House running costs

[katy]

I am not berating your choice and I am quite happy with my pad, its just that I think 500 euros a month to live on wherever is not feasible. I have lived inland and on the coast and the difference in prices is not so great, infact I would say more heating is necessary inland. I know everyones expenditure is different but there is a limit as to how low you can go and say you eat out more than once a week and live well and mercadona does have the same prices. I do manage to get around to different places, often go off for a few days, which is more than you will manage on 500 a month

[spanish hopes]

When we finally make the move later this year it is our intention to buy our main living accomodation just 'Slightly' inland. We won't move to the wilds of the Campo. Moving just slightly away from the coast means we will get a little more for our money as far as property is concerned.
We love the coast and will keep our apartment on the coast as a weekend retreat or for our UK friends to stay in if they visit. We have had it now for 25 years and it is always there to sell should we need to.
I do not expect there to be much difference in costs for day to day living in either place.

[katy]

A seperate place to put up your friends sounds like bliss

[spanish hopes]

A seperate place to put up your friends sounds like bliss

Just showing off, I haven't got any friends really.

Thanks to the lad who has started the Alhaurin website I have downloaded that interview with Peter Maddocks the cartoonist which you mentioned and I had missed, very interesting too.

[anewlife]

oh PELEEEEASE!!! Don't argue! We live it, we don't buy a new car every month, we don't eat out every week, we don't buy clothes every week! For God's sake, just take it as read - it IS possible to live on 500€ - if you don't have a mortgage round your neck, drive 3 BMW petrol cars and buy clothes from designer shops every week!!

[Lorraine - Mijas]

I'm putting my kneck on the block here I know BUT why is it considered bad taste to boast of your wealth yet it seems totally exceptable to do the same about how cheaply you can live, particularly if it involves the generosity of Neighbours and the "must be struggling to make a living" 1€ bar

Dont get me wrong it's fine to live within a budget and I did 1000€ ish a month but I cant see why anyone would wish to divulge they'd eaten so well for free in a bar that they didnt feel hungry enough for the meal that they where supposed to be having.
Am I missing the point

[annie_d]

anewlife--i don't know why you worry--as you so rightly say - you live your life - let them live theirs.

[Valencia_Paul]

I'm not sure how these costs are calculated. For instance if you drive a car as part of your lifestyle you have to factor in fuel, insurance, testing, servicing costs and depreciation because at some stage you will have to replace the car. Is this included in the 500 Euros quoted? The list goes on for property maintenance, washing machine packs in, fridge, unforseen medical problems, family problems, dental treatment, vet fees etc. etc.

I suppose what I'm saying is in the short term it may seem like 500 euros a month but a longer term view would surely show higher overall living expenses.

[spanish hopes]

Anewlife said;

oh PELEEEEASE!!! Don't argue!

I'm afraid people do have the right of opinion and can and will question a 'statement of fact' if they disagree. It's called democracy.

[fearfulfred]

Valenica Paul

you've hit the nail on the head.. Original price for auto etc is probably not included in over all prices. Looking at our expense figures from my Quicken file it costs us about 800 euros a month. This does not include new kitchen etc.... I have not included things like health insurance as we have always had expat helath insuarnace no matter where we are! It is only everyday living expenses ...groceries..eletric..internet ..etc Of course we are living in campo and do not really go out much ..on the other hand never skimp on food ! Or heating ..dog and his vet are also an extra expense

Fred

[Retro P]

Fearful, you've got it right, I think the quoted figures of (500) cannot possibly include things like medical insurance, this alone is about 250 just for basic cover, heating in the winter, wood and electricity, as you know are notoriously expensive in Spain, petrol or diesel, insurance, car servicing, depreciation costs, the list goes on and on, whilst not disagreeing that it's possible to live on a budget of this severity I doubt that the quality of life can be good or what I perceive as good anyway, perhaps some of us have different standards and expect to pay more for a higher standard of living,like they say, different strokes!

[Troglodyfae]

Dont get me wrong it's fine to live within a budget and I did 1000€ ish a month but I cant see why anyone would wish to divulge they'd eaten so well for free in a bar that they didnt feel hungry enough for the meal that they where supposed to be having.
Am I missing the point

Clearly

I cannot see your point at all, what is wrong with the remark I made? I think free food is wonderful, would you decline? Fact of the matter is I cook the meals in our house and if we have had food like that for free, there seems little point cooking a meal when I get in from work. I do not live on a budget, we buy what we need/want, but nor do I pay over the odds for the same product which can be bought cheaply elsewhere.

Everyone lives their lives in different ways and of course on different budgets and in different areas of Spain. Just because some live their lives on far less than others does not mean that they are missing out on things or that they are in fact being economical with the truth.

I just feel that it is very sad when one poster cannot accept what another has said with regard to their lives, and I also cannot see why there is constant bickering on this forum

[spanish hopes]

I also cannot see why there is constant bickering on this forum

No there's not.

[Troglodyfae]

Oh Yes there is

[dido72]

Katy,

Do you not think you owe Heston an apology? You attacked her and accused her of lying which she obviously wasn't.

Some people can manage to live a simpler life than others, it doesn't make them bad or dishonest. Wouldn't the world be boring if we were all the same?

Diana.

[katy]

Apology, no. I didn't say Heston was lying, I queried the figures. You don't have to be an accountant to work out that poor bar owner cannot keep handing out huge tapas with a 1 euro beer. I agree that many places do give a free tapa but never been given king prawns. (I don't think I could drink enough beer to subsitute my meal).

I didn't think posters wanted a one-sided opinion and I didn't think people were accusing me of lying when I said prices in Mercadona are the same. My opinion is that if you include absolutely everything, repairs, bills etc. you cannot eat out more than once a week on that budget. Heston also works, must be slave labour

[jennyshaw]

Katy,
The Tapa are varied, we have probably got king prawns 5 - 6 times since we have been here in over 2 years looking for property and then buying a place, most of the time it is jamon on crusty bread, or those spicy sausages, or lomo, which i would imagine are cheaper.
We got king prawns in Madrid once, in fact everyone who got a beer did that day, we had to crunch our way through the debris on the floor, nice.

[spanish hopes]

I agree katy, nothing to apologise for.

[Troglodyfae]

I will most probs get banned for this but frankly I do not give a damn. Katy I have to say I have found you the most prolific nasty poster of all time. and have to ask why do you consistently have an axe to grind? Are you lacking in some way, shape or form? Do you find your life in Marbella too taxing? Not sure what it is that compels you to hack away at people in the way you do. It is highly possible that some people see this as a strength, I don't ,I see you as a bully with way too much time on her hands to be in the least bit productive with or around her life.

As always sweet pea take care. Just my opinion and I am sure it means nothing to you as yours mean nothing to me.

[BENIDORM]

I have lived in Spain long enough to know that many people of whatever

nationality do live very cheaply from choice or from economic necessity...

If they are able to locate a good cheap source of food ,whether it be a

shop, market or bar, then I say good for them, and for them to want

to share this information, I say that they deserve a 'pat on the back'...If

a bar owner wants to thank his customers by giving them a special treat

of King Prawns, then that is his prerogative, and I'm sure that at the end

of the day , he will still make a profit, and keep his customers.

I personally wouldn't thank him for King Prawns, as I'm allergic to them,

unfortunately ! !..Also the best tapas that I have had in Spain, was in

Galicia, and they really do give mega portion helpings as tapas!

Take Care and Enjoy your Tapas Wherever You Are..