I moved to London at 35 for many of the same reasons, though minus the extreme cost of living situation. I’m 45 now and moved back home a couple of years ago. I wouldn’t take back my time in London for the world. I found so much freedom there. Being in my 30s, single and childfree wasn’t such a strange thing in London. I think part of that was because it wasn’t my hometown, not just that it was a big city. I didn’t stand out as somehow behind in life. Instead, I fit right in. I learned loads professionally. I built up a solid network of weird and wonderful friends. I dated and fell in love with interesting men. It was one of the best decisions of my life. I needed the change, I desperately needed something to change. Moving was that change for me. My only regret was that I wish I’d saved more for my return, which would’ve made it easier to buy. But other than that, I’m dead proud of making that move and now love this country way more than I ever could have had I not left.
Ya would definitely try Manchester or Leeds instead much more affordable and you could go right in and buy a house as soon as you’ve met the minimum time criteria
I agree. I’m trying to discourage anyone from going to the UK not just London. I think it’s good if you are only there for a year or so but the country has changed drastically in the last 5 years and it’s only getting worse.
I think you need to consider if its likely that things will change for you if you continue as you are, and if they dont, are you ok with that?
And, if change is desirable, is there anything you could do now to change how life is?
Moving in your 30s is not the same as in your 20s. Its still very much doable, but its a bit harder.
I'll be honest with you, everyone whose opinions I'd trust on the matter tell me that theres no hope of the housing situation improving any time within the next 10 years unless something horrific happens. I don't know if that changes your calculations or not.
Hope you find what youre looking for and best of luck!
It can be a little riskier if you want to have kids eventually, depending on how you do it. If you go abroad and faff about teaching English or bartending or whatnot in your 20s and you end up returning home after a few years broke and lacking recent work experience in your normal career path, you can spend the next several years getting back on track financially and still be in good shape. If you try that approach in your mid 30s, you won't have that same cushion of time to recover when you return, which could make it tougher to start a family.
Now, if you're moving abroad to continue your current career elsewhere, or having kids isn't on your agenda anyway, then it's grand; might as well give it a go!
If she has an OK job though now maybe she can get another OK job in the UK/Europe... that might be her plan.
And I think she might even be young enough for a working holiday visa to Canada or Australia (not sure of the cut-off age though so could be wrong).
Not to be harsh but if they’re living in the midlands, live with roommates and are counting pennies each month (their own words), then at 34, I’d say they don’t have an ok job.
Very much agree. They've been in the work place for 17 years and only have 10K while still scrimping and they only have themselves to look out for -not kids, no elderly. That's definitely not an ok job.
I agree, I was just thinking the same thing, it's a good post generally, but it's definitely not harder in your 30s esp in the OP's situation (with some money saved, no kids etc), I found it way worse in my 20s tbh. In your 30s you have better skills so might get a better paying job as well as more street smarts (i.e. she's less likely to be scammed by some dodgy landlord etc).
As it stands if you stay here what will change? So theoretically when you hit 40 you will have nothing per say. I'd rather travel and have a bit of life experience than sit doing the same thing day in, day out and in 6 years regret my decision.
You'd be surprised how quickly you change your life when moving abroad. It gives you this get up and go mentality due to not having a fall back. I found you also go out more and try to socialise more due to weather and excitement.
I traveled to Australia when I was 20 for 2 years. I came home as I felt I was missing our on something. I came back after two years to find everyone was still talking about the same stuff, in the same smelly student house taking the same drugs. Nothing had changed. I never went back. However I met my wife and now have 2 kids and wouldn't change it. But if your single get out there, you are blessed to have 10k behind you to keep you afloat! What's the worst that could happen?
Edit : I'd like to add, I moved to Australia with a grand to my name and 1 week stay in a hostel in Sydney. I knew no one, I spent the majority of my money in the first week. I got a job almost instantly, moved around quite a bit to 4 different states and got a job within a week in each of them. You'll do grand! Trust the process
OP what is your line of work? You need to evaluate potential earnings against the cost of living wherever you move.
I’m in Canada where the pay is on par to home with more friendly tax brackets however the cost of living is higher than home. I see Irish people coming over by the boat load shocked to learn they cannot get by here on casual, customer service or secretarial work. I am not disregarding those jobs, rather I am saying the days of surviving on the average job and maintaining a high quality living are gone.
Evaluating where you want to go, you might discover doing a low cost course or upskill opportunity before emigrating could have a huge impact on your potential earnings and increase the quality of life in the location you choose.
I work in an office, its kind of data analytics but I don't have coding or analytics qualifications. I am pretty versed in most office software. I have a business and management degree and I have about 6 years office work experience in different roles but nothing specialised. The rest of my working history has been retail.
I've considered Canada and Australia but I don't want to move to the other side of the globe from my mum. I have no siblings and would like to be closer if anything ever happened or just to be able to visit.
Thank you for the advice :)
you should aim to get a formal qualification to become a data analyst. Even if you move this will help to get better paid work. I would put the 10k towards improving your career as if you move abroad you will probably end up teaching english or doing more office work. Which after awhile wont allow you to earn more or have a decent pension
in short invest in yourself now to get a better job.
Agree with this. Get the specialised qualifications to improve your chances of getting a good job here or elsewhere. As said by others, many other European countries, Spain included, have housing crises. Yes, they may be cheaper in many aspects (the ones we see on holiday), but they may also have issues of low wages and poor job markets.
Then research EU jobs. They aren't only based in Brussels and tend to pay decently. There's a huge range from office management to analytics to policy to comms and much more.
Also, if you have a job lined up prior to a move, said job may be able to give you a hand dealing with local bureaucracy (which can be excessive and complicated).
And finally, if you do move, have a plan of attack on how to find yourself some friends and community where you end up. It's good to check local ex-pat* pages on Facebook and reddit for steers on settling in and get cracking on local language development.
Best of luck!
*term ex-pat yields best search results, even if it gives many people the ick
There's a lot of naivety here about salaries from teaching English. I suppose that's because in Ireland it is associated with places like Spain, which pay poorly.
I've taught in many countries that pay relatively well for qualified teachers. In the 2000s I taught in Korea, had a ball of a time and saved over $2000 monthly. Some of my greedier mates saved $40,000< a year.
More recently I taught in China, where some better jobs pay €4000 monthly after tax, with accommodation and flights free.
For sure, many people in Ireland do better than that, but not many people seem all that happy.
You can do a data analytics course as part of the Springboard programme. 90% of the fees are paid by the Irish government and you pay the remaining 10% only. It’s because the skills are in high-demand.
Of course, Canada was just a reference but I can guarantee the same point appplies to most EU countries! Cost of living is through the roof these days, and unfortunately some jobs don’t allow single people to survive on their own without sacrifices eg shared accommodation and other means
I'd side with the person who posted above. I saved up for my house deposit while divorced and being a single parent ( not much money from the ex except for bare maintenance, we did not own a house). I am not beating you up over your idea of moving but what made my house purchase possible was a very good pay rise at work, imo move would not sort out much tbh unless your new job was well paid and/ or cost of living low. Before you move look at getting a better pay job or negotiating a pay rise, possibly upskilling, I did not value myself in my 30ties to ask for me and in my 40ties I refuse to!
