House running costs

[Campo Kenny]

There is actually not much you can do when the bar owner dishes the free tapas.....it's his choice and nobody I'm sure begs for it.

The other side of the coin though is that it can also be a complete pain in the @rse

We've learned our lesson, if we decide to go for a meal we like to have a few drinks in various bars, but it's come to the point that we have to avoid some of our favourite places as you know the guy out of frendliness will slide a plate of tapas across..............it's so embarrssing to say no thanks. We have got is sussed now but so many meal plans were scuppered through being "stuffed" and deciding not to go to resteraunt.

Yep, if the barman gives you a nice tapas it's purely because he wants to, and if you take it there is no shame.........................unless you ask for some chips to go with it

Kenny

[toddcl]

Got to say that Heston is spot on.

We have stopped at a few bars while walking into Town and had so much tapas that we didn't bother having a meal. One tiny little bar gives tapas with any drink including soft drinks.
I ordered two beers and two white wines. The tapas consisted of 4 crusty bread rolls with a pork steak and omelet filling. Total cost 4€. Second time we got sausage cobs.

My bar often serves king prawns as tapas and gives free shots of Annis.

We have gone in at festival time and been dined for free.

Mercodona inland are cheaper except for British items such as Cheddar cheese and Tomato Sauce.

Life is what you make it and each too their own. Why pay 10€ for a bottle of wine when you also like the one that is 98 cents.

[jennyshaw]

Life is what you make it and each too their own. Why pay 10€ for a bottle of wine when you also like the one that is 98 cents.

I have my wine with Casera so I buy the 48cents a litre box.

[bassman]

What an interesting thread.
It got us thinking ourselves about what we actually spend per month and being of fairly limited means we´re possibly more careful with our spending than some people, out of neccessity. We sat down at the table this morning and did our sums......phone bills, bank statements etc. all over the place! It came as a bit of a surprise to find that we spend around 750€ per month. I thought it was much less.I love cooking so we eat out rarely (by choice), never go to bars (again by choice) and only buy items of clothing or household items when absolutely needed. I will admit to buying only the best cuts of meat from our local Spanish butcher and we between us get through a few bottles of wine and a couple of bottles of spirits a month but what really shocked us was what we´ve spent on the car in the past year which includes repairs, servicing, tax, insurance, petrol, ITV etc. which amounted to 2,400€. So 200€ a month was the car!
The various posts on this subject have suggested all sorts of figures and I agree with every single one! Just depends on your chosen lifestyle.
We have a really good life here on the money we have available and live within our own personal means. I appreciate this may appear rather spartan to some but it works fine for us.

[katy]

I still stand by my postings which were in response to Hestons 500 a month budget. I think people in the UK doing research into moving are entitled to have more than one aspect and it is beginning to sound like the Emperors new clothes on this thread. Suppose you all read other forums where this topic is discussed and for some reason they seem to be more realistic than A.com.

Troggle (whatever) As for being nasty, no just honestly saying what I think, if you don't like it, don't read it, can't do with people who have chips the size of railway sleepers. Of course you don't have axes to grind, like your mate is who I complained about his commercial advertising

[laclotte]

I will admit to buying only the best cuts of meat from our local Spanish butcher and we between us get through a few bottles of wine and a couple of bottles of spirits a month

In Spain.....and a 'few bottles of wine a month'???
I cannot imagine a meal, lunch or dinner, with out at least a glass of (good) wine for lunch - and for dinner ....at least two and maybe even three. On the other-hand our evening meal is a 2/3/4 hour affairs - then the above is quite normal (what is normal you ask?).
A meal without a glass of (good) wine is 'missing' something and I know what the 'thing' is!
Having said the above - we would not even buy a 'couple of bottles of spirits' in a year, let alone a month!!!! Horses for courses and vice versa!

[laclotte]

jennyshaw..............EUR 0.48 sound/feels like one big 'headache' to me!!!

[spanish hopes]

jennyshaw..............EUR 0.48 sound/feels like one big 'headache' to me!!!

I agree.. Far, far too expensive for me.

[Valencia_Paul]

And I thought I was cheap spending 2 Euros on a bottle of plonk!

[Heston]

Oh my God!!!!!!!!!!!!!!post response to a simple question seems to have started world war three!!!!!!!
Right listen up everyone...................I often get asked the question about what we spend each month so a month or so ago I sat down and worked it out so know for a fact for the past six months 500was our monthly outgoings....me and my hubby.
We own our house we live comfortably we pay our bills and yes Katy I buy new clothes when I need them not just because I want them, we are covered under our e106 for health care, ( so no need for private) we own our own little olive grove so this year have had no expenses for heating we simply use our own olive wood. We both work hard and earn a good living and eat out often ( but are often too stuffed from our free King prawn tapas!!!!)
In the Uk we both had good jobs but sadly like most people there was always more month left at the end of the money, we save up now for things we want ( like a new roof!) credit cards are a thing of the past......just cos you have it you dont have to spend it or be lavish.
We certainly have a better life style here at a fraction of the cost sorry if people find it hard to believe but i can only tell you what we do!

Ten years ago I had my first trip to Africa and perhaps that is where my lack of interest in material things began ( why pay £50 for a handbag when you can get it for £5)For me if you have enogh food in your belly clothes on your back and the love of a family then thank your lucky stars everyday!
Katy I am hoping to go back in September to work in the Aids orphange my husband and I helped to build Come and join me you would enjoy it or if not perhaps next time your up this way call me and I will take you to a place where the King Prawn tapas are the biggest in the world! perhaps you may want to nip in the Mercadonna up here and save a few euros too!

