This was a great read, thanks Charlie! As someone who is looking to move out of the UK and into Europe, I resonate with a lot of this. I feel we can seek out a simpler place to live than the UK and create a better work life balance as a result. Good luck with everything and I look forward to reading more about it 😊
My first thought was that it sounds idyllic. I especially love the fact that everywhere is a short walk - living relatively rurally in the UK means that I spend a lot of time driving and I hate it. It's an interesting point too about the baseline tax that different govts can levy on the self employed. I hadn't appreciated that it would vary so much between countries
Great descriptions and comparisons. You mentioned small business/freelancer social security charges, and that Spain is €350 up front, what does that mean and where do you pay that? (Sorry, USA chiming in). I am looking for the calmer life, but that too involves needing quiet and even silence, which makes an apartment outside my realm of interest for the sound factor alone. Since you have been just about everywhere, do you seek out the places like Porto in general, as that is what you favor? Or did you do a mix of lifestyles to figure out what you wanted?
This was a great read, thanks Charlie! As someone who is looking to move out of the UK and into Europe, I resonate with a lot of this. I feel we can seek out a simpler place to live than the UK and create a better work life balance as a result. Good luck with everything and I look forward to reading more about it 😊
My first thought was that it sounds idyllic. I especially love the fact that everywhere is a short walk - living relatively rurally in the UK means that I spend a lot of time driving and I hate it. It's an interesting point too about the baseline tax that different govts can levy on the self employed. I hadn't appreciated that it would vary so much between countries
Great descriptions and comparisons. You mentioned small business/freelancer social security charges, and that Spain is €350 up front, what does that mean and where do you pay that? (Sorry, USA chiming in). I am looking for the calmer life, but that too involves needing quiet and even silence, which makes an apartment outside my realm of interest for the sound factor alone. Since you have been just about everywhere, do you seek out the places like Porto in general, as that is what you favor? Or did you do a mix of lifestyles to figure out what you wanted?