Robb

Hi Guys, first post. My wife and I are looking to move out to Tenerife for an 'active' retirement in several years. We would be mortgage free but need to have some income to pay the day to day bills.
What sort of work, and hourly rates would there by for a 50 something man with no 'tourist work' experience, but with IT experience. Would be quite happy with a brain dead, part time, job earning around 500euros a month?
My wife would be in her mid 40's, and be looking for a part time admin job, perhaps earning a bit more?
Hopefully by then the Spanish lessons would have paid off!

How easy is it to go self employed? Thought of something like a 'man with a van' type thing in the English community? Alternatively setting up broadband etc for people who don't have a good technical grasp and poor Spanish?
How hot are the Spanish on checking foreign nationals when it comes to cash in hand work?

Any help appreciated.

Rob

hybury

Hi Robb,
Like you my first post, too, but unlike you I have had a home over here since 1984. Unless you intend to change your approach then my advice is for you not to retire here at all. This is a great place to live - don't rock the boat with less than legal thoughts.

georgio

hi and welcome to the forum. Part time jobs are hard to come by.
You must have a contract as the tenerife goverment are getting more severe on this. I wish you all the best.

Minx

Hi and welcome to the forum. There are lots of part time jobs out here, it's just a case of finding one that suits you. I think the hourly rate is around 5 euros, not sure though.

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

TenerifeHiking

Hate to sound negative, but I've heard so many people talk in exactly the same terms you have with the same expectations of an early (working) retirement, just doing a little cash-in hand work to pay the bills and IT RARELY WORKS!

1) The cost of living in Tenerife is quite high, especially compared to the wages and even more so if you decide to live in the tourist areas.

2) Unless you are pretty fluent in Spanish, living out in the sticks (which is cheaper) can be a massive culture shock. Consequently most ex-pats wind up living in the more expensive but "safer" tourist resorts.

3) Work is hard to come by, particularly part-time. Pay is poor and companies are reluctant to take people on at the moment because of the "crisis". They don't want the financial liability of staff in the current economic climate.

4) Don't even think about trying to set-up a business unless you are going to be completely above board. The competition don't like to be undercut by illegals and they will report you just as soon as they become aware of your operations or you threaten their market share.

Besides, and not to overly moralise here, but if you are going to live here, use our doctors, hospitals, roads, public services, the least you can do is pay your taxes like everyone else.

doreen

It won´t necessarily be brain dead work - that is the average wage - full time 1.000. A very well qualified, almost bilingual secretary in my accountants' office earns 1.200 and that is considered a well paid job. I´ve heard some (full time) receptionist work in somewhere like a golf club, with languages, is only 800 per month.

Very well put ... remember, the cost of living is relatively cheap in Tenerife precisely because there are little or no indirect taxes to go towards essential services.

Robb

Well looks like I have rocked the boat a bit. Was merely testing the ground to see how things are now. Was on the island in 05 and met a couple of people who were tradesmen working cash in hand within the British community and were doing ok for themselves. Wondered what is was like now? Have paid taxes all my life in the UK I might add.
Sadly i won't be retiring for 10 years at least I just want to decide where I want to retire and do some ground work. Mainland Spain is too cold in the winter and Tenerife is my perferred destination. Just need an income until I can retire properly on the Island at 65.

hybury

Hi Robb,

I'm no prude and, re-reading my post, I perhaps could have chosen my words more sympathetically. What I meant to convey is that some things are best not spoken about as honestly as you. By the time you retire over here I will most surely have moved on. I wish you well. Stay honest.

YOUNG GOLFER

well you stated you met a couple working cash in hand and are doing well may be they wouldnt be doing so well if they had to pay the taxes and other bills us in business have to pay lets hope they dont get caught.

kimbob

what about the lucky lucky men i was asked 126 times in one hour do i whant to buy a watch, i was trying to watch a show at the time, i never seen any police moving them on. even the shop owners where not trying to move them on. this was in los cristianos. they wont be paying taxes.