From a young age, I had always
wanted to travel and explore the world. So that’s exactly what I did during my
20s. It was a wonderful time. An adventure that I will never forget.
Now a mum of 3, my hunger for
travelling and need to expose my little ones’ impressionable minds to the
world, and the opportunities that come hand-in-hand has only heightened.
It’s true what they say, there is a
big wide world out there, full of wonder, experiences and beauty, why wouldn’t
you want to share this with your kids? Not only does it expand your knowledge
and vocabulary of the world around you but it also broadens your children’s
minds, providing educational benefits that certainly cannot be
taught in the classroom.
Having had a
family adventure in Spain with my children, I thought this would be the perfect
opportunity to share my experiences of expat living, the challenges that I
faced, and what you should think about before embarking on your
very own adventure.
There’s nothing quite like it, but
if you are going to do it you need to ensure that you are safe, aware of the
potential barriers and challenges you could face, but most importantly, ensure
that you are in a sound financial position to accommodate this period of time
in your life - when was the last time you checked your interest rates or took a
long hard look at your credit score? After all, long term travel and expat
living can be expensive, unpredictable and daunting if you fail to prepare for
every eventuality.
But you should never be put off -
with around 320,000 people leaving the UK to
live abroad last year, you’ll be in good company if you decide to experience
the many benefits of relocating. Here’s some advice and tips covering what you
should think about before leaving the country for extended periods of time.
Visa
If you are planning on leaving the
country, for work or pleasure, it’s important that you check the Visarequirements of the country that you are planning on visiting. Although all
British Citizens do not require a Visa to move to countries that are part of
the European Union, if you planning on broadening your horizons and travelling
further afield, you should make sure that you complete the right application
for the country you are travelling to.
For example, if you are planning on
relocating or travelling to Australia or America, you will need a Visa. It’s
also worth noting that, if you are planning on working in either of these
countries, you will also need to prove that you are bringing a skill to their
economy.
Have you considered the change in
cost of living?
Before embarking on any long-term
trip, it’s important that you have enough money put aside to support you, no
matter what situation you find yourself in.
Finding work, accommodation, and
securing a sustainable income is harder than you might think. Although living
abroad can be a magical and eye opening experience, it can also be a living
nightmare if you fail to prepare.
The cost of living varies from
country to country, and every day amenities such as food, petrol, energy and
general day-to-day living costs also vary, so it’s important that you do your
research. Can your income sustain the cost of living in the country you are
visiting? What are your chances of securing work?
Wherever you decide to move, there
are always options and solutions. You shouldn’t let money put you off
relocating but it’s important that you are well informed and aware of the
potential barriers you might face. If you have a good idea of the costs involved
and an understanding of the sources of income you will have, it will be much
easier to plan for every eventuality. In some cases, this might mean looking at
credit or finance options.
Remember that, if you move abroad
and give up your UK address, it will be difficult for you to obtain credit
within the UK as banks and credit card companies will not be able to undertake
a credit check on you and consequently, will be unable to view your credit
score. This is important as, without a valid credit score, you will not be
eligible for any form of credit or loan.
With this in mind, it might be
worthwhile thinking about possible credit options before you leave. If you are
in a position to obtain credit (you can get more advice on this here https://www.creditexpert.co.uk/advice/credit-score) and
manage it correctly, then it might be beneficial to apply before you re-locate
in order to prevent problems in case of an emergancy (of course, that doesn’t
mean you ever have to use it!)
In addition to the financial
aspects of the move, you also need to consider factors such as - if you are
travelling with your children, will they adjust to their new surroundings and
environment? Remember they will still need to attend school – will your plans
accommodate this?
Language Barrier
Living abroad for substantial
periods of time is very different to your standard two-week holiday. You
will be expected to integrate into the community you find yourself in and make
the upmost effort to respect their culture, and of course communicate using
their native language. This concept has always excited for me but for some
people this fills them with dread.
Before you go, it might be worth
taking the time to learn basic elements of the country’s language that you are
travelling to. There are plenty of online tutorials that will
provide you with the basic language skills to enhance your expat experience.
Disclosure: All sources from
CreditExpert