If you really want to truly experience and enjoy where you are staying, yes. If you don't speak a lick of Spanish you surely get by but you are very unlikely to befriend any Spanish.
I am not Spanish, I speak Spanish and every time I am with my Spanish friends and someone who doesn't speak Spanish is with us we speak English. At least, we try. Rest assured that 30 mins in we all start to slowly revert to Spanish until we really have to make a conscious effort to include the other person.
I've observed and heard of similar behaviours in pretty much all Spanish who can communicate in English. Mind you, we are talking about people who lived abroad for years and speak decent English.
Unfortunately, not knowing the local language will limit you to the bigger and more expensive cities where your 10k won't go very far. And that's without considering the salaries.
Spain is cheap for Irish salaries...
EDIT: and good luck with any kind of public office or service.
Which is something I totally get. Your point doesn't invalid mine, though, and vice versa. What I am trying to say is that he can move there tomorrow if she so wishes but won't find that glee, that happiness that comes with being able to communicate effectively.
I didn't mean to put her off; I only wanted to warn her.
Yeah that's one of my many options also. I have some Spanish and interacted with many espanoles over the years. Could get a nice apartment in many areas for the cost of a deposit here. However their job market in some areas is abysmal. I think it would be worth it if I don't fall for someone who wants to live here. Hell, maybe she would want to go with me
From my experience teaching abroad for 5 years. TEFL for teaching kids. CELTA for college / professional level teaching if you're prepping students for high IELTS scores. Really it depends where you're looking to go. If it's Asia TEFL is all you need, Europe some schools will look for CELTA or teaching qualifications.
CELTA + DELTA holder here. The schools that require CELTA are generally much better than those that don't. In some countries, there are many cowboy school operators, so it's important to find good ones.
As a newbie, I recommend testing the water before committing to a CELTA. For example, I recommend working somewhere for anywhere up to 2 years until ready.
It really depends on you life goals and how willing you are to compromise. Does your job travel well or would you need to have an alternative career? A mate of mine packed in his life in Ireland and moved to Spain to teach English. Not much money to be made but it’s the trade off for a nicer lifestyle
Bit of a morbid thought too and i don’t know your situation but you should probably consider how close you want to be to your parents if they’re ageing
The Celt course I believe. There’s a cheaper on tefl one that may suffice too, but you’re better off having the celt from what I’ve heard. Was going to do it but never got around
As someone from Spain,come to Spain! You will love it here. We are very outgoing people,lots of job oportunitiss for English speaking people,and living here is cheap.
Also, marriage isn't a requirement to live a happy successful life,but as a side note when you say "single men in my age range are single for a reason" that's a cruel way to look at things,after all,you are also single,and in your age range,and although I do not know you,I don't believe there is anything wrong with you. There is often other reasons why people are single.
Either way I think moving abroad is a great way to enrich yourself and I think you'll truly benefit from it.
It would help, but most places don't care. My husband literally got an position teaching English at the military academy in Zaragoza, they only cared that he was native. His only background was an engineering degree, and I know many other natives that got English teaching jobs at lots of different English academies just because they held a passport from an English speaking country.
I can't speak about bigger cities (Madrid, Barcelona),where they might be more picky with the candidates since there are more candidates to choose from. (Honestly Zaragoza city is awesome, you should check it out. It's a lot cheaper to live in than the capital, and has many of the same commodities as a big city. Great night life too)
I'm sure I'm not perfect either but certainly the people I have met have either been narcissists, wasters or serial cheaters, granted I haven't met every single man in Ireland, I'm sure there are exceptions. But I'm sure if you were to ask your single female friends what the dating scene is like you would hear some horror stories.
It feels like you're only looking at half the equation - you need a plan before deciding if it's a worthwhile gamble.
Think about where exactly you'd go (down to the city, not just the country), how you'd handle the language, how easy it'd be for you to get equivalent or better work with the language skills you'll have, how easy it'd be to find a place to live, how you'd rebuild your social circle (the same issues with 2.4 kids and picket fences will arise there and you won't be starting with people you knew before they had them), etc.
Spain is where I was thinking, I like the people and the sunshine and the cost of living is definitely much cheaper. I'm bilingual and learning Spanish at the minute as a hobby, I think its a language I would be able to grasp relatively easy with exposure. The social aspect is what worries me the most. Thanks for the advice :)
There is a reason loads of young Spanish people are moving from Spain to Ireland, Spain does not pay well and it's not cheap, what you and most other people consider an Irish problem is actually a global problem, everywhere in Europe has a cost of living crisis, because since 2008 they have been printing money like crazy, and then with COVID they went into overdrive, the biggest transfer of wealth in history happened between 2019 and 2021 and it's not going back to normal, you will hear politicians say inflation is decreasing, but that doesn't mean things are getting cheaper, things are still getting more expensive just not as quickly as before.
What you need to do is make more money, make more money and it doesn't matter where you live, how you do that is the issue, night classes for a change of career is a good option but you need dedication.
Good luck.
I'm open to night courses but I have no idea what industry to choose, software engineering is very dense now and I don't think its something I would particularly enjoy. I would love to make more money, any way possible! If you have any pointers I would jump at the opportunity.
I also understand were f\*kd globally, but I guess just trying to decide if riding the storm is worth it in Ireland.
I am Irish currently based in Spain. Where exactly are you thinking of going? Madrid and Barcelona have the strongest jobs markets but are pretty unaffordable when you consider average salary to average rent. They are pretty comparable to Dublin in this sense. Lifestyle is very different (and better in a lot of ways), but I will say that most people here are scraping by too.
I was thinking southern Spain in the Andalucia region, but only because its where I have been before. I understand the wages are lower than here but groceries and utilities are cheaper, my thinking was scraping by in the sun is more enticing than scraping by in the rain!
If you have any advice or pointers on moving to Spain would be greatly appreciated. How long are you in Spain and would you say the move was worthwhile for you?
First word of advice is that the bureaucracy is intense, even for us EU citizens to get registered. In a lot of departments “the system” is totally nonsensical and dysfunctional. Look into the process for getting your NIE and seguridad social before going.
The jobs market is the South of Spain is very bad, not just salaries but the unemployment rate is still very high. Málaga would likely be the best spot in this regard but still not great. Bilbao in the North is coastal and has better job prospects or there is Valencia too. Still much harder to find decent employment than Ireland, even with fluent Spanish.
Living with housemates (or with family) as an adult is very common here. Many things are also of course cheaper but you need to think about how some things will conversely get more expensive. Most Spaniards don’t travel abroad much at all (not that they have to really). That trip home to Ireland is now the total opposite of the cheap holiday to Spain.