[Heston]

On that point also

Friday is RN07
x

[Bingham]

Well said Heston!

each to their own live and let live but good points made I cant wait to get away from this self obsessed ,overworked ,greed guzzling society I currently live in ( Marbella JOKE!!!!!!!!!!! England) good to think of the less fortunate once in a while and remember how lucky we all are ( my children get told daily!!!!!!!!!!)
Looking forward to not being pressured by my childrens peers into buying them £100 trainers I didnt see Spanish kids in them when we bought our house and they seemed to be growing up well balance,in fact a lot better than some of our UK kids! ( more appreciating of things!)

[Miro]

I'm exhausted from reading all this thread, and thought I wouldn't be able to get a word in edgeways with all the bickering going on.
I'm not going to take sides, as I can't even remember who's on what side any more. Way back, someone pointed out that people in the UK thinking of making the big move out here may actually be reading these kinds of discussions in order to get some genuinely useful info/advice. Probably the best point made so far. And here's my point:
Anybody thinking of moving out here on a budget of 500 euros a month, where ever and how ever they plan on living, is in serious danger of landing themselves in deep ****. It may just be possible, but do not count on it. There'll be no welfare handouts to fall back on when it all goes pear shaped.
And as Forrest Gump would say, that's just about all I have to say about that.

[BENIDORM]

Well,
Anyone who is considering the move to Spain, should find all of the replies to this thread very enlightening, rather than putting them off....Reading all the Different views from so many Different people from all 'walks of life' only proves to me that it would be Difficult to get a clear picture of how much a new resident could live on... I would suggest a budget of 500 to 1000 euros per month initially which should be enough for a couple owning their own property to live on comfortably.I am aware that there are families who live within this budget as well...Remember that the first 6 months will probably be more expensive while you have to purchase 'one off' items , but after living here 12 months you should have a really good idea of just how much you can live on, comfortably..
Prices here have gone up quite dramatically over the past 10 years, but if you are careful you can still live here much cheaper than UK.
As I stated in my earlier reply, we live well on 650 euros each month, and we live in a new house that is quite big, so heating takes more for us, but only for a few months of the year...
I hope that this 'debate' can now be less 'heated' and we can all live in harmony, regardless of how much we spend, or if we are rich or poor....

Have a GOOD LIFE....

[silver]

Anybody thinking of moving out here on a budget of 500 euros a month, where ever and how ever they plan on living, is in serious danger of landing themselves in deep ****

We spend a lot more but a lot of Spanish live on a budget of 500€ or less (if they have too..low wages/high mortgage) so it can be done.

[Campo Kenny]

Just to put things in perspective re. living costs. We don't have a mortgage in the Uk and no loans but the standing orders and general outgoings for rates/water/insurance/policies/cars/dental/etc.etc. come out at about £1000/1500e per month .........that's before you spend anything in a shop or stick petrol in a car or buy a shirt

Our standing orders for the YEAR in the upkeep of our Spanish house is less than 1000e and that includes someone tending the pool for us.

We've met people from all walks of life since we bought, and all with obviously differing budgets. The one thing that does come through clear though irrespective is that they get more for their money there than they would in the Uk.

Kenny

[katy]

Seems some posts have gone Been replaced by some rambling about Africa and aids (If you have read any of my posts you will see I used to live in Zaire, now DR Congo).

This is my last say on the topic because its becoming tiresome.

It is cheaper to live Inland because you get more house for your money. Council tax is less than on the coast. You may have to spend more maintaining and updating a campo house. DIY materials are pricey both Inland and the coast.
Inland you get a beer for a euro on the coast 1.50 (there are a few where its less but you have to search). Eating out in a "proper" restaurant is about the same.
There are three meals in a day (unless you are on a diet) so unless you drink beer for breakfast you may find yourself shopping in Mercadona where prices are the same.
Utilities cost the same, unless you don't have any! Maybe stick to cold showers.
Don't know about the price of car repairs Inland but if you run into a large pothole like I did last week (In the campo too!!) It will put a hole in anyones budget. Oh and dentists are a bit pricey too, I know life is good here but you can still get toothache

[spanish hopes]

I know life is good here but you can still get toothache

Especially if the stones are left in the olives on the free tapas.

[Miro]

I know this topic has been done to death now, so I'll try to keep this brief.

I think it all boils down to how exactly people are defining "living costs". €500 a month may cover "ordinary" expenses, but Katy rightly points out, you must also allow for unforseen eventualities like potholes and dental problems.
I hardly ever use my car, because I live in the centre of a coastal town, so my motoring expenses are very low. Probably most people in the campo would spend more, unless of course they use a donkey - which they can eat when the free tapas dries up. But I had a blow out caused by a pothole (in Marbella of all places) and it cost me €125 for a new tyre - not unusal. A filling at the dentist will probably set you back a similar amount, I don't know. The point is, that's a serious dent in a budget of €500 a month. Living for one month on €500, maybe. Living properly for one year on €6,000? Don't believe it.

[Heston]

Miro quite right topic done to death now but just a few things i need to clarify when I orginally answered the post and I said 500euros that is what my husband and I have spent each month for the past six months I never even discussed what incoming we had( why should I ) I just answered a simple question.

I bought new tyres last year and they were only 65euros each ( sorry think you have paid coastal prices there!) As for a filling my husband had one recently in white and all in all cost him 35euros...........anyone wishing can PM me and I will scan the receips for both!
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