save money on some summer fun at theme parks in Spain

http://moneysaverspain.com/attraction-parks-discount-port-aventura/

Discounts on clothing at Carrefour online

• 10€ off 50€ spend
• 15€ off 70€ spend
• 25€ off 100€ spend

Find the link here

https://www.carrefour.es/cupon/cat4229076/c?ic_source=portal-home&ic_medium=hero-banner&ic_campaign=Es_201802_cupon-moda_nonfood&ic_content=banner-carrusel

Check out a guide to the 12 best Spanish Fiesta's to attend in 2018

https://www.thelocal.es/20180102/twelve-epic-festivals-in-spain-to-attend-in-2018

A new way to teach

If like me you live in Spain or intend to and have a TEFL qualification your initial thought will be teaching English to people here in Spain. I tried it for a year and had a great time teaching in an English academy but the evening hours and travelling became monotonous. The time away from my kids became tiresome and I yearned for a change.

I looked online and discovered I could teach online for better pay than most jobs in Spain and with more flexible hours. I have only just begun my online teaching journey but I have to say it is the best job I have ever had! I absolutely love it. The Chines kids are brilliant fun and it is a much more relaxed environment. You even get paid if you dont have students (half pay but still I earn more than the minimum wage in Spain for sitting at home in my PJ's!)

What do you need to become an Online english teacher?

• A degree of TEFL certificate 
• To be an English Native speaker
• experience teaching is preferred
• a laptop with a good internet connection
• Headphones

If this is something you would like to try then why not apply today. The process is fast ( less than a week after I applied I was hired) or if you want to find out more click on my link

https://www.dadaabc.com/teacher/job/O1w0K9w4G505

My favourite place

I love sunny days and an unplanned trip to the beach with the family after picking the kids up from school. It was lovely and warm. The perfect weather for a picnic and ball games on the beach. The kids love living so close to the beach and how could you not! We have the most gorgeous fine golden sand and that blue sea is a vision against the beautiful backdrop of the blue sky. We often spend afternoons here taking in the beauty of the outdoor lifestyle we have here in Spain. What is your favourite place to visit where you live?

Paypal perks in Spain

Do you use Paypal here in Spain, read this article to find out more about the perks of using Paypal in Spain 

http://moneysaverspain.com/paypal-perks/

Family friendly Paella recipe

Recipes

• Chicken and Chorizo Paella
• 
  
• 200g chopped onion
• 1 tsp chopped garlic
• 1-2 tsp paella spice mix (I used Preparado paella from Mercadona)
• 250g Spanish paella rice
• 800ml hot chicken stock, made with ½ chicken stock cube
• 300g petit pois peas
• 1 red pepper sliced
• 100g chorizo ring, roughly chopped
• 400g mini chicken fillets, cubed
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• Method
• 
  

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and red pepper and cook, stirring frequently, for 8-10 minutes until soft. Add the chopped garlic and paella spice mix for the last minute.
2. stir through the paella rice, then add the stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for 15 minutes. Stir in the peas for the final 2 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat another frying pan over a medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook for 3 minutes until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes until golden and cooked through with no pink remaining. Stir the chorizo, chicken and parsley through the rice mixture to serve.

Are you a business owner in Spain who could offer advice to other expats?

Many Brits move to Spain thinking they'll easily start up a new business in Spain and live happily ever after. Unfortunately, a large percentage of these expats face financial ruin due to lack of knowledge, poor financial planning and unrealistic expectations. I want to speak to business owners who have been running a successful business for 2-5 years + to feature on my blog and offer advice to those who are thinking of starting up a business in Spain or who already have a business and are looking for ideas to increase their business reach and revenue. So if you or anyone you know would be happy to feature on my blog please send me a message through my contact details above.

This Week’s Top Promos and Offers in Spain

Check out this page for the weekly offers available in Spain to help you save money

http://moneysaverspain.com/promos-offers-spain-1-mar-2018/

Are you thinking about starting a business in Spain?

Here is a helpful guide from Transferwise to get you started

https://transferwise.com/gb/blog/start-a-business-in-spain

Transferring money abroad, what's the best way to do it?

Have you wondered what is the best way to transfer money abroad?