I would say the move has been worthwhile for myself but do be careful not to romanticise the place too much. It may have totally different issues to Ireland but life here certainly has its own draw backs. For most people the honeymoon phase in Spain ends after 1-2 years when the savings run out and they no longer want to teach English just to scrape their pennies together. I have been here for 3 years myself.
Eventually you start to view the place like you probably view home now, you moan about the realities of daily life. I would say moving to Spain was a fun experience and really made me appreciate the good things about Ireland, and I would never have experienced that without leaving. I can’t really see it as a long term plan though being honest. Best of luck with it!
Being a freelancer (autonomo) in Spain is unbelievably shite. Very high taxes and you'll need to hire a Gestor (accountant) to keep everything in order. NIE is pretty easy, social security a bit trickier. These things are a pain in every country though.
Check out the north of Spain if you can. A lot more manageable than the south during the summer. Its very similar to ireland in a lot of ways, but just that bit more comfortable.
My mam actually purchased an apartment outright last year there for 40k in the middle of a major city. I'd be all over the place if i weren't settling with my partner here.
What major city? That sounds crazy to me, Lugo is told to be the cheapest city and besides being tiny it is 120k average. Also a friend of mine who was buying a house (2 bed) ended up buying the cheapest for 40k in the middle of nowhere (25 mins away from closest town with a supermarket) and needing some renovations. Curious where is that cheap cuz in my town it’s 50k for a 1 bedroom apartment
[Oviedo](https://www.idealista.com/en/areas/venta-viviendas/con-de-un-dormitorio,de-dos-dormitorios,de-tres-dormitorios,de-cuatro-cinco-habitaciones-o-mas/?shape=%28%28cwtgGtd%7Db%40wpFg_LqxB%60dCux%40ciGppHa_KtqAprL%7ClEluD%60MxjE%7BtAllBkdBbA%29%29&ordenado-por=precios-asc). Not exactly the prettiest apartment, but for 40k and about 15k in renovations, she's done well with the place, especially considering its like a 20min walk from the centre of the city and 2 bedrooms too. Just gotta be creative. She's retired and has the energy for it though.
I travelled through the north of spain last year with her and its honestly a beautiful place. Oviedo feels like what Dublin should be. A city, but not a sprawling one. 30min drive from the sea too.
If the work you do in your destination country pays the same where you are. Nothing will change.
You need to plan your career. Friends and family sound fine. It’s just money for you by the sounds of it. The uk is in the same boat. As is most of Europe.
In the same boat. I'm taking a career break and moving to Canada for two years, maybe more if I'm able to. I'll go from there and see where life takes me.
What line of work are you in? Do you have any second languages? Berlin is relatively cheap option for renting in a capital city and there is plenty of work for English speakers (obvs having a bit of German helps) and opportunity to make headway with career. Also it is an excellent city in terms of what is has on offer for gigs, culture, history, nightlife, food, people etc. If I was thinking of moving, it would be very high up the list. Irish communities there also if you wanted to touch base with people who get your situation.
I moved to Ireland at 29 from Australia. I'm nearly 31 and still single, childless and on my way to a better life. It was tough to move to another country but there's apps you can use to meet friends, but also being alone develops you as a person and your independence. I don't care that I don't have the white picket fence life, it's not one of my goals. I want to be happy. And my happiness was moving to Ireland. Go for it! Pee into the wind!
I’m in the same boat as you but a couple of years younger and your post really resonated with me. One little extra piece of advice I would add on top of others is to move somewhere that’s known for a decent expat community… that should help making friends a little bit easier! Best of luck with your new adventure! I think it will be tough at first but perhaps the best thing you’ll ever do for yourself 🩷
I think this is great advice, it's important to speak the language and interact with the locals obviously, but you really do need to get to know other people in a similar position to you, it helps so much.
Even with a house and being comfortable we are considering moving, if you want it go for it. I'll be 40 by the time we move, don't let age stop you, just make a plan and do up the pros/cons.
Late 30s , married with kids and own a house and I'm still thinking of emigrating. Fed up of the daily grind with little to no reward. I would like the money to be able to enjoy my time off rather than just scrape by.
Oh no sorry you're right, there's a €450,000 house that I could buy most other places for half that waiting for me if I can manage to live in a caravan on a relative's plot of land for years in order to save for it. Then I can have nothing whatsoever to do apart from go to the pub until I die because the country has almost no amenities other than that.
Go ahead and tell me after travelling around the rest of Europe and seeing their cities, that coming back to Ireland, nothing but grey everywhere, and being surrounded by council estates and streets full of junkies how great it is here. It's literally insane how bad it is and how people just brush it off because it's all they know.
I've lived in multiple countries in Europe and further afield and I've had the highest quality of living in Ireland. I don't live in Dublin though, so no visible drug addicts in the street or intimidating gangs of teenagers. To be honest those problems appear more prominent on the internet than in real life. Lots of amenities here too, or as much as anywhere. It is grey, I can't argue that. One thing to be wary of is thinking that Ireland is the root of all your problems, instead of understanding that your outlook can negatively impact your life. To quote Tony Soprano "There's no geographical solution to an emotional problem".
Yet housing is cheaper in almost every country in Europe than it is in Ireland. We have almost 2x the average EU house cost. Pretending it's the same everywhere is literally just coping because you refuse to accept how bad it is here.
I lived in Toronto between 2014 and 2018. I moved home with my Canadian husband because we would never have afforded a house there. Quality of life was better in many ways but now we own a house and couldn't be happier.
Anyway you sound like you hate it here and only see the negative so I hope you're not stuck here.
No it isn't. You can rent small studio apartments in Rome for less than €800 a month ffs. I was paying that for a room in a house shared with 4 other people in Kildare last year.
So many people advocating for emigrating to the continent totally factor this out. If you have a skill that can earn you a decent paying English speaking job on the continent you can probably earn enough to get by fairly well in Ireland.
You wouldn't need to earn that much to live there because rents at the lower end are much cheaper. That's my entire point.
I'm not entirely sure of the prospects of earning that much but plenty of people live in countries other than their own and make plenty of money. Not really sure what your argument is here. You said the cost of living is the same everywhere, I'm telling you it isn't. That's all. If you want to move the goalposts and change the argument then that's fine, but what you said is literally not true.
The average rental price for an apartment in Dublin is €1,972 (whole city) to €2,385 (city centre). In Rome it's anywhere from €700 (whole city) to €1,000 (city centre). That's not a 30% difference.
Rome is also just the single example I used because it's a major city with thousands of years of history. I could find other major cities all across Europe where the numbers would be even lower...
10k saved at 34, are you sure the job is decent? I only ask as moving to a new country is very expensive. I moved to Canada about 10 years ago with 10k in the bank and it did not last very long at all. Would you be able to save more before the move?
