When you start planning your move to Spain, there are a million and one things that you have to consider and to organize. It can be difficult to keep track of all of the things that you have to remember unless you are a very organised person by nature. In addition, once you get to Spain there are plenty of administrative tasks you will need to remember and take care of.
One excellent - and free - tool is available at www.simpleology.com. While it is initially focused at increasing your productivity it is also an excellent place to store all of your ideas, set priorities and goals, and have everything in one easy to access place online.
While it may seem like a strange resource to offer to expats, it is well worth creating an account as it is free. Not only will it help make your move easier, it could improve the organisation of other areas of your life aswell.
Find out more at www.simpleology.com
Euro-Cheque.com has come up with an astonishingly simple but useful formula for helping those who have trouble with Spanish and need to write a cheque.
Simply select Spanish cheque from the left hand menu, click on the amount you want to write the cheque for and the translation for the words in Spanish appear on the image at the bottom.
Expat Entrepeneur is written for those who are looking to create a new career or income stream that will work anywhere in the world.
As well as advice on how to choose the right career for you it highlight examples of successful expat entrepeneurs.
Expats need to be more resourceful than regular job seekers and the Expat Entrepeneur can help you with ideas for your new venture.
Available from Bookshaker.com
www.unispain.com is a great site for those looking for Spanish language course. Instead of having to search through hundreds of different websites, they have a price calculator to give you an estimate of how much the course will cost including accommodation, if you need it.
They have other useful tools on the site like:
The Pocket Money calculator to determine how much you are likely to spend once you get to Spain.
Spanish level test to help you determine your level of proficiency in Spanish
Weeks needed to learn Spanish test, which gives you an idea of how long it will take you to learn Spanish.
Online Spanish course which you can try for free
There is a lot of useful information on the site and it is well worth having a look: www.unispain.com
The telecommute industry used to be full of scams and offers of jobs for mailing envelopes, pyramid schemes and other time wasting and often expensive pie in the sky positions. However the world is changing and with downsizing and outsourcing a new range of opportunities is available online.
This is good news for expats as it means that they do not have to rely on traditional jobs when they relocate, nor do they necessarily have to struggle with learning Spanish.
One such opportunity is to become a Virtual Assistant offering administrative and secretarial support to clients all over the world. With no office to maintain the overheads are minimal, requiring only the advertising of your services. Once you have a few clients you are likely to get repeat business and referrals.
If you visit www.virtualpabusiness.com Lisa Taliga offers a free ebook with an overview of what is needed to ensure that your business is successful.
I came across a network on Facebook today which called ´You know you´ve lived in Spain when...´
They have a long list of things which made me chuckle. Some of my favourites include:
1) You think adding lemonade, fanta or even coke to red wine is perfectly acceptable. Especially at lunch time.
2) You can't get over how early bars & clubs shut back home - surely they're shutting just as you should be going out?
3) You aren't just surprised that the plumber/decorator has turned up on time, you're surprised he turned up at all.
4) You think it's fine to comment on everyone's appearance.
5) Not giving every new acquaintance dos besos seems so rude.
6) You're shocked by people getting their legs out at the first hint of sun - surely they should wait until at least late June?
7) You're amazed when TV ad breaks last less than half an hour, especially right before the end of films.
8) You forget to say please when asking for things - you implied it in your tone of voice, right?
9) You eat lunch after 2pm & would never even think of having your evening meal before 9.
10) You know that after 2pm there's no point in going shopping, you might as well just have a siesta until 5 when the shops re-open.
11) The fact that all the male (or female) members of a family have the same first name doesn't surprise you.
12) You don't see anything wrong with having a couple of beers in the morning if you feel like it.
13) Floors in bars are an ideal dumping ground for your colillas, servilletas etc. Why use a bin?!
14) You see clapping as an art form, not just a way to express approval.
It currently has about 22,000 members so is well worth joining - you never know who you might meet!
A new website is in pre-launch called My Happy Planet. The idea behind the site is that you meet up with people online to share language skills for free. Put an English person and a Spanish person together and they can exchange lessons for free from the comfort of their own home.
It will undoubtedly turn into a social networking site with a twist but it is a great idea in principle. Especially as the site grows and you may be able to find someone in the region you plan to settle in, or already live in.
I would be interested in feedback from anyone who uses this service.
Register for free today at www.myhappyplanet.com
Many years ago, Spain was a bargain hunters paradise. Cheap property, holidays, food and drink made it a favourite for property investors and holiday makers alike. Not so today with the exaggerated increase in mortgage interest rates and basic food stuffs.
While Spain continues to rank as one of the top european destinations, investors are looking elsewhere to make the huge capital gains in property that were to be found during the boom years. Many have also been hit by the rapid rise in interest rates over the last few years and none more so than the Spanish themselves with lower wages than many of their European counterparts.
Even three years ago the range of mortgages was relatively limited yet suddenly, we are witnessing the appearance of multi-currency mortgages, 50 year mortgages and long term interest-only mortgages. However the market must adapt and without the expansion of the mortgage market, it would be impossible for the majority of young spaniards to get a step onto the housing ladder.
Added to rising mortgage costs are increased fuel prices and the cost of basic food stuffs including bread, milk and vegetables. It is not just a case of tightening your belt, but adding an extra notch or two until you can hardly breathe.
The public as a whole can understand the simplistic economic model that there are cycles – years of boom followed by years of so-called bust which should really be called re-adjustment. However the doom and gloom merchants all jump on to the band wagon and predict major economic collapse because it makes for dramatic news.
The media and so-called experts are quick to blame homeowners and investors but not enough is said of the banks and the exorbitant costs associated with property ownership – particularly in Spain. This should improve however, with the news that there will be a reduction in costs particularly in notary and administrative fees.
It will undoubtedly be a lean two or three years ahead, but the same rules apply as when there is a boom economy – buy only what you can afford. In the long run, property is always a good investment.
This is the book that I started over a year ago and that has finally been published! It started as a rant when I wrote an article regarding social security almost seizing my car over the fact I had not been de-registered as autonomo. Silly me, having changed to Freelance I "assumed" that I was no longer registered as autonomo. Ultimately no-one was to blame but me, however, the hoops I had to jump through to sort it out were unbelievable.
Not to mention two months of dreading the visit to the post office in case there was yet another fine or threatening letter.
And then I kept writing because I realised that the stress I went through as a bi-lingual person must have been at least half of that of someone with no Spanish at all.
It is a warts and all look at the hidden problems in coming to Spain. There is so much more you have to consider than you could ever imagine before arriving and being prepared will make it that much easier to enjoy the experience.
Available at www.bookshaker.com and www.amazon.co.uk
Expats need to be creative when looking for work in a new country and a company on the Costa del Sol has come up with an interesting idea. Holiday Companions offers escort, guide and helper services to visitors to the area.
Now you might cringe at the word escorts but they stress that there is no sex involved! Escorts are just that, accompanying visitors to the area who do not want to go alone to a show, shopping or sightseeing for example.
As they say on there marketing "All companions have undergone a full interview and security check to make sure they are, reliable, trustworthy and friendly. We have companions from ages 21 to 60 with a range of personalities, we are sure to have one to suit you!".
This could be an ideal job for an expat looking for an extra bit of spending money. All they ask is that you have a friendly outlook, enjoy meeting people, are honest and reliable and live on the Costa del Sol.
It could also be an idea for entrepeneurs to talk to them about franchising the service to other areas of Spain.
www.holidaycompanions.es
