# Advice on moving from Australia to Spain



## verdav (Dec 16, 2012)

Seeking advice from anyone who has made the big move from Australia to Spain before they qualified for the Aussie pension, i.e. am worried about making the move 3 years before qualifying for the pension. Secondly, the cost of sending household effects is high, would it be better to leave it all behind or perhaps just send things that are likely to be costly to rebuy? Any other Do and Don'ts would be welcome.


----------



## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

I can't really speak for the pension concerns but it is quite costly to ship things over, personally I would ship only the important things that matter to you and keep the cost down as much as possible.
Most rental properties and even sale properties can come fully furnished if you wish so that would also help cut down on the things you would need to buy on arrival.
Do's and don'ts are... well it depends on your plans. Have you been to Spain before and know where you wish to move to?


----------



## Nignoy (Jun 4, 2010)

We Have Just completed the move from queensland complete with personel belongings and dog, 25 removal and robe boxes, artworks and lots and lots of fishing rods, the dog flew with dogtainers and emirates, Chess removals Brisbane packed and shipped our belongings delivered the dog to quarantine in Brisbane from the darling downs, total price 5,500$ Australian, we dawdled abit in Bavaria so we would arrive at our new home a couple of days before our belongs ,the dog we had already picked up in Munich,it is worth putting a bit of thought and advance planning, you will get good advice on here, any way we can help drop me aline, sorry cannot help much with centrelink, just prepare for the 3rd degree when you have to go for an interview with them


----------



## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

Nignoy said:


> We Have Just completed the move from queensland complete with personel belongings and dog, 25 removal and robe boxes, artworks and lots and lots of fishing rods, the dog flew with dogtainers and emirates, Chess removals Brisbane packed and shipped our belongings delivered the dog to quarantine in Brisbane from the darling downs, total price 5,500$ Australian, we dawdled abit in Bavaria so we would arrive at our new home a couple of days before our belongs ,the dog we had already picked up in Munich,it is worth putting a bit of thought and advance planning, you will get good advice on here, any way we can help drop me aline, sorry cannot help much with centrelink, just prepare for the 3rd degree when you have to go for an interview with them


(Nignoy, when are you going to mark that huge milestone that I was so excited to mark - changing your forum profile location?  )


----------



## Nignoy (Jun 4, 2010)

*A matter of priorities*



AllHeart said:


> (Nignoy, when are you going to mark that huge milestone that I was so excited to mark - changing your forum profile location?  )


we have now been here in spain 10 very busy days, what with unpacking ,painting and decorating,and of course the immense amount of burocracy that every expat faces when they first arrive here,when I get round to it I will change my locational address but at the moment other the things are more important such as locating a close source of insulin and a good cardiac clinic!!


----------



## maxd (Mar 22, 2009)

One way to save is just book a 20ft or 40ft container from a shipper. Get some muscle in to load it and send it off. Do not know Oz prices but from China it is 1500 euro odd for 20ft.

Interesting people coming from Oz to Spain  I was born down under, tried to go back in my 20's a few times but could never settle. I like the diversity of Europe, the buildings and history.

Now we have a place in Northern Europe and one in the Canaries life seems pretty complete. Fancy a trip to Australia at least once more to see how it has changed, the last time was 98  Good on ya


----------



## verdav (Dec 16, 2012)

Nignoy said:


> We Have Just completed the move from queensland complete with personel belongings and dog, 25 removal and robe boxes, artworks and lots and lots of fishing rods, the dog flew with dogtainers and emirates, Chess removals Brisbane packed and shipped our belongings delivered the dog to quarantine in Brisbane from the darling downs, total price 5,500$ Australian, we dawdled abit in Bavaria so we would arrive at our new home a couple of days before our belongs ,the dog we had already picked up in Munich,it is worth putting a bit of thought and advance planning, you will get good advice on here, any way we can help drop me aline, sorry cannot help much with centrelink, just prepare for the 3rd degree when you have to go for an interview with them


Thanks for the info. We do not have a home to go to and hope to find somewhere in the Valencia area to rent initially. However, we have two cats and without an address to go straight to are thinking of perhaps moving to the UK in the first instance, in order to organise NIE's etc. How long did you dawdle in Bavaria before your belongings arrived? Any advice would really be appreciated.


----------



## verdav (Dec 16, 2012)

We have only been to Spain on holiday, once in 1978 and a few weeks in 2007. We like the Valencia area but have not made a firm decision. Plan to rent initially and then do some travelling around before deciding where to settle.


----------



## verdav (Dec 16, 2012)

Have a quote of Euros 6000 to move one 20 ft container from Brisbane to Malaga, so will have to investigate your suggestion. Did your cost include insurance?


