possible to come and have a look around.
> Thank you!!!


We try to be positive and hepful when we can

Look to the east as well as west and north of Estepona, though.


----------



## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

Hi, welcome to the forum!! We have a young son who is now 2 yrs 4 months and he absolutely loves living here. Where we lived in UK was rapidly becoming a social disaster area with knife crime and muggings on the increase (several of each every day now). My OHs parents already lived here and within a year of us moving here my parents also moved over and are loving every minute of their new lives. Obviously we have been researching schooling for our boy and in my opnion the schools here in Spain have manby advantages over those where we used to live. But for us the outdoor life here is unblievably good. Yes, winter evenings can be very cold (but that isn't the norm) but we were still enjoying BBQs in December. Of course, had our boy been living in UK that would have been the life he knew and enjoyed, but we kinow that being indoors most of the time (due to the weather and dark winter days) cannot beat being outside, in the pool or on the beach or up in the mountains and the natural parks all year round (welo very nearly). Oftentimes folk on here have to post negative comments about people who want to move here but I think in your case, the answer has to be GO FOR IT!!!!!!!! If you don't you will forever wonder what might have happened. This way if it doesn't work out, it won't be for the lack of trying....


----------

