General Chat

Two more reasons to living in France--No car tax and we have just had our taxes in for the house which is big and has a gite plus 5 acres £100 a year!!! plus dont pay habitational as dont earn enough. We were paying £1200 a year in the UK 7 years ago for a 3 bed detached. Jill xx :)

left Manchester 37 years ago, live in sunny South Australia. Never regretted it for a minute been back to the U.K. three times, give me sunshine, good food, plenty of fresh fruit, open spaces everytime wouldn't move back for quids.

Brian in Essex - You said it all except maybe the CCTV everywhere - feels like Big Brother is with us. When I visited Australia the one thing that was mentioned was CCTV by all those that had been here in recent years - unbelievable. But for my advanced years and being a single and being cut from my kids and gr'kids I would be off like a shot - would have gone long ago. Not sure whether I would go to Australia but France or Germany would be def. on the list. I also think that the future of our children is in those countries - children adapt so quickly and if it is a matter of a new language then the younger they go the better and it would not take them long to realise such a move would be favourable to them.

in a heart beat.............but OH is a london boy,and loves it too much to go,maybe one day i'll talk him roundxxx

I made the move to the state's 24 yrs go, i miss London but don't think i could live there now, do miss my family a lot,but have a better life here. Pam.

My OH and I will be moving out to spain when its time to retire, as I love my job here so much and it pays well, were stil saving for the time we have to move. As there is only 2 of us there could be no better way than to spend your retirement and the rest of your life in a nice warm country and we have always loved spain. The thought really really keeps me saving.

I could, and would like to, live on a boat. great.

I don't think I would want to live aboad, I would miss my sons and grandchildren......and all my friends.

We have a place in Spain, OH would go tomorrrow, but the kids don't want to go. I wish we had done it when they were small, it would have been easier to settle them. I have friends who live in Canada, NZ, Florida and France and they have all said they would never return to the UK..... Maybe one day, my kids will see the benefits of moving to Spain and when that day comes, i'll book the flights. Janine

I tell you what if the country gets any worse we would consider it especially with the high taxes in this countryxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)))):

I have to agree with Brian threadkiller im in the same boat if I had the money I would be off to Australia tommorow John

We bought our home in France 10 years ago and moved over 6 years ago and no regrets. We are within reach of airports and ferry ports,so family can visit. And I am sure if any of our offspring wanted to move away ,they would .So we felt there was no need to stay in the UK and wanted to make the most of our life. When we go back to visit my parents and family, the traffic and the general rush of everything makes us glad we left the UK. Theres good and bad everywhere but living in the countryside here is like UK was 50 years ago. Jill xx :)

We moved to Canada in 1969. Went back to England for a holiday in 1980 and after three days I was ready to come home! We had three children, the youngest was 9 the others teenagers. We had very little money left on arrival here. Within 3 days hubby had a job, a month later I had a job. We lived on my sister's acreage for 6 months but moved to the city and rented a house for a year and then bought our own. In 1975 we bought 160 acres of bushland that we 'retired' to in 1980. Built a log house that we now live in. Six grand children and 7 great grand children later we have the most wonderful life - in a great country. Best move we ever made. It takes hard work but well worth it. You only get out of life what you are prepared to put in it. Wouldn't change a thing and could never go back to live in the UK.

We moved to Perth, West Australia in 1982, but because there was no work at that time and hubby couldn't hack being unemployed we came back here. Wish now we had stayed as it is the most lovely country I have ever been to and the lifestyle is great , not to mention the weather too. Stella

Whilst in Australia O.H. and I looked at a few houses,we are still thinking of going............ R.B.xxx

Yes definitely, I would move to Australia tomorrow, just got to get my OH to agree. Jojo x

Hi Jacqui Yes it is persisting it down here too - think it will last today - hope it clears for the weekend tho. But it is needed - just get a little damp when taking dog for a walk!! Must buy myself a larger brolly. Mary in Spain xx

If I were younger rather than approaching retirement I would get out like a shot. I am afraid that the deteriorating public services, increased taxes, political correctness, high cost of living, uncontrolled immigration, false statistics, destruction of our constitution, increased regulation, congestion on the roads, yobs and ladettes, dumbing down of education, the welfare dependancy culture; and so on have made the UK a very unattractive place to live for me.

Yes, we moved out 2.5 years ago and have no intentions of going back. My Dad moved out to France over 10 years ago and always claimed it was his best move. Hi Mary we've had rain since last night aswell and it doesn't look like letting up yet, already had 1 power failure Still wouldn't return tho' Jac

we have lived In Spain for nearly 10 years now,we love it, we have No plans to return to the U.K,but you never know,we probably will one day:-)) I lived In Greece too,for a while which I hated:-(( but that was more to do with my first marriage than anything else. As someone else said you both have to want it.