# Another family wanting to move to Spain...



## spagetts (Sep 5, 2011)

Hello all apologies for the long post...

have read lots of posts about the difficulties of relocating to Spain and having already done it and failed a few years ago im thinking (madly) that i might do it all over again!!!!

My family are all living on the Costa Blanca (in laws, brother, nieces, nephews etc) and having just returned from a 3 week holiday from there we, my husband and i and 2 children, want to go back to a) be near them b) live the life the kids do there. My kids were depressed at coming home and really want to move back

We moved to the area near my family in 2007 with my husband travelling back and forth from the UK to finance our living. i couldnt get a job as i had a 16 month old baby and also there was nothing available during the hours a nursery operated i.e it was all waitressing and bar work albeit few and far between it was there. It became obvious that we could stay living like that but that things would not really change so we came back.

At the time i remember thinking, if only i was a hairdresser or a beauty therapist i could have gained employment as i saw quite regularly vacancies in the papers as well as on the radio. 

So, im thinking if i get a tutor for a year to improve my spanish (i have basic command verbs grammer etc) and train for a hairdressing qualification prior to going, will it be different this time? Are these still the best trades/qualifications to have in the expat community?

My family seem to think that if you are going to get any job then thats the right one to be in plus i can always do mobile jobs in the meantime but once bitten twice shy and even though my kids are all for moving i am very cautious about making any decisions. 

i will keep my house in England and rent in spain. My husband will commute again until we are on our feet (ie i have built up a client base/employment) and then perhaps retrain himself who knows.

What im interested in is are Hairdressers still in "demand" or would i be better off thinking of another avenue and spend a year doing something different? Also, what are the prospects for teenagers once they leave school/college?

I have asked family but i think they are reluctant to encourage or dissuade for fear of it going wrong again which i understand so thought i would ask here too.

the areas i would be looking for work would be around Torrevieja.

Of note:

my eldest daughter is 15 and finishing school next year and she is the one who wants to go the most. She wants to train as a beauty therapist which she can in La Zenia which isnt far in an english academy. She will have to work the hardest on her spanish. The youngest is not a problem as she is young enough for spanish school

i will have about £20,000 to tide me over but i dont want to waste it if there is no future.

Sorry i know i have pretty much just rambled i suppose i just want some views from people outside of the family.

thank you in advance and apologies for the long waffle!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Your family living in Spain I'm sure will tell you that there is serious mass unemployment in Spain. there is no financial welfare, there are few jobs for the Spanish school leavers, there are probably many unemployed hairdressers.... Now or for the foreseeable future.

Oooh, that sounds really horrible, sorry, I dont mean to be neagative, but the facts are what they are. As you know its a lovely place to live, but the job situation is far worse than it is in the UK and without an income, its a tough place. 

Jo xx


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

spagetts said:


> Hello all apologies for the long post...
> 
> have read lots of posts about the difficulties of relocating to Spain and having already done it and failed a few years ago im thinking (madly) that i might do it all over again!!!!
> 
> ...


hi

what do those family members of yours who work here do?

you say you have 'already done it and failed' a few years ago - what went wrong then - whatever it is it's MUCH worse now.

I guess if you were to get work doing anything it _might_ be mobile hairdresser/beauty - but things are done by recommendation here & a just qualified person is going to be up against wll established people - I know who I'd choose. The girl who does my hair is a former *Toni & Guy TRAINER* - she works in a salon _and_ does mobile & doesn't make enough to support her & her OH, let alone kids - her OH has an *established* garage with a good reputation. The only vacancies you ever see in salons are 'rent a chair & bring your own clients' situations.

prospects for school leavers are dreadful - unemployment in that age group is well over 40% - and that's locals. I have a 15 year old who is fluent in Spanish who has one more obligatory year of school left & I thank god that she plans to do Bacci & uni - or she'd probably just be joining the unemployment line next year - and she has the advantage of being tri-lingual!


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Sorry Spagetts but Xabiachica is right. Spain has the highest unemployment rate in Europe with 45% - nearly half - of people under 25 out of work. If it weren´t for the fact that many of them are on some sort of training programme (which still doesn´t guarantee them a job) the figures would be even worse.

Spain is a wonderful place for holidays and retirement, but living here and looking for work when your money is fast running out is just soul-destroying.

Fingers crossed things will eventually get better - in the meantime the best advice is get to work on your Spanish!


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Last December my friends wife, who was then unemployed, opened a Hairdressing and beauty saloon, she started from scratch. Yesterday my wife went for an appointment, she was fully booked up and because of this she had to return today. 

However this is the Canary Island of El Hierro, but still part of Spain, and this is one example of a successful venture, so perhaps there is hope for the future,

Hepa


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## Leper (May 12, 2010)

I think you could look through this site and other sites and look at the amount of hairdressers and beauticians seeking work in Spain. You would want to have a whole load of luck on your side to be successful. 

You sound like a great up-beat person, but if I advised you to move to Spain I feel I would be doing you a huge dis-favour. Sorry!