Try Transferwise. Low fees, no hassle, the best exchange rates around and the best thing is once you have used the service once it is so easy to make transfers again and again in less than a minute!. Try it you will be surprised how easy it is and how much money you will save!

transferwise

A family day out in Valencia to the City of Arts and Sciences

These are the 17 absolute worst things about living in Spain

I love this article for it's tongue in cheek look at the pitfalls of life in Spain

https://www.thelocal.es/20170220/these-are-the-17-absolute-worst-things-about-living-in-spain

Advice from expats happily living in Spain

I found this article and it echoes alot of my own views ans experiences living in Spain.

http://www.spainmadesimple.com/moving-to-spain/advice-from-expats/

The pros and cons of living in Spain

Although I have only lived in Spain for a year you learn alot along the way. So, I wanted to make a list of the pros and cons to help others who are thinking about moving to a place in the sun.

PROS

·         Sunshine

The long sunny days are certainly a benefit of living in Spain. When living in the UK and working with the general public it was always noticeable when the winter was coming to an end and the summer sun was appearing for the first time. People are happier, more tolerating and most of all friendlier.

The sunshine is also a great healer for many illnesses such as SAD syndrome, Eczema and joint problems to name but a few. Many people’s lives are greatly improved by moving to a place with more hours of sunshine.

As a mother of small children, the sunshine has also meant we are able to spend more time doing outdoors activities as opposed to being stuck inside the house throughout the winter months thinking of activities to do that don’t involve the tv, iPad or game consoles. There are so many beautiful beaches, parks and fiestas for free to enjoy and when that sun is shining it motivates you to get outside and explore the beautiful surroundings. For the retired there is a vast array of groups and activities to keep them active all year long.

·         Cheaper living    

      It is true that living in Spain can be considerably cheaper than living in the UK, you only need to look at the comparison site I have linked on my blog under the heading helpful links to see the difference in the cost between the 2 places. This is great if you have a huge savings pot, are a pensioner with a regular income or have a well-paying job lined up before you move to Spain, for others Spain may not be as cheap as they first thought (look at my cons list to find out why!) Yes, buying a pint of beer for a couple of euros or a 3-course menu del dia for less than 10 euros is great. There certainly are some bargains to be had and fantastic quality meals at very low prices.

·         Lower crime rates    

      In the UK I felt crime levels were getting higher as people are becoming poorer and the economy is taking its toll. The high population levels and number of immigrants also added to the stress on a country that is already bursting at the seams. Jobs are harder to find, terrorism and acid attacks on the rise adding to an uneasy feel in the country that I always called home. In Spain it certainly feels safer although there is crime, it seems more petty crimes such as burglaries, handbag thefts, car break ins etc. The violent crimes in the UK seem to be on the increase and as a mum this scares me not just for me but for my 2 beautiful children.

CONS

·         Low wages

Like I said before Spain is a great place to live if you have a huge savings pot, a regular pension income or a well-paid job but, unfortunately, for the rest of us it’s not so easy. If you have a business plan, qualification or experience in a well-paying field great, if not you are likely to find work earning 5 euros an hour cleaning, doing bar work or working in a shop. I hear so many people online on expat sites say ‘I want a job and I’m prepared to do anything’ but there really isn’t that much choice of jobs for us expats. I would definitely recommend learning Spanish as this will help you on your job search. Just think about how far 5 euros stretches when you have bills to pay? and although Spain is cheap it’s only cheap if you have enough money to support the lifestyle that you aspire to. I have seen people have to return to the UK for this very reason. You need savings and a plan to make the dream of living in the sun a reality!

·         Homesickness

When you have lived in the UK all of your life, you build friendships and family ties and although you can visit or use social media it isn’t quite the same. Again, this is another reason that people go back to the UK. It can be quite isolating in a new country not just for us adults but for kids too and without a lot of money to go out socialising the dream can quickly become a nightmare!

·         Paperwork

The Spanish certainly love their paperwork and the number of things you have to do when you first move here can be baffling although there are gestors and others who can help with this it can be very time consuming and expensive. (my blog will include help and advice on this subject so watch this space!)

                                              My final thought

Spain is a lovely place to live if you can make it work so do your research, learn the language, have a plan and enjoy! I would recommend renting before you buy a house so you can find an area you like and suitable jobs, schools etc first. If you have children the younger they are the easier it will be for them to adjust to a new life and learn the language it's much harder for teenagers but not impossible. Try and find a job before you move to Spain and ask others with experience for advice. If it doesn’t work out your pockets will be lighter but you will have gained more culture and life experience and there is no price you can put on that! I always like to look at the positives in life and in all experiences good or bad you have learnt something and grown along the way!

Thank you for reading!