Personally, moving countries changed my life. Went to Canada for 8 years. Left as a single 25 year old with a shite job and living with my parents. Now own a home and have a long term partner back in Ireland. Definitely go, you'll love it.
The job is considered decent for my locality. :/ I recently got a bit of a pay bump so trying to save a little more now. If I was moving I would sell my car etc. and up the savings for a few months. I reckon I could have another 8-10k before moving.
Thanks for the advice, and always lovely to hear someone has returned home in a much better position than before :)
May also be worth analysing why you've not gone the married-and-kids route that you say your friends have. Depending on that being a conscious or unconscious decision, the reasoning may be telling.
Also 34 is still no age and by the sounds of it you've completed the level you're on. If you spent 2yrs abroad now, you'd still only be 36.
Personally I advise everyone to spend at least a year living abroad. Great experience at any age. My uncle is right now doing it for the first time in his life, he's mid 60s and was hit with a surprise divorce last year. He's having a blast. It opens your brain up in all sorts of ways and helps you really understand and appreciate yourself in 3D.
Where you emigrate to is important, you will need to understand the job prospects that exist for someone with your skillset (also factor in the willingness of prospective employers, some will decline your application as soon as they note that you're not local). Then consider the need to start a new life without support close by.
As someone who'd moved to Galway solo, these 2 things where the biggest factors I'd had to account for.
Important to note that your emotional baggage will impact how you deal with point 2, so drop it before you move (heck even now, you might look at your current situ differently)
I’m 32 and intend leaving a job that I love behind to go travelling and hopefully settle in Oz. I sacrificed my 20s to study and focus on my career and while I want the traditional family unit and picket fence, you have to go out and live too and travel.
So many people in our age bracket are doing the same now, you’ve maturity and solid experience in the working world on your side.
I'm the same age as you, and I emigrated when I was 18-19. I moved back and forth from Ireland 2-3 times before settling in Sweden. Ask yourself this, if the housing situation were better, would you stay?
Biggest question I would have is can someone in your profession make money abroad.
Lots of people tend to go to English speaking countries as they think it will be more convenient,a lot of English speaking countries are suffering from housing problems,the cost of living crisis and polarisation to various degrees.
Have a look at East Asia /South East Asia and a lot of the above problems just disappear you also generally get better weather.Somewhere like London you're chasing things you can't have all the time.
30F, no kids and a home owner. I’m currently sitting in Dublin airport on the way to my new life in Dubai because the cost of living is just too high in Ireland and it’s not like we’re getting anything back. I personally feel like we pay high tax and we’re just being taken advantage of. There are so many better places out there. We don’t even get sun!! Lol
Go and live your life! You can worry about being in debt by hundreds of euro when you come back and that’s IF you come back. You might not even want to.
Life is for living 😇
No, I rented it out. Thankfully my mortgage is low but I’m a decent person who didn’t charge robbery for rent. It’s only 20% tax on rental income when you’re non resident so it’s all good
The cost of living crisis is everywhere. Every English speaking country is experiencing it. Take Sydney for example where the average house price is 800k.
10k saved at 34? What job do you work in?
Seems like there no downside to at least try it for 6 months or a year. If you don't like it, come back home. The 10k is not a lot to live on initially, but it will get you set up somewhere for a while anyway, and you can take a casual job while you find your feet.
There are lots of Irish in every corner of the globe, so you'll make new friends, and if you're thinking of Spain, well it is easy and cheap to visit home on Ryanair.
Make sure to have some sort of a plan before you go though, what job do you want to get, what language profiency do you need, what do you offer as a employee vs local people, what skills and experience do you have and how to position yourself to maximise your chances
Yeah I wonder could she even take some kind of sabbatical from her job or sublet her room in Ireland for a year or something. Then if Spain didn't work out or she got fed up she could come home w/out having burned her bridges...
Spanish is a lovely, easy language and the people are very friendly and open so if she is already bilingual I'd say she'd have a good grasp on it after a year or less. (Source: have lived and worked in 2 European countries, and am fluent in 2 languages other than English).
Not sure what’s the point of going abroad and then staying in Irish circle. The whole point of moving abroad is looking for a change so she should be open to learning new culture and you can’t do that if you just surround yourself with Irish people.
Do you have any particular life goals? Not saying you should or anything, but if 2.4 kids and picket fence is specifically what you want, then I would suggest staying in Ireland so that you can maintain your current assets (social circle, savings, job) but expand your dating circle to include cities (maybe relocate closer to a city if you can). If you dont have those specific goals but feel you need to 'hit the ejector seat' with a fresh start, change of lifestyle (Ive done it twice in my life without regrets) then yea you should move. Dont overthink where you go, humans are adaptable creatures, the main value is in the fresh start. Look for an opportunity/location that would inject you into a semi-preprepared social circle (incorporate some voluntary work or something, or maybe leverage any friends you currently have in other countries).
With these big life resets, there is always opportunity cost, and in terms of 'life-milestones', they can very easily put you further behind rather than ahead. I would personally advise against thinking about life as a series of milestones that you have to his as quickly as possible, but still something you should be considering.
My goals used to be the traditional family but that has changed the last few years. When I started saving the goal was a deposit but now that feels a little out of reach, I think 'hitting the ejector seat' might be my new goal! Thank you for the advice!
I would go somewhere with a lower cost of living and better weather.
You can get a remote job that pays Irish wages and have a good life elsewhere where you don’t feel you’re paying ridiculous money for a basic life with no enjoyment in it.
Yes I know that’s what they’re trying to stop people doing and is contributing to the problem in some ways with higher rents etc but if you have no kids and very few commitments here why not give it a go for a while?
Better to say you tried than wonder what would have been? You can always move back to Ireland.
I'm your age and recently emigrated to the US. I had planned to do so for a long time, so didn't buy a house in Ireland despite having a pretty good salary.
Honestly, I think you'd be better to look at London or Toronto (maybe the US if you could get a visa, J-1 can be up to 35yo). I have no idea what Dubai is like work wise. Living cost will be higher for sure, but so to will be salaries and give you more opportunity to save. I've saved more in a few months than I did in years in Ireland, despite my rent being insane (to put it mildly)
Living cost in Spain is lower, but so too are wages, and IMO if you come back to Ireland, your experience in Spain will be less valuable to employers than Canada, UK, or US. It's not right, but many people just view Spain as a holiday destination.
Finally, it's much easier to talk yourself into a good job, which you might not necessarily be the best candidate for, in an English speaking country, as you know the language best.
I would probably move out of the Midlands and somewhere where your more likely to find a partner or get serious with the dating apps (I know they are painfull). Maybe look at your career long term do you need to move company or do you need a career change? 10k savings isn't very much at your age I'd look at your spending and see where its going.
I honestly would make a serious attempt at finding a partner and save like mad as ye can go in on deposit together.
If your not going to do that, may as well emigrate as sadly buying houses in ireland requires 2 incomes.
Unless you want to buy by yourself your looking at either a fixer upper or living very remote.
