Starting a New Life Abroad
Starting a New Life Abroad by Shelter Offshore in Living Abroad
Published on 27 August 2008
When I first created Shelter Offshore it was frankly all about me… not the content, I did manage to keep to the plan of providing as much information as I could about living abroad, reducing tax bills, the cost of living and above all having a far better quality of life. But I must admit it was my quality of life that was top of the agenda, I’d just started my new life abroad in a beautiful location with sunshine, sea, mountains and no jobs or reasonable forms of employment as far as the eye could see.
Reality bites! If I was going to make my own personal dream of living in my perfect location something greater than an extended vacation followed by financial ruin I had to pull out all the stops to make ‘the dream’ happen from a solid income perspective in order to have any chance of making any dreams into reality. I know I’m not alone with this, by far the biggest problem most of us face when we consider moving to better places, is how do we fund our new life? The reality is most of us normally choose where we live because of employment and opportunity not because we’re in love with the vista. If you really do want to escape to somewhere the heart yearns for and to drop the income generating practicalities of the commute, tiresome meetings and impossible to maintain deadlines there are ways but you need real determination and some lateral thinking. I personally have to confess that I made a heap of mistakes along the way but I came out of it relatively unscathed and a lot wiser. I thought I’d share some of my tips and experience on making a life anywhere you want in the world.
Published on 05 August 2008
One of the most common questions we get asked at Shelter Offshore by both expats and those who dream of packing their belongings and starting a new life abroad is, what jobs or businesses are available in country X? Well of course our answer depends on where country X is and the skills set of the person asking, there’s no point telling a carpenter who dreams of Dubai about the big openings for top medical professionals!
But stop there, why look for a job in your new country when you can take it with you? More and more we’re all witnessing the power of the Internet and the successful businesses being built from it. Today more so than ever the possibility of packing your business along with your other hand luggage essentials and taking it with you without anyone even noticing your daring escape becomes a very viable option.
Published on 04 August 2008
Have you been sitting in the office lately staring out of the window wondering whether there is something better out there?
Maybe you’re one of the millions of us who will soon be jetting off on the annual pilgrimage to sunnier climbs. We all know the routine, fall in love with the sunshine, the blue sky the friendly people and then by week two we’re saying ‘We should live here’! Maybe even getting a little proactive at this point, gazing into estate agent windows or even going to see the home of your dreams… but then reality bites! Ouch! all too soon it’s time to board the plane back to UK and any dreams of living in the sun fade faster than that tan you wanted to preserve to at least make a few friends envious on your return to work.
Published on 04 August 2008
When I moved abroad eleven or so years ago the concept of networking made me cringe – the thought of forcing myself to go out and glad hand people with a false smile on my face because ‘it’s the only way to get ahead’ actually made me nauseous!
But then I learned that networking is not so much about attending tedious functions and being boring, it’s got more to do with being positive and proactive. What’s more, networking is the number one way for expats to get settled, get sorted and even get ahead. In this, the expat’s essential guide to networking I will show you how you as a working expat, an accompanying partner or a go it alone explorer can use networking to your best advantage and even enjoy the process.
Published on 22 July 2008
There has been a large and truly significant rise in the numbers of British retirees moving abroad in the past 5 years and it has probably got more to do with fiscal fundamentals than anything else at all. The rising cost of living in the UK is a massive contributory factor – but it is really only becoming a significant factor now. Prior to this, the fact that the cost of living in many overseas destinations is more affordable and that countries like Cyprus tax pensioners far less than the UK has resulted in greater numbers of retirees seeking a haven abroad.
Now that inflation is spiralling and the very real cost of existing day to day has reached levels at which working people are finding things difficult to deal with, just imagine how tough things are for pensioners living on a fixed income. In this article we will endeavour to impart some important advice for those moving abroad in retirement who are going in search of a more affordable life overseas.
Published on 11 July 2008
In his final budget as Chancellor of the Exchequer and before he became Prime Minister, Gordon Brown attempted one final financial con on the British people, he attempted to make the budget sound like a tax friendly one. In actual fact it was the budget that paved the way for the 10p tax cut affecting those on lower incomes, and it paved the way for ensuring greater numbers of people on slightly higher incomes are now stung by the highest rate of tax.
Gordon Brown is likely to go down in history as the chancellor who exposed Britain to economic meltdown and the Prime Minister who sealed the fate of the UK by failing to do anything about it other than telling us all to stop wasting so much food. And now it seems that Brown’s determination to stay in power, (even though he was not elected Prime Minister by the British people who all believe they live in a democracy), is fuelling a mass exodus from the UK.
Published on 09 July 2008
We can all speculate until the cows come home about why one Briton leaves the UK every 3 minutes and why at least 5.5 million Brits are already living abroad, but at Shelter Offshore we decided we needed to delve a little deeper into this interesting and seemingly growing phenomenon.
As there has been a significant rise in the numbers of retirees relocating overseas, we decided to look closely at this specific demographic to determine what it is that is driving them from British shores. In this article we can reveal the facts and statistics behind this mass exodus, and we will show you why Britain’s retirees are moving abroad in ever greater numbers.
Published on 25 June 2008
Recent statistical and survey information produced by the likes of the Institute for Public Policy Research show that the thought of retiring abroad for Britons is now more than a dream for most. I.e., there is evidence to suggest that a large percentage of the British population is actively pursuing their very own reality of living overseas once they hit retirement.
Driving factors are mainly fiscal, with a representative from Saga - ‘the online community for today’s over 50s’ - stating that it was likely that people would consider moving abroad more now that the cost of living is expected to increase (according to a report on MoneyNews.co.uk). We certainly concur with these opinions and findings and can add that recent correspondence from a fair few sagacious Shelter Offshore readers absolutely backs up the fact that money is getting tighter in the UK and as a result, a new life abroad beckons for increasing numbers of pre-retiree Brits.
Published on 27 May 2008
If you’re thinking of moving to live abroad you are not alone. According to findings from the Office for National Statistics, more Britons moved abroad between 1997 and 2007 than in any other decade since the First World War and there are real fears being voiced that Britain is again experiencing a brain drain.
Well, far be it from us to try and put you off – we are all for encouraging people to broaden their horizons…literally. And if you are contemplating a sojourn overseas here’s some essential advice for those moving abroad.
Published on 20 May 2008
Less than a week ago we published an article entitled ‘Britons Want Out – Mass UK Exodus a Possibility’ – and who would have thought it, but within a few days the lovely Office for National Statistics (ONS) has done us proud and is about to publish a report revealing that actually, two million Britons have left and the mass UK exodus is happening already.
Incidentally and coincidentally perhaps, these figures are being released on the same day that a story has appeared in the British media about the government considering plans for the creation of a giant database of electronic information that will hold details of every phone call and email sent in the UK. Is it any wonder that Britons are emigrating when we live in such a society?
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