Escaping abroad

picard1109

DaisyBlue:

I ran away to Spain a few years ago, partly due to debt problems but also due to being fed up with the rat race - mid-life crisis, basically. We came back at the end of last year, because life is even harder there. At least here, I can earn a decent living - although the debts are still there, my creditors don't know where I am at the moment, so I've got some breathing space while I sort my life out here.

First things first: getting a job in Spain, if you don´t speak Spanish, is really difficult. I spoke reasonable Spanish but still couldn't get a break on the Costa Blanca.

Second, the cost of living isn't really cheaper there - because you earn a lot less. It's all very well going on holiday and thinking it's cheap because you earn more in the UK. A bar job, for example, might only give you 800 euros a month - rent on a 1 bed flat would be around 550, depending on where you are. Communications costs - internet, Sky - are alot more expensive than here. Second hand cars cost a lot more.

If you are absolutely determined to do it, the best place to get work (if you have IT skills) might be Gibraltar - there are alot of online gaming companies and they are always looking for staff. Salaries vary but customer service type jobs pay between 15-17k pounds to start. Tax in Gib is higher than the UK if you're in low paid work (but very low if you're rich!!), rents in Gib and across the border into La Linea are high.

The only advantage to running away is that it's easy to go "off radar" and it's unlikely that your creditors will bother to look for you.

Best of luck

plumduff-2

I disagree with last bit off this post ... Most debt collection agencies (DCA's) are part of multi nationals these days or have sister companies abroad... They use various methods to trace people, and you would be found - eventually...

If poster goes BR after taking on more credit - yes, she knows she will probably get a BRO - but this may cause further problems.. ie - bank accounts abroad... and it cant be predicted how long the BRO would last...

I feel the underlying causes of the stress... the depression need better consideration first...