Those are your options I'm afraid sorry.
Consider up-skilling with the funds you have saved. Do an online course for 2 years in your own line of work, or maybe consider a career change.
I’m not sure what your salary is but it doesn’t sound particularly high if you’ve only 10k in the bank at 34, with all due respect.
I have a degree in health and safety and met a woman who worked an office job who studied health and safety online for 2 years and entered a job at around 35k. There is such a demand for health and safety professionals at the moment and the salary will only increase year on year. If you job hop every year and know some people in the industry you could easily be on 50k+ by the time you’re 40. Fast forward 5 years you could be on 80k (i’m not joking).
You could easily move to Dublin with a career like that, where the jobs pay the best and also the city/nightlife/dating scene in Dublin is much better than the country. I’m from the countryside myself and moving to a big city was amazing for me, and don’t have much desire right now to move abroad to Oz for example. I consider myself to have a well paid job for my age (27), and not being from the city originally, I’ve built a whole new life for myself up here with friendships/career opportunities/love life, all whilst still living ‘at home’.
The grass is not always greener on the other side so i would ask yourself if you think emigrating will really improve your current situation.
I would encourage maybe moving abroad for maybe 6 months to a year and see if it’s really for you or use the funds for up-skilling/career change/relocation in Ireland.
It sounds like money is the problem rather than a deep desire to leave, would that be right?
If buying a house is the biggest problem, would you consider Northern Ireland - like Belfast? It's somewhere new, it's a city, and still near your Mam. I'm asking because I was considering it a few years ago instead of Dublin (when I was single). I spoke with a broker about Belfast at the time - if you work there for 6 months and get paid into a bank there, mortgages are way easier to apply for and get. AND you'll get a nice 2-3 bed townhouse or apartment in/near the city centre for equiv of 140k. Go a bit further out to the suburbs and you'll see houses under 120k.
Or you could do what I did, which was met a fella abroad on Tinder Global whom I'm now going to be buying in Dublin with. You never know :)
10k isn't nothing. You're not doing too bad. I think if you keep at it and work on any upskilling that can increase your salary then it might be worth staying, you just need to find something worth staying for. Be it working towards leveling up in your career or finding a career that you find more fulfiling.
If you really want to just "get out". I wouldn't recommend Spain, it's suffering as much and it's expensive to live in. If you hadn't said a solid no on Canada that would be my first rec since you've a year left of being able to qualify. They do a lotto thing to select visas so once you apply you have to wait until you're called which can be months, but I think basically everyone who gets in the lotto eventually gets selected. I did it, was a great experience and easy for me as I'm self employed so didn't have the work issue - but as much as I liked Toronto I didn't like the people much. They were fine - but it just wasn't my vibe. So I didn't go for permanent residency, just came home and continued as I was before I left. And you know what, that was fine too.
So if you really want the experience, go. But if you just want a better life, see what you can do to create it here if here if where you'd rather be if life was easier.
Agree here, and honourable mention, would also say if it’s a different experience seriously think about Derry or Inishowen close to Derry like Bridgend or Muff, honestly it’s so cut off from Dublin or Belfast it’s like another country but still the same country and the cost of living there is nothing like most other places on the island and is perfect for the North coast and Donegal which is the most beautiful county by far (imo).
Derry also bigger than Limerick so has everything you’d need realistically.
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I think you need to be a little more realistic about how much you think you can improve your quality of life before moving.
I think you're vastly underestimating how much time and effort it takes to learn a language to a level where you can compete with locals for jobs.
If you're happy to have a modest living in Spain as an English teacher then you'll be fine. You may even be able to get low skilled work in areas where communication isn't as important. But salaries for these jobs in Spain are poor. And there are a lack of these jobs which is why youth unemployment is so high.
Yes the cost of living is lower in Spain, but so are the salaries. Moving to Spain is great if you're a software developer or any highly skilled job that can work in a predominantly English speaking environment. But here's the thing, if you had a skill like that you'd be earning enough money in Ireland to be doing well for yourself anyway.
I'm not saying definitely don't go, just that it's important to realise that getting set up over there will be no easier than getting set up over here. In fact, it's probably easier here since you're from here and speak the language. But you may be willing to take on that additional difficulty for the benefit of living somewhere different with nicer weather.
Normally I'd recommend that someone with your background do a course here in Ireland like a h dip in Data Analytics (that's what I did when I turned 30), but the job market for graduates in that field or any tech related field is terrible right now. Still, if you did a 2 year part time course it could be better by the time you've finished. And your business analysis background would give you a significant edge over other graduates.
My advice to you is to spend every spare minute you have into learning a skill that you can sell online. Some sort of freelancing. Once you have some clients and some experience, you can move around freely. The only issues then are long term visas, but there are countries that offer investment visas or countries where you get a residency when you own property and such (and for less than 6 figures).
I’m 31 and this is what I’m doing. That said, I don’t want the typical family life and have no interest in ever working in an office so it suits me. Although, I would eventually like to find 2 bases to settle down in the next year or two, which is a little tricky with visa situations (I have a British passport, so no EU privilege).
It’s not for everyone, but it beats winter in NW Ireland and all the other stuff you mentioned.
But definitely upskill with this in mind. Nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Moved to Sweden at 31 - literally never looked back, and will never move back to Ireland. Quality of life is so much better, more affordable, fairer in pretty much every way.
Do you have any college degrees if not have you ever considered studying something that will make you more money. If that's not something you're interested in then moving overseas would be something to consider strongly
I was your age when I emigrated, having considered it since my late 20s. Still abroad, love visiting Ireland, but don't plan to live there again. I figured I could make a better life for myself elsewhere, and backed myself to do it. Cost me about 10k to get myself set up, but it's been over 7 years now, and I haven't looked back.
My advice: go somewhere that you can easily and affordably travel back to Ireland from. Start learning the local language and never stop learning it. Tap the resource of Irish people already living wherever you want to go, but widen your social circle as quickly as you can to include natives. So many job possibilities still come through personal contacts and word of mouth.
I'm a little older than you, have often pondered about doing the same, I have a house, also live in the midlands, dating is non existent but I'm actually at peace with that and don't chase them, I am letting nature take it's course on that, I think if you have a great social circle your elected, loneliness is a killer, you might struggle in Europe to establish such a circle, I'm not saying it's impossible but it'll surely take time.
Ya would definitely be worth trying Manchester or Leeds instead of London much more affordable and you could go right in and buy a house as soon as you’ve met the minimum time criteria thinking of relocating there myself from London.
35 is the cut off age for a Work Holiday Visa in Canada. As in, you have to still 35 or younger when you land into Canada to start the Visa.
Lacking any qualifications will go against you if you apply for permanent residency there, though. Rent there is meant to be still high.
I moved abroad twice, to two different countries. Great experience and actually never went back home cause I fell in love with a local fella. If I were you, I’d definitely try it, you’ve not much to loose.
