Anyone thinking of retiring abroad or long winter holidays abroad?

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  • bluenose1
    bluenose1 Posts: 2,665 Forumite
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    parcival wrote: »
    We had 4 weeks in Spain from the middle of Feb to the middle of March. We play golf and rented an apartment on a golf complex near Almeria.
    The weather was good - very little rain and a lot of sunshine. The coldest day was 14 degrees but it was shorts weather generally. It got cold at night but we had effective heating.
    We were self catering and found prices to be a bit cheaper than the UK.We had a cheap flight with Easyjet and rented a car which was also cheap (9 euro's a day)
    Will be doing same next winter but for 8 weeks but might drive down through France.

    I can see us having progressively longer holidays if we like an area.
    The thought of shorts and Tshirt over winter months appeals. My oh would love the golf, but I can't think of anything worse. Saying that quite happy to go for walks and do my own thing while he is playing.
    I want to travel extensively when I retire including the UK in spring/ autumn. There are so many parts of the UK we have never visited.
    Though not sure how much we will have to budget for all the holidays I would like to go on.:eek:
    Money SPENDING Expert

  • gallygirl
    gallygirl Posts: 17,228 Forumite
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    parcival wrote: »
    We had 4 weeks in Spain from the middle of Feb to the middle of March. We play golf and rented an apartment on a golf complex near Almeria.


    The weather was good - very little rain and a lot of sunshine. The coldest day was 14 degrees but it was shorts weather generally. It got cold at night but we had effective heating.


    We were self catering and found prices to be a bit cheaper than the UK.
    :hello::hello::hello: I live in Almeria :).

    We live here permanently and love it - but I tell people we're here permanently for now, you never know what will change in the future. We rented out our UK house so still have a foot in the property market, I wouldn't go back to that house but at least we have the equivalent value to go elsewhere. There are people out here who would like to move back to UK but just can't afford it.

    The climate is wonderful in the winter - this year has not been as good as usual (and we're still getting high, cold winds some afternoons) - but yes, 14 degrees is the normal daytime low and it is usually a lot higher. I'd advise anyone looking for a rental to look for a modern property with central heating (or air con that can run hot as long as you're not paying the bills!). The properties are built for summer, our 30+ year old house is cold in winter and we use a combination of a pellet burner and oil filled radiators. Today is the first day I've felt too warm in the house, just with heating from the sun. In the winter I wore gloves twice :).

    Summer is brutal though where we are, it's strange to hear the locals talk about 'bad summers' meaning it's above 40 degrees for weeks, as opposed to UK bad summers! That's when we explore the north of Spain and have a few weeks in the UK.

    Food is cheaper than the UK, but not a lot really, apart from seasonal stuff. We're getting strawberries at €1.80 a kg at the moment, asparagus at £3.50kg and watermelons are just coming through and will soon be around €2 each for a massive one. But you can't get fruit and veg not grown locally anywhere near as cheap as the UK and supermarket offers are generally 10% off, not 2 4 1 etc.

    Eating out is where you win - we had a 3 course menu del dia for €10 a few days ago, complete with a large salad, extra starter, virtually limitless beer/wine and a coffee afterwards. It's a bit rough and ready for us so we'll pay €13 for 3 courses with no drink or coffee, but lovely food. Alcohol is v cheap (€1.80 to €2.50 for a glass of wine) so yes, you have to be careful, it would be easy to sit and toast your good fortune all day :beer:. Where we are we get a free tapas in many of the bars as well.

    We pay around €80 a month for electricity, averaged out over the year, €10 a month for pellets and €10 a month for gas for hot water. Water bills are about €15 a month, the council tax equivalent and bin charge is less than €50 a month.

    Healthwise, at present you can use your EHIC cards for emergencies and the health service is excellent. Obviously that will/may go with Brexit. As we're below pension age we have to pay to join the health service - €60 a month each, cheaper than private schemes and more local coverage.

