Skip to content

  • Projects
  • Groups
  • Snippets
  • Help
    • Loading...
    • Help
    • Submit feedback
    • Contribute to GitLab
  • Sign in / Register
P
premiergroup-eg
  • Project
    • Project
    • Details
    • Activity
    • Cycle Analytics
  • Issues 2
    • Issues 2
    • List
    • Board
    • Labels
    • Milestones
  • Merge Requests 0
    • Merge Requests 0
  • CI / CD
    • CI / CD
    • Pipelines
    • Jobs
    • Schedules
  • Wiki
    • Wiki
  • Snippets
    • Snippets
  • Members
    • Members
  • Collapse sidebar
  • Activity
  • Create a new issue
  • Jobs
  • Issue Boards
  • Chassidy McGaw
  • premiergroup-eg
  • Issues
  • #1

Closed
Open
Opened Jun 15, 2025 by Chassidy McGaw@chassidymcgaw8
  • Report abuse
  • New issue
Report abuse New issue

Mum who Moved to Spain Says she would never ever Return to Ireland Or UK


A mom who emigrated to Spain with her family has revealed she will never ever go back to Ireland or the UK since it is more affordable living abroad.

Sandra Laurie packed her bags in addition to her other half Warner and their two kids, Oliver, 12 and nine-year-old Abi, in 2017, and moved to Costa del Sol.

The family had actually been handing over almost ₤ 1,700 a month on child care costs alone while living in their native County Tipperary, Ireland.

But the continuous monetary strain and low quality of life ultimately proved too much, triggering the household to up sticks and head for a sunnier and cheaper way of life.

They now live in a large Spanish vacation home they bought in 2022 simply minutes from the beach which has its own pool and stunning sea views.

Ms Laurie, 38, said that the concept of emigrating to the Spanish coast very first occurred when the household visited the location to celebrate her 30th birthday.

She stated: 'We fulfilled other families already residing in the Costa del Sol, and their unwinded, outside lifestyle with the kids made us understand what we were missing.

Sandra Laurie, 38 and her hubby Warner (both envisioned), of County Tipperary, Ireland, packed their bags and transferred to warm Costa del Sol in 2017

Having left their tasks and small housing estate behind, the household (visualized) now reside in a big Spanish rental property they bought in 2022. Just minutes from the beach, the elegant residential or commercial property even features its own swimming pool and stunning sea views

Prior to the move, the household had been forking out almost ₤ 1,700 a month on childcare costs alone which Ms Laurie stated was 'taking in the majority of our disposable earnings'

'We were on the aircraft home when we said, "It's now or never ever". The Costa del Sol offered sunshine, domesticity, and a much healthier lifestyle.

'We had been there often times throughout the years on holidays and checking out, however something altered on the trip in 2016 - we actually began to assess and examine that there had to be a better method of life.'

At the time, Ms Laurie and her husband were spending triple their month-to-month mortgage expenses on child care alone. That, combined with the increasing cost of living across Ireland, was making 'life extremely difficult' for the couple.

Adding that childcare costs were 'taking in most of our non reusable earnings', she said: 'Despite excellent incomes, the expense of living in Ireland made life extremely tough.

'Our mortgage was just EUR600 (₤ 500) a month, but childcare was a staggering EUR1,857 (₤ 1,568) each month.

'It consumed most of our non reusable earnings. We were essentially working to spend for another person to raise our children.'

As their child struggles with severe asthma, the family were also dealing with considerable medical costs, spending for routine, pricey GP gos to, alongside high prescription costs.

As their kid suffers from extreme asthma, the couple were also dealing with substantial medical costs, paying for routine, costly GP sees, together with high prescription costs

Pictured: the couple's residential or commercial property they purchased in 2022

Recognising that something desperately 'needed to alter', Ms Laurie quit her position as a contact centre director while her other half Warner, working as a sales leader, picked to make a large career modification and pursue a property service in Spain

Ms Laurie stated that the 'tired' couple were typically 'required' to pick between the cost of for their children and expenses, living day-to-day in a 'consistent cycle of tension'.

The mother-of-two also admitted that the careful budgeting required was including excellent strain to their relationship.

Recognising that something desperately 'needed to change', Ms Laurie stopped her position as a contact centre director while her other half Warner, working as a sales leader, picked to make a huge career modification and pursue a real estate company in Spain.

At the time, the set had just EUR50,000 (₤ 42,000) to their name, made from from the sale of their home in Ireland, which they utilized to protect rent for their very first year abroad.

But, it was totally worth the short-term financial struggle.

Ms Laurie stated: 'The difference in our lifestyle was instant and extreme.

'Nursery costs can be greatly subsidised or totally free, primary school is free, and it begins at 3 years of age, and after-school care is heavily subsidised for working parents.