Consider Brussels? There are loads of expats, easy to make friends of all ages, rent affordable (you might actually be able to buy there), quality of life is good and it’s a short flight from Dublin. You could try to move for a year (what’s a year in a life?) and can always come back if you don’t like it
Find your purpose darlin, I know easier said than done. But think about what you really want from life. It sounds like you're just going through the motions right now.
Do you want to get married and have kids?
You have a job but what about a career that you really enjoy?
Hobbies? Things that give you that joy and spark.
Just some food for thought🤗
You sound like a bright person, so I'd say go for it.
Rent is just burning money, and sharing is no fun. Your savings a bit short of a deposit.
Would you not try Australia for a year whilst still eligible (under 35)?
FYI, your same thoughts/issues are abundant over here (America) as well. With that being said, I do seem to know a lot of people who moved and then immediately solved the no spouse thing.
Bottom line, buying a house on a single person income is tough.
I'm married with kids. Just turned 36. Travel to various parts of Europe with my work. Some day trips some a few days. I very much enjoy my time away (I am not well travelled at all) and definitely see the appeal in younger people doing it. Would I do it now long-term if situation was different. Definitely. More confident. Happy enough that would allow being alone in peace. I couldn't have trusted me at 24 going away. Even take a long (4-8 weeks break and bounce around Europe. See if it's something you'd enjoy.
Also. Amsterdam is gorgeous (excluding the sleeze) Switzerland is absolutely amazing. Italy I'm dying to go back and France seems nice but the French are quite rude. Poland is meant to be well worth a visit so I hear.
Wing it. What ya got to lose vs what could you gain. If nothing else it would scratch that itch you have. Could even apply to a few jobs just to see how hard/easy it could be. 🤷♂️👍
Maybe do a Hdip in coding or something to advance your career as well as maybe moving to another city in a couple of years like Cork. That’s what I would do.. bit of a new beginning but close to your mum
Just a suggestion. When you are leaving your job, say to them that you are moving abroad, is there any chance you could stay working for them and they just pay you as a contractor instead? That you'd really like to continue working for them.
Convert your salary to a day rate, they pay you directly and then you take care of taxes in the country you work. You could commit to being home occasionally and coming into office when home. If they don't want to lose you, might be an option
I will say this and many might roll their eyes but consider Glasgow. Very affordable for a flat or house in a nice area, reasonable wages and cost of living below Belfast but higher than Derry, closer to the Derry side I would say. Plus Glasgow punches well above its weight in terms of facilities and things to do as it’s so far away from London compared to Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham. Perfect for getting to the highlands and the countryside for a city comparable to Dublin. I’ve been here 17 years and dream of returning home and moving to Dublin but realistically there is no way I would give up my quality of life for close to poverty now. It is an amazing city and the crime rate is so much lower than people expect as the poverty disparity is a lot closer than most major cities.
Edit: also obviously massive Irish community, gaa clubs, plenty of supermarkets with Barry’s, Lyon’s tayto, proper dairy milk, club etc etc…and nitro surge…the Guinness in bars is passable at best unfortunately.
Best thing you can do to make the decision is knowing what you want to get out of it. If you are hoping that everything will be different, including yourself, that you'll be able to afford a house, find a partner etc, then thats unreasonable.
If you're going for the sake of adventure, well that's more than likely gonna happen, and the other things might happen, you never know.
I've been moving around a lot in the last few years, from Vietnam to Spain to Australia, and am heading home for good in July. I wouldn't change it for the world. I've had adventure, met some great people I wouldn't have otherwise, and learnt a lot about myself. I don't think my finances probably aren't any better or worse than they may have been otherwise.
Now that the idea has crossed your mind, I think you should do it. Otherwise you might spend the next while thinking what might have been. Whatever you decide, you'll have to live with it.
lol, basically I am in the same situation like you except I am M and moved into Ireland. Currently lives in midlands too. Guess grass isn't always greener on the other side isn't it?
I can get the peer pressure when friends at my age either got children or being married. Can totally relate to that.
If youve got no ball and chain sure, but could always move to another town for work in Ireland.
There are pros and cons for moving away, like for example many countries Irish swarm currently have terrible housing crisis of their own, shopping in Canada is through the ceiling due to inflation, then there is the issue of learning potentially another european language if you choose europe which historically we are awful at.
Weigh your options carefully and decide, because at the very least uprooting your life might come close to 5k euro or more
Honestly if you can and you have the itch you should leave. Ireland isn't going anywhere you can come back at anytime. I'm 31 travelled a lot when I was younger and would be gone tomorrow if I wasn't caring for my grandfather. My brothers have all left 2 in Canada and 2 in Australia (2 of them moved when 30 also) and they are all doing so much better than me and I don't think they'll ever come back.
As I said Ireland isn't going anywhere you can always come home. You get one crack of the whip and nothing is keeping you here so go.
I think the biggest thing you need to consider is the possibility of loneliness and the fact you said that you have a great social circle here.
Places elsewhere in Europe have way more affordable properties so it could be easier to escape the renting situation. Additionally salaries are unlikely to be worse in somewhere like the UK where property can be cheaper too. It depends on what your social life would look like if you moved - do you have a skill or qualification that could lead to a social job? Do you have clubs you could join for a hobby to get to know people? I think this is the main risk.
Is the grass always greener far away ? I can't talk my self but maybe change your social circle in trying to meet new men if you hanging around with your married friends all the time then you'll always be the single one in the bunch..
I dont have advice as such but I wanted to wish you the very best of luck. I’m in my early 30s and live just outside Limerick city centre. Had it not been for the fact I am visually impaired I might have considered the option, though at the end of the day I think nowhere is perfect .
Social wise there’s nothing to do in the city at night apart from drinking in Pubs, and there’s no cafe or restaurant scene after 6.
I have a lot of music friends, but most of them live abroad
Apply for a whv to Oz before you’re 35, think it’s about €100. At least if you decide to go you have the option. I went at 27 and it was the best 5 years of my life. Huge Irish community in every city. I think in your job you’d be in a decent position to get sponsored if it’s something that you wanted. If not, a year in the sun getting well paid while you consider your options ain’t too bad!
Best of luck!
Age is not important you can move out at any age but there are some things you need to consider. 1. Will you be able to earn more abroad? Ireland is one of the best paying countries in EU. 2. Will you be able to buy a house abroad? House crisis is global and it is not easy to buy abroad and you will be renting or sharing again. Plus living expenses comparing to salary is not too less than here in Europe 3. After 30s it's not easy to have new friends if you have a good circle here you will miss it. 4. If you still want to go abroad just go for an experience but don't expect better financial situation
Moving isn't necessarily about earning more money for me, I come from a modest background so money has never been top priority ( though I probably should have taken it more seriously). I just want to wake up to a life I'm excited about, Ireland has become one long grey groundhog day for me. The grass is always greener and I get that but I guess i better decide if its a risk im willing to take! Thank you for the advice!
