Things You Should Consider Before Deciding Whether to Move Abroad

*This is a collaborative post on things you should consider before deciding whether to move abroad

The internet has given us a shop window into the world. Previously remote and inaccessible locations can now be browsed with a swipe of your finger. And when you’re in the depths of a grey U.K. winter, everywhere suddenly looks more appealing. Despite the complications of Brexit, moving abroad has never been so easy. But that doesn’t alter the fact that it’s a still life-changing decision. If you are feeling stuck in a rut, it’s certainly a way of shaking things up. And it might just turn out to be the best decision that you ever made.

Can you afford it?

You’ve done your research and you just can’t believe how much cheaper everything will be in your new location. But make sure that you’ve got enough of a financial cushion to support you if things don’t go as planned. You are unlikely to have access to the lines of credit, that you may have been used to. And you don’t want to run out of money in a foreign country. Moving always turns out to be more expensive than you planned. Plus when you are moving abroad there are even more unforeseen expenses.

Will your move abroad affect other people?

If you’re a singleton then the situation is simpler. But if you have a partner and children, you need to ensure that everyone is happy about the transition. Schooling will have to be arranged for your children and this will be a big challenge for them. Children adapt quickly to new situations. But even so, you are confronting them with an unfamiliar culture and a foreign language, and this will be stressful for them.

Housing

One of the motives for your move may be the prospect of being able to live in much better accommodation than you could afford in the U.K. but before rushing into a property purchase it would be wise to rent somewhere so that you can familiarise yourself with the area. You will find property to rent in rural France for as little as 500 euros and in inland Portugal the rental property is even cheaper. According to Imovirtual, the average property rental in the ancient town of Castelo Branco in October 2021 was just 397 euros.

Work when you move abroad

If you are a freelancer, be aware of your tax status and ensure that you are fully registered. Do not assume that any professional qualifications that you may hold will be automatically recognised in the country in which you have chosen to settle. You may need to undertake additional training before you are permitted to work. Above all, don’t just assume that you’ll ‘pick something up’. Do your research thoroughly and preferably have a job set up and waiting for you on arrival.

Friends and family

Europe is not the other side of the world, but the pandemic has demonstrated to us that we should not take ease of travel for granted. You will miss friends and family and the difficulty of receiving visitors should be one of the factors that you considering when making your decision about a choice of property and its location.