Pictured: the couple's former home in Ireland. At the time of their move to the Spanish coast, the pair had just EUR50,000 (₤ 42,000) to their name, made from from the sale of the residential or commercial property

Given the large amount of perks she points out as an outcome of the relocation, Ms Laurie (imagined) insists they have zero plans to ever return home

Pictured: the back garden of their former home in Ireland

No longer living pay cheque to pay cheque, Ms Laurie said the family enjoyed in the 'family-centric' culture of Spain, as their children (pictured), now multilingual, had the ability to keep up later for meals and hang out with their parents

Ms Laurie and Warner established their property organization in 2018 before purchasing property-buying, renovating and selling homes, which eventually permitted them to purchase their 'dream' home

'Our child care expenses dropped to around EUR200 (₤ 170) per month.'

The household also kept in mind an amazing distinction in their daily costs, mentioning less expensive eating in restaurants costs, while the warm and sunny weather helped with totally free, outside activities for the children.

No longer living pay cheque to pay cheque, Ms Laurie stated the family enjoyed in the 'family-centric' culture of Spain, as their kids, now multilingual, were able to remain up later on for meals and hang out with their moms and dads.

Insisting that the relocation has had an 'amazing' effect on her young kids, Ms Laurie remarked: 'They invest more time outdoors, take part in sports, and have actually changed wonderfully.

'The way of life is slower, safer, and more focused on family.

'They are unbiased and are used to engaging with several cultures since the Costa Del Sol is a cultural melting pot.'

Ms Laurie and Warner established their real estate company in 2018 before investing in property-buying, remodeling and selling homes, which eventually enabled them to buy their 'dream' home.

Citing the slower speed of life, family-friendly culture, less expensive cost of living and much better climate as just a few of the factors for their persistence on staying, Ms Laurie stated: 'We do not intend on ever moving back. Spain has actually adopted us, and it genuinely seems like home'

Pictured: the view from the family's back garden

Spain continues to be one of the most popular destinations for Brits looking for a place in the sun, with some 350,000 UK nationals officially registered as living in the country, while more than 12,000 settle permanently with their own residential or commercial property each year

Believing that their extraordinary success would not have actually been possible in Ireland, provided 'the greater operating expense and lack of flexibility for working moms and dads', Ms Laurie now coaches other individuals thinking about moving to Spain looking for a 'much better life'.

And, provided the vast amount of benefits she cites as a result of the move, Ms Laurie insists they have no strategies to return home.

Citing the slower speed of life, family-friendly culture, cheaper cost of living and better environment as simply a few of the factors for staying, Ms Laurie included: 'We don't plan on ever returning. Spain has embraced us, and it truly feels like home.

'Rising home expenses in the UK and Ireland would be an issue, making us truly question whether we could afford what we have in Spain in another country - our pool, an extremely big garden, space for guests, and being within strolling distance to the beach.

'Living abroad, especially in Spain, has provided us something we never had in Ireland: time. Time to delight in life, raise our kids, construct a company, and prosper, not simply endure.

'Ireland will always be in our hearts, but we have discovered our future here.'

Believing that their extraordinary success would not have actually been possible in Ireland, provided 'the greater operating costs and absence of versatility for working parents', Ms Laurie now coaches other people thinking about relocating to Spain searching for a 'much better life'

Pictured: the beach now just a couple of minutes leave Ms Laurie's vast home

Spain continues to be among the most popular locations for British expats. However, in a bid to deal with a growing housing crisis, the Spanish government are presently pressing ahead with a controversial plan to slam Brits with a 100 percent tax on holiday homes

The Brits who left for a dream life in Spain ... but were left homeless by changing truths of life

Spain continues to be one of the most popular locations for Brits trying to find a location in the sun, with some 350,000 UK nationals officially registered as living in the country, while more than 12,000 settle permanently with their own residential or commercial property each year.

Despite UK federal government pledges to impose vacation homes and prioritise nationals, Brits are continuously drawn to the appeal of sunshine, great food and a cheaper cost of living.

However, in a quote to tackle a growing housing crisis, the Spanish federal government are currently pushing ahead with a controversial plan to knock Brits with a 100 percent tax on vacation homes.

In May, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's Socialist party provided the plan to the nation's Parliament. Under such strategy, first announced in January, non-EU locals would need to pay double for residential or commercial properties in the nation.

The expense intends to promote 'steps that enable access to housing, given that we are dealing with among the biggest problems our society is presently faced with', according to a copy of the draft legislation seen by Bloomberg.

Brits are the most significant purchasers of Spanish residential or commercial properties outside of native Spaniards, comprising 8.2 per cent of offers.

In 2023 alone, non-EU homeowners purchased 27,000 residential or commercial properties in Spain.

Spain
jamesedition.com

Assignee
Assign to
None
Milestone
None
Assign milestone
Time tracking
None
Due date
None
0
Labels
None
Assign labels
  • View project labels
Reference: chassidymcgaw8/premiergroup-eg#1