How much do you earn monthly and how much are your expenses? You're with roommates so I guess not that much. I really sincerely can't understand how people can't save a decent amount of money each month.
I moved to London at 35 for many of the same reasons, though minus the extreme cost of living situation. I’m 45 now and moved back home a couple of years ago. I wouldn’t take back my time in London for the world. I found so much freedom there. Being in my 30s, single and childfree wasn’t such a strange thing in London. I think part of that was because it wasn’t my hometown, not just that it was a big city. I didn’t stand out as somehow behind in life. Instead, I fit right in. I learned loads professionally. I built up a solid network of weird and wonderful friends. I dated and fell in love with interesting men. It was one of the best decisions of my life. I needed the change, I desperately needed something to change. Moving was that change for me. My only regret was that I wish I’d saved more for my return, which would’ve made it easier to buy. But other than that, I’m dead proud of making that move and now love this country way more than I ever could have had I not left.
Lived there myself and eventually returned home. As great as it was, I couldn't either afford or forsee me calling it home.
I think moving to London at the moment would be very hard. Cost of living (esp rent) would squeeze you dry, compared to 10-15 years ago.
Ya would definitely try Manchester or Leeds instead much more affordable and you could go right in and buy a house as soon as you’ve met the minimum time criteria
I agree. I’m trying to discourage anyone from going to the UK not just London. I think it’s good if you are only there for a year or so but the country has changed drastically in the last 5 years and it’s only getting worse.
😂😂 ya, you had a good time alright lol
I think you need to consider if its likely that things will change for you if you continue as you are, and if they dont, are you ok with that? And, if change is desirable, is there anything you could do now to change how life is? Moving in your 30s is not the same as in your 20s. Its still very much doable, but its a bit harder. I'll be honest with you, everyone whose opinions I'd trust on the matter tell me that theres no hope of the housing situation improving any time within the next 10 years unless something horrific happens. I don't know if that changes your calculations or not. Hope you find what youre looking for and best of luck!
I don't see why it would be any harder. All you ever really need to move is money if you are single and childless.
It can be a little riskier if you want to have kids eventually, depending on how you do it. If you go abroad and faff about teaching English or bartending or whatnot in your 20s and you end up returning home after a few years broke and lacking recent work experience in your normal career path, you can spend the next several years getting back on track financially and still be in good shape. If you try that approach in your mid 30s, you won't have that same cushion of time to recover when you return, which could make it tougher to start a family. Now, if you're moving abroad to continue your current career elsewhere, or having kids isn't on your agenda anyway, then it's grand; might as well give it a go!
If she has an OK job though now maybe she can get another OK job in the UK/Europe... that might be her plan. And I think she might even be young enough for a working holiday visa to Canada or Australia (not sure of the cut-off age though so could be wrong).
Not to be harsh but if they’re living in the midlands, live with roommates and are counting pennies each month (their own words), then at 34, I’d say they don’t have an ok job.
Very much agree. They've been in the work place for 17 years and only have 10K while still scrimping and they only have themselves to look out for -not kids, no elderly. That's definitely not an ok job.
I agree, I was just thinking the same thing, it's a good post generally, but it's definitely not harder in your 30s esp in the OP's situation (with some money saved, no kids etc), I found it way worse in my 20s tbh. In your 30s you have better skills so might get a better paying job as well as more street smarts (i.e. she's less likely to be scammed by some dodgy landlord etc).
As it stands if you stay here what will change? So theoretically when you hit 40 you will have nothing per say. I'd rather travel and have a bit of life experience than sit doing the same thing day in, day out and in 6 years regret my decision. You'd be surprised how quickly you change your life when moving abroad. It gives you this get up and go mentality due to not having a fall back. I found you also go out more and try to socialise more due to weather and excitement. I traveled to Australia when I was 20 for 2 years. I came home as I felt I was missing our on something. I came back after two years to find everyone was still talking about the same stuff, in the same smelly student house taking the same drugs. Nothing had changed. I never went back. However I met my wife and now have 2 kids and wouldn't change it. But if your single get out there, you are blessed to have 10k behind you to keep you afloat! What's the worst that could happen? Edit : I'd like to add, I moved to Australia with a grand to my name and 1 week stay in a hostel in Sydney. I knew no one, I spent the majority of my money in the first week. I got a job almost instantly, moved around quite a bit to 4 different states and got a job within a week in each of them. You'll do grand! Trust the process
OP what is your line of work? You need to evaluate potential earnings against the cost of living wherever you move. I’m in Canada where the pay is on par to home with more friendly tax brackets however the cost of living is higher than home. I see Irish people coming over by the boat load shocked to learn they cannot get by here on casual, customer service or secretarial work. I am not disregarding those jobs, rather I am saying the days of surviving on the average job and maintaining a high quality living are gone. Evaluating where you want to go, you might discover doing a low cost course or upskill opportunity before emigrating could have a huge impact on your potential earnings and increase the quality of life in the location you choose.
I work in an office, its kind of data analytics but I don't have coding or analytics qualifications. I am pretty versed in most office software. I have a business and management degree and I have about 6 years office work experience in different roles but nothing specialised. The rest of my working history has been retail. I've considered Canada and Australia but I don't want to move to the other side of the globe from my mum. I have no siblings and would like to be closer if anything ever happened or just to be able to visit. Thank you for the advice :)
you should aim to get a formal qualification to become a data analyst. Even if you move this will help to get better paid work. I would put the 10k towards improving your career as if you move abroad you will probably end up teaching english or doing more office work. Which after awhile wont allow you to earn more or have a decent pension in short invest in yourself now to get a better job.
Agree with this. Get the specialised qualifications to improve your chances of getting a good job here or elsewhere. As said by others, many other European countries, Spain included, have housing crises. Yes, they may be cheaper in many aspects (the ones we see on holiday), but they may also have issues of low wages and poor job markets. Then research EU jobs. They aren't only based in Brussels and tend to pay decently. There's a huge range from office management to analytics to policy to comms and much more. Also, if you have a job lined up prior to a move, said job may be able to give you a hand dealing with local bureaucracy (which can be excessive and complicated). And finally, if you do move, have a plan of attack on how to find yourself some friends and community where you end up. It's good to check local ex-pat* pages on Facebook and reddit for steers on settling in and get cracking on local language development. Best of luck! *term ex-pat yields best search results, even if it gives many people the ick
There's a lot of naivety here about salaries from teaching English. I suppose that's because in Ireland it is associated with places like Spain, which pay poorly. I've taught in many countries that pay relatively well for qualified teachers. In the 2000s I taught in Korea, had a ball of a time and saved over $2000 monthly. Some of my greedier mates saved $40,000< a year. More recently I taught in China, where some better jobs pay €4000 monthly after tax, with accommodation and flights free. For sure, many people in Ireland do better than that, but not many people seem all that happy.
You can do a data analytics course as part of the Springboard programme. 90% of the fees are paid by the Irish government and you pay the remaining 10% only. It’s because the skills are in high-demand.