    Many people flit between the UK and Spain - we prefer to be based here (though may change our minds when we see our tax bill :eek:).

    It's a fabulous life :D.
    A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort
    :) Mortgage Balance = £0 :)
    "Do what others won't early in life so you can do what others can't later in life"
  • Rich2808
    Rich2808 Posts: 1,332 Forumite
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    edited 15 May 2018 at 8:37PM
    ShonaB wrote: »
    We're moving to Ireland next month :) easy cheap quick flights home and wonderful place to live - just need to work out best money and healthcare options. Still pretty welcoming for UK folks for the time being.

    oh and easy to stick the dogs in the car for return trips, too :)

    Legally UK citizens have the same rights and entitlements as Irish citizens when residing permanently in the Republic - although they cannot vote in constitutional referendums or for the President. They are entitled to full access to the Irish healthcare system - albeit there are modest charges in Ireland to visit a GP, hospital stays (for bed and board) and to visit A&E which apply to locals unless you are on a low income and qualify for a medical card.

    If you are over 66 this also means you qualify for free public transport (trains nationwide, Dublin tram and bus) travel across the Republic. You need to get a public services card first though.

    I don't see that changing at all - because there are far more retired Irish in the UK than the other way round.

    http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/moving_country/moving_to_ireland/rights_of_residence_in_ireland/residence_rules_UK_citizens.html
  • atush
    atush Posts: 18,726 Forumite
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    My oh would love the golf, but I can't think of anything worse. Saying that quite happy to go for walks and do my own thing while he is playing.

    You know the famous saying? Golf is a good walk ruined?
  • MK62
    MK62 Posts: 1,448 Forumite
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    atush wrote: »
    You know the famous saying? Golf is a good walk ruined?


    Only if you're not playing well....:rotfl:
  • swindiff
    swindiff Posts: 864 Forumite
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    Those that are away from their UK home for extended periods, do you take out special home insurance? Most policies don't cover you if you are away for an extended period of time.
  • atush
    atush Posts: 18,726 Forumite
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    havent looked into it yet, but we do have 3 boys and could maybe get one to live in it a few days a week.

    We'll see.
  • RADDERS
    RADDERS Posts: 241 Forumite
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    swindiff wrote: »
    Those that are away from their UK home for extended periods, do you take out special home insurance? Most policies don't cover you if you are away for an extended period of time.

    We are insured with the and camping and Caravanning club, up to 180 days at anyone time.
  • scobie
    scobie Posts: 137 Forumite
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    I've already got my retirement home bought in Hua Hin, Thailand. My plan is to spend three months there, three months in the UK and just go back and forth as and when I want.

    One thing Brits need to be mindful of, though, is those relying on the UK state pension need to be careful that their payments increase each year in their country of choice. It's a big issue. The range of countries where it stays the same as when you first qualify defies reason. In Thailand it remains the same; in the Philippines it increases. Go figure.
  • PipPip
    PipPip Posts: 129 Forumite
    Our plan is perhaps different to others as we plan to go somewhere colder for winter! Well sort of. We have a ski apartment in a lovely little ski resort France which we will use a lot. We are 6 or 7 years away but my wife and I have discussed this already and broadly plan our retirement to be:

    - Jan to mid April spend the ski season as the apartment. Apart from the cost of season ski passes this is actually quite low cost as we have our own gear and self cater. It’s home from home really
    - Mid April to mid July spend in the UK with a week or two cycling in Majorca. Plan is to downsize and keep a flat in the UK somewhere like Bournemouth
    - Mid July to end Aug back at the apartment as a base for cycling in the Alps. We spend a few weeks there in summer already and it’s wonderful
    - Early Sept to mid Dec long term let somewhere warm like Tenerife and occasionally somewhere further afield like NZ where by brother lives or Oz where we lived for a couple of years
    - UK for Christmas then repeat the above

    Just got to keep fit and healthy for these plans to work. My wife is doing a better job at that than me!
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