Step1 - Our UK house is on the market!

[nichola]

There is a saying about being poor and happy. And it sounds to me like you are poor and unhappy in the UK working all hours God sends, little to show for it after everything is paid for and no quality of life with your family - i.e. your two young children in their formative years. Added to that the tenuous situation in the UK at present does not guarantee continued employment!

It seems to me that as two people who can legally work in Turkey and have an extended family that can assist with child care you stand every chance of success with this move to Turkey. No where is a bed of roses these days but how lucky you are to have this alternative option!

With the excellent English that your husband must have having lived and worked in the UK for so long he will stand an exceedingly good chance of getting a well paid job in this area. Places are crying out for English speaking staff and if he has management experience which I believe he has then there is no reason why he shouldn't get a good job.

Also as an experienced sales woman you need not restrict your self to employment in Turkey. Many jobs are online these days and can be done working from home from anywhere in the world. Skype and other VOIP's make it easy to stay in contact with the rest of the world.

I would estimate based on my experience of living here and taking account the added cost of the children you probably need about 3000TL per month and there have already been suggestions about how supplement any earnings; rental income or interest on a lump sum.

My advice for what it is worth is to follow your heart and your gut instinct. By all means take account of what the doom mongers and ney sayers have to say but be aware that it is their own fears they are projecting on to you and they do not live YOUR life.

Good luck and look forward to meeting you soon

[kayakebab]

Just do it, you know you want to  

[SandyLea]

Janice 1971, I would love to know what you have decided having read all of the posts in this section. 

We too have put our house on the market - we are both English though and are not intending to work.  We both get private pensions and hope these, together with interest earned on our savings, will be enough to live on.  We should have about 700 - 800 GBP per month - not much I know but that is what we live on here in the UK (as we are mortgage free) so if it can work here, it must be able to there.  It is very scary, I know.  I think you should always keep about 10,000 GBP spare in a bank somewhere and never touch it.  That 10,000 GBP can then be used as a year's rent on a property back in the UK if it all goes wrong.  At least then you will have a roof over your head when you get back and a year's grace for you or hubby to find work back here. 

However, I totally understand where you are coming from.  I am SOOOO sick of the weather here, the miserable, often foul mouthed people who live in our town that it just can't compete with Turkey. 

My husband and I both worked full time over here for over 30 years and it was dreadful, stressful and all that you are suffering from.  Lea has had a bypass and stents later and still his arteries are closing.  Life is about living not about hating every moment of it.  Enjoy some quality time in Turkey and if it goes wrong, come back but do set money aside for that eventuality.  At least in later life you can look back at lovely times in Turkey instead of constant miserableness of England.

We have decided we would rather be poor in Turkey than comfortably off here. 

You are so right that even if you have no money, you can have lovely times in Turkey, just walking along the beach, people watching and friendly "hellos" from people you meet.  Stuck here is awful - can't go out much as it is always raining.  I feel my life consists of watching TV and not much else.

Your children will benefit from being in Turkey.  Children and teenagers are more polite in Turkey and thus they get respect from adults.  Most over 40's here hate UK children - they are rude, lazy and indifferent.  A generalisation, I know, but what I suppose I mean is that the majority here are rude etc. 

Anyway, do let us all know what you have decided.  Some people are born pessimists but having a poor, lovely life is better than a rich miserable life.

All I can say is I hope we get a buyer here soon so that our journey can begin.

[Karennina]

well done Sandy lea for being brave and following your dream I wish you all the best for your new life in Turkey  :)I too would love to know what Janice and her family decided to do