----------



## maxd (Mar 22, 2009)

My calculation would be 3850 aud by doing it yourself with a shipper. If you want insurance add 1 to 2 %


----------



## maxd (Mar 22, 2009)

Truck in Brisbane your house to port 2 hour wait time 200 to 400 aud. Call for quotes
3 guys to load at 20 aud per hour, 3 hours 180 aud from agency
Customs clearance approx 150 aud

Now in euros
Container 1500to 1900
Port unloading Spain 280
Customs clearance 80 
Truck to your new home 150
Muscle to unload 10 euro an hour 3 guys


----------



## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

Verdav, I was in a similar situation to you when coming from Canada - not sure where I was going to stay and I had lots of stuff. Have you thought about Pazcat's suggestion to rent/buy fully furnished? That's what I did and I'm soooooo glad I did that. It was really, really hard to let go of all my earthly belongings, but I didn't have to bother with the hassle of packing and shipping, then lugging my things around Spain. Now, at any time, if I want to, I can just pick up and move again. It's so freeing to live like this!


----------



## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

https://www.amazon.es/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=hp_200911430_sab/?nodeId=201573690 Amazon have opened up in Spain. I'd suggest you draw up a list of what you *really need* in a new home and look at the amazon site. Be ruthless and honest with yourself about some of the belongs you have...I doubt you'll need a shipping container.


----------



## Justina (Jan 25, 2013)

*Moving*



AllHeart said:


> Verdav, I was in a similar situation to you when coming from Canada - not sure where I was going to stay and I had lots of stuff. Have you thought about Pazcat's suggestion to rent/buy fully furnished? That's what I did and I'm soooooo glad I did that. It was really, really hard to let go of all my earthly belongings, but I didn't have to bother with the hassle of packing and shipping, then lugging my things around Spain. Now, at any time, if I want to, I can just pick up and move again. It's so freeing to live like this!


Yes, it is so liberating to whittle down what one packs and on the other hand my home help got really lucky and got superb beds, furniture, some lovely plates, cutlery, you name it. It felt like freedom.


----------



## verdav (Dec 16, 2012)

Thanks for the detail. It seems I will have to be ruthless, which is going to be hard for an old hoarder like me!


----------



## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

Justina, I didn't know you are a convert too! I've picked out a few special things myself too here in Spain. That's another good reason to leave stuff behind - to leave room for reasons to shop for new stuff. 



verdav said:


> Thanks for the detail. It seems I will have to be ruthless, which is going to be hard for an old hoarder like me!


Verdav, I had a ton of stuff too, and I shed many tears letting go of things. People on the forum gave me excellent advice on how to go about this in this thread, which may be helpful for you: http://www.expatforum.com/expats/sp...4089-taking-plunge-move-selling-my-stuff.html

I took pictures of my things and have those on my computer, and that's enough for me. Now that's packing light and cheap!


----------



## Justina (Jan 25, 2013)

Well Allheart, apart from having the pics on my laptop, I got them printed out so if I feel like indulging in a bit of nostalgia, I take out the photos.


----------



## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

Justina, what a super idea! I never thought of that. When my pension comes in, I'm going to buy a printer & scanner, so I'll print out some of the pics of my stuff. My printer & scanner is something I'm really, really missing right now.  I had a fabulous HP PhotoSmart that could do anything and everything. I'm an electronics junkie, and in fact I didn't bring most of my electronics, which I do in fact miss - to be ruthlessly honest (to use Bob-Bob's words). But I'll replace them all when my pension comes in. I'm waiting and waiting and waiting.... :ranger:


----------



## Park (Apr 19, 2015)

Nignoy said:


> We Have Just completed the move from queensland complete with personel belongings and dog, 25 removal and robe boxes, artworks and lots and lots of fishing rods, the dog flew with dogtainers and emirates, Chess removals Brisbane packed and shipped our belongings delivered the dog to quarantine in Brisbane from the darling downs, total price 5,500$ Australian, we dawdled abit in Bavaria so we would arrive at our new home a couple of days before our belongs ,the dog we had already picked up in Munich,it is worth putting a bit of thought and advance planning, you will get good advice on here, any way we can help drop me aline, sorry cannot help much with centrelink, just prepare for the 3rd degree when you have to go for an interview with them


This sounds exactly like us! We would be very interested to hear how you got on in regards to gaining long term visa's and working in Spain but more importantly, the fishing. We plan to work for our own Aussie company whilst abroad and may ship some belongings over, including our dog. We'd hope to buy a car and a fishing boat whilst renting for 1-2 years.


----------