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## angela1 (Nov 21, 2009)

Do not go. Your family will want you near them but will know how dreadful things in Spain are. A family member has just returned from the Costa Blanca after 2 years who had a job and could not survive on the wages. They went with more money than you and have none left.

I spend lots of money every month on my hair and going to the beauty salon. I haven't met anyone else in the Costa Blanca who does. The ex pats buy hair dye from the supermarket and go round to each others houses colouring each others hair. Every so often they will get it cut by an ex pat. I only know of a few who get their nails done, even then it's every few months. 

From what I've seen ex pats don't have a great deal of money. Most live a hand to mouth existence.

All of this is my view from having looked at relocating to the Costa Blanca and deciding not to. All the people before me have given good advice and are well qualified to do that. I have read their posts for a few years now and they can be relied upon.

Why not try and go and visit more regularly. Downsize in the UK, cut hours of work etc. Spend long weekends there.


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## Heba Cook (Sep 10, 2011)

*I hope we make it there!*



spagetts said:


> Hello all apologies for the long post...
> 
> have read lots of posts about the difficulties of relocating to Spain and having already done it and failed a few years ago im thinking (madly) that i might do it all over again!!!!
> 
> ...


Hi there,
I am thinking of moving to spain in 2 years time, I am a single mother with 2 boys of 8 and 10. I am going to move to Cadiz to be exact, El puerto de Santa Maria.
I think you are right to causious, You are thinking of all the things a mother should be thinking about. The hair dresser work is not going to be easy to find unless you research it first, print leaflet here in spanish and go for a visit, live in a car for 12 hours per day driving around, feeding the leaflets through the letter box, go to areas that is likely to have Native english people living in it. I will be doing the same, in 7 month time, but with eye brow threading. You are very lucky to have most of your family there, they will be a great form of support to you and your family. Don't worry about the economical situation, it is bad here and there, but I stress that you must find a job, and the same to me. I will be doing the same as you, renting my house here and renting there. I have to gathere a lot of info about schools and the well fare system there. If anyone one can post any information about the health system in Spain, or the education system, Schools, please write and tell us what you think from an experience you may have had. I have been going on holidays to same area for the last 6 years starting from 2007, 2009, and 2011. I have sensed the recession in the area. The place is not as busy as it used to be. But I love it there. Every other year we go somewhere new. My children are well travelled and really want to move there now. From Spain we will be able to travel by road to other countries including eastern Europe. But, I have to have a job. I have been a free lance market researcher here in UK since 1997, and lived here since 1993. I originate from Cairo Egypt. Last time I immegrated I was alone, this time I have 2 boys, it seems much harder. All my family are in Cairo. Go for it, your kids are older, your have a lot more positives than I have. If you can live on your husband's income only, can you? you will be getting a rent from your house here, the rent in UK is much higher than in spain. You will have to cut your expenses down to the minimum. You are the one who knows most about your situation, I am sure you will do the right thing.:confused2:
Good luck and all the best
Heba.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Heba Cook said:


> Hi there,
> I am thinking of moving to spain in 2 years time, I am a single mother with 2 boys of 8 and 10. I am going to move to Cadiz to be exact, El puerto de Santa Maria.
> I think you are right to causious, You are thinking of all the things a mother should be thinking about. The hair dresser work is not going to be easy to find unless you research it first, print leaflet here in spanish and go for a visit, live in a car for 12 hours per day driving around, feeding the leaflets through the letter box, go to areas that is likely to have Native english people living in it. I will be doing the same, in 7 month time, but with eye brow threading. You are very lucky to have most of your family there, they will be a great form of support to you and your family. Don't worry about the economical situation, it is bad here and there, but I stress that you must find a job, and the same to me. I will be doing the same as you, renting my house here and renting there. I have to gathere a lot of info about schools and the well fare system there. If anyone one can post any information about the health system in Spain, or the education system, Schools, please write and tell us what you think from an experience you may have had. I have been going on holidays to same area for the last 6 years starting from 2007, 2009, and 2011. I have sensed the recession in the area. The place is not as busy as it used to be. But I love it there. Every other year we go somewhere new. My children are well travelled and really want to move there now. From Spain we will be able to travel by road to other countries including eastern Europe. But, I have to have a job. I have been a free lance market researcher here in UK since 1997, and lived here since 1993. I originate from Cairo Egypt. Last time I immegrated I was alone, this time I have 2 boys, it seems much harder. All my family are in Cairo. Go for it, your kids are older, your have a lot more positives than I have. If you can live on your husband's income only, can you? you will be getting a rent from your house here, the rent in UK is much higher than in spain. You will have to cut your expenses down to the minimum. You are the one who knows most about your situation, I am sure you will do the right thing.:confused2:
> Good luck and all the best
> Heba.


