I don’t know about the rest of the world but for many years now the UK TV programmers have been obsessed with the idea of living abroad. Great idea, and after being drip fed this for a few years we took the plunge and moved to Spain.
The thing they DON’T tell you when showing programme after programme of people “living the dream!” is how to make a living! Some of the programmes are about people who move abroad and start a business but not many. So I thought I would do a little comparison here of what is available.
Here in Spain if you don’t speak much Spanish and do not have a useful trade such as plumber, electrician etc, your options can be quite limited. You can possibly find work in a bar or waiting table, do telesales or work for yourself.
Another option is to train for a trade and here are just three of the options available on the Costa del Sol
| Course | Cost | Equipment Cost | Length of course |
| €1,500* | €500 (approx) | 4 months basic course | |
| €1,600 | €1,500 (approx) | 10 days | |
| Hairdressing | €6,500 | Unknown | 52 weeks – 4 days per week |
(*I did this course and added Hot Stone massage and two levels of Reiki to the basic course and spent another €1,000 on top of the basic)
These are just a few options – all require a build up of clientele after the course. The ease of this will often depend on the area you live. So you really need to think ahead – well ahead!
If I were to start over I think I would definitely go for the Home Business option and become an internet marketer which is what I do now alongside my Holistic Therapy.
For me the costs make sense and the earning potential is limitless. With a network marketing business opportunity you have your initial outlay of product and usually there are different levels at which you can invest, and then you really only have your marketing costs. Now different opportunities will have different levels of training and support but you definitely want to pick one with exceptional training because this will cut your marketing costs hugely.
So if you live abroad and are starting to think you need to make a living and you would like it to be a substantial living then do your research! There are lots of options out there!