Hi & welcome

you do seem to be aware of how tough things are in Spain, so you must realise that it's a really bad time to be thinking of coming to live here - especially with kids

one point I feel I need to pick up on - you mention the welfare system.........there quite simply isn't one

there are no benefits here like in the UK - there are some, but only if you have been already paying into the system here in Spain, and then they are time limited - there are many many people here whose benefits have run out who are relying upon family, soup kitchens & other charities

if you DO come, and decide to work on a self-employed basis, you need to be aware that you will have to pay out +/- 250 euros every months for national insurance - even if you don't earn a cent


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Heba Cook said:


> Hi there,
> I am thinking of moving to spain in 2 years time, I am a single mother with 2 boys of 8 and 10. I am going to move to Cadiz to be exact, El puerto de Santa Maria.
> I think you are right to causious, You are thinking of all the things a mother should be thinking about. The hair dresser work is not going to be easy to find unless you research it first, print leaflet here in spanish and go for a visit, live in a car for 12 hours per day driving around, feeding the leaflets through the letter box, go to areas that is likely to have Native english people living in it. I will be doing the same, in 7 month time, but with eye brow threading. You are very lucky to have most of your family there, they will be a great form of support to you and your family. Don't worry about the economical situation, it is bad here and there, but I stress that you must find a job, and the same to me. I will be doing the same as you, renting my house here and renting there. I have to gathere a lot of info about schools and the well fare system there. If anyone one can post any information about the health system in Spain, or the education system, Schools, please write and tell us what you think from an experience you may have had. I have been going on holidays to same area for the last 6 years starting from 2007, 2009, and 2011. I have sensed the recession in the area. The place is not as busy as it used to be. But I love it there. Every other year we go somewhere new. My children are well travelled and really want to move there now. From Spain we will be able to travel by road to other countries including eastern Europe. But, I have to have a job. I have been a free lance market researcher here in UK since 1997, and lived here since 1993. I originate from Cairo Egypt. Last time I immegrated I was alone, this time I have 2 boys, it seems much harder. All my family are in Cairo. Go for it, your kids are older, your have a lot more positives than I have. If you can live on your husband's income only, can you? you will be getting a rent from your house here, the rent in UK is much higher than in spain. You will have to cut your expenses down to the minimum. You are the one who knows most about your situation, I am sure you will do the right thing.:confused2:
> Good luck and all the best
> Heba.


You're right that you need to do research before coming over and looking on forums like this for information is a good starting point. However before commiting yourself - and your family, you should really make a good few trips before you come, and see things for yourself in the summer and winter and at all times of the day too, and find out about everything you possible can. 
As xabiachica has said, there aren't any benefits available to immigrants when they first come over, you have to pay into the system to be able to take out of it.

And the immigrants round my way are more likely to be Moroccan, Russian or Bulgarian than English....


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## Heba Cook (Sep 10, 2011)

xabiachica said:


> Hi & welcome
> 
> you do seem to be aware of how tough things are in Spain, so you must realise that it's a really bad time to be thinking of coming to live here - especially with kids
> 
> ...


Thank you for the information, I didn't know some of it, 250 euros even if I didn't make a penny!! That is much. I will not make the move unless we could have a comfertable life there, I really want to leave the UK, but I have a living here and I am familiar with the system. I did some research when I was out there, no one does what I do unless you travell to Sevilla, which is an hour and 20 minutes drive. I will do a course to teach English, there is a private English centre in the area who is always looking for teachers, also I can do it privately, I also speak other languages. There are also other things I could do, but as you said I have to keep going back and increasing my knowledge. I am going back in febreuary. 
Thank you again.


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## gill556 (Dec 23, 2010)

My friend came to Costa Blanca and is a qualified hairdresser. The first year she had so much work, mainly other Moms that she met at the school. The following year every single one of her customers had returned to the UK. She then did some cleaning jobs and even painted houses. In the UK her husband had his own company employing many workers and he supplied teams of his men to multi national companies. In Spain he worked for himself and got plenty of work as he is a master craftsman. Their daughter was 6 years old when they arrived and after 2 years was top of her class in Valenciano. All three of them also had private Spanish lessons. They loved it here and I was very shocked when they announced that they were returning to the UK as they were unable to make ends meet. Their aim is to come back when they retire.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

gill556 said:


> My friend came to Costa Blanca and is a qualified hairdresser. The first year she had so much work, mainly other Moms that she met at the school. The following year every single one of her customers had returned to the UK. She then did some cleaning jobs and even painted houses. In the UK her husband had his own company employing many workers and he supplied teams of his men to multi national companies. In Spain he worked for himself and got plenty of work as he is a master craftsman. Their daughter was 6 years old when they arrived and after 2 years was top of her class in Valenciano. All three of them also had private Spanish lessons. They loved it here and I was very shocked when they announced that they were returning to the UK as they were unable to make ends meet. Their aim is to come back when they retire.


Thank you for taking the time to write that. It's such a shame. They were obviously people that had thought about things, their daughter was the perfect age and received support from her family and did very well, and it sounds like they were hard working too.

And *still* it didn't work out.

There will always be somebody who "makes it" in Spain's current economy. Those people will probably be young, single and prepared and able to do things, that older people with families to support, don't want to do, or simply can't.

That's just the way it is right now.

OH and my 17 year old daughter are out in the street at this very moment demonstrating against cuts in education which have led, apart from other things, to _*thousands*_ of teachers being left without work this academic year.


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