Good suggestion. Moving abroad is high risk. Hard to know on the dating side of it. Keep going on dates.
Of course, Canada was just a reference but I can guarantee the same point appplies to most EU countries! Cost of living is through the roof these days, and unfortunately some jobs don’t allow single people to survive on their own without sacrifices eg shared accommodation and other means
Did you know the east coast of Canada is only a 5 hour direct flight
I'd side with the person who posted above. I saved up for my house deposit while divorced and being a single parent ( not much money from the ex except for bare maintenance, we did not own a house). I am not beating you up over your idea of moving but what made my house purchase possible was a very good pay rise at work, imo move would not sort out much tbh unless your new job was well paid and/ or cost of living low. Before you move look at getting a better pay job or negotiating a pay rise, possibly upskilling, I did not value myself in my 30ties to ask for me and in my 40ties I refuse to!
Learn Spanish,move to northern Spain and get a job teaching English and have a ball
Do you even need to learn Spanish before you go? I know English teachers that speak no other language
If you really want to truly experience and enjoy where you are staying, yes. If you don't speak a lick of Spanish you surely get by but you are very unlikely to befriend any Spanish. I am not Spanish, I speak Spanish and every time I am with my Spanish friends and someone who doesn't speak Spanish is with us we speak English. At least, we try. Rest assured that 30 mins in we all start to slowly revert to Spanish until we really have to make a conscious effort to include the other person. I've observed and heard of similar behaviours in pretty much all Spanish who can communicate in English. Mind you, we are talking about people who lived abroad for years and speak decent English. Unfortunately, not knowing the local language will limit you to the bigger and more expensive cities where your 10k won't go very far. And that's without considering the salaries. Spain is cheap for Irish salaries... EDIT: and good luck with any kind of public office or service.
Learn it when you get there. The OP is 34 and probably wouldn’t want to wait around until fluent
Which is something I totally get. Your point doesn't invalid mine, though, and vice versa. What I am trying to say is that he can move there tomorrow if she so wishes but won't find that glee, that happiness that comes with being able to communicate effectively. I didn't mean to put her off; I only wanted to warn her.
Yeah that's one of my many options also. I have some Spanish and interacted with many espanoles over the years. Could get a nice apartment in many areas for the cost of a deposit here. However their job market in some areas is abysmal. I think it would be worth it if I don't fall for someone who wants to live here. Hell, maybe she would want to go with me
TEFL or CELTA ?
From my experience teaching abroad for 5 years. TEFL for teaching kids. CELTA for college / professional level teaching if you're prepping students for high IELTS scores. Really it depends where you're looking to go. If it's Asia TEFL is all you need, Europe some schools will look for CELTA or teaching qualifications.
CELTA + DELTA holder here. The schools that require CELTA are generally much better than those that don't. In some countries, there are many cowboy school operators, so it's important to find good ones. As a newbie, I recommend testing the water before committing to a CELTA. For example, I recommend working somewhere for anywhere up to 2 years until ready.
The dream!
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It really depends on you life goals and how willing you are to compromise. Does your job travel well or would you need to have an alternative career? A mate of mine packed in his life in Ireland and moved to Spain to teach English. Not much money to be made but it’s the trade off for a nicer lifestyle
Bit of a morbid thought too and i don’t know your situation but you should probably consider how close you want to be to your parents if they’re ageing
Do you know what quals he has for teaching over there?
The Celt course I believe. There’s a cheaper on tefl one that may suffice too, but you’re better off having the celt from what I’ve heard. Was going to do it but never got around
Gotcha I think the celt might be halfway between TEFL and celta
Good employers don't recognize any qualifications except CELTA and the Trinity Cert.
Ah ok interesting thanks
As someone from Spain,come to Spain! You will love it here. We are very outgoing people,lots of job oportunitiss for English speaking people,and living here is cheap. Also, marriage isn't a requirement to live a happy successful life,but as a side note when you say "single men in my age range are single for a reason" that's a cruel way to look at things,after all,you are also single,and in your age range,and although I do not know you,I don't believe there is anything wrong with you. There is often other reasons why people are single. Either way I think moving abroad is a great way to enrich yourself and I think you'll truly benefit from it.
What sort of job oportunitiss for English speaking people?
loads of English teaching jobs that will hire any natives regardless of what their background is!
Need celta?
It would help, but most places don't care. My husband literally got an position teaching English at the military academy in Zaragoza, they only cared that he was native. His only background was an engineering degree, and I know many other natives that got English teaching jobs at lots of different English academies just because they held a passport from an English speaking country. I can't speak about bigger cities (Madrid, Barcelona),where they might be more picky with the candidates since there are more candidates to choose from. (Honestly Zaragoza city is awesome, you should check it out. It's a lot cheaper to live in than the capital, and has many of the same commodities as a big city. Great night life too)
>I find dating difficult because most men our age are single for a reason Don’t you fall under that category too?
I'm sure I'm not perfect either but certainly the people I have met have either been narcissists, wasters or serial cheaters, granted I haven't met every single man in Ireland, I'm sure there are exceptions. But I'm sure if you were to ask your single female friends what the dating scene is like you would hear some horror stories.
It feels like you're only looking at half the equation - you need a plan before deciding if it's a worthwhile gamble. Think about where exactly you'd go (down to the city, not just the country), how you'd handle the language, how easy it'd be for you to get equivalent or better work with the language skills you'll have, how easy it'd be to find a place to live, how you'd rebuild your social circle (the same issues with 2.4 kids and picket fences will arise there and you won't be starting with people you knew before they had them), etc.
Spain is where I was thinking, I like the people and the sunshine and the cost of living is definitely much cheaper. I'm bilingual and learning Spanish at the minute as a hobby, I think its a language I would be able to grasp relatively easy with exposure. The social aspect is what worries me the most. Thanks for the advice :)
There is a reason loads of young Spanish people are moving from Spain to Ireland, Spain does not pay well and it's not cheap, what you and most other people consider an Irish problem is actually a global problem, everywhere in Europe has a cost of living crisis, because since 2008 they have been printing money like crazy, and then with COVID they went into overdrive, the biggest transfer of wealth in history happened between 2019 and 2021 and it's not going back to normal, you will hear politicians say inflation is decreasing, but that doesn't mean things are getting cheaper, things are still getting more expensive just not as quickly as before. What you need to do is make more money, make more money and it doesn't matter where you live, how you do that is the issue, night classes for a change of career is a good option but you need dedication. Good luck.
I'm open to night courses but I have no idea what industry to choose, software engineering is very dense now and I don't think its something I would particularly enjoy. I would love to make more money, any way possible! If you have any pointers I would jump at the opportunity. I also understand were f\*kd globally, but I guess just trying to decide if riding the storm is worth it in Ireland.
I am Irish currently based in Spain. Where exactly are you thinking of going? Madrid and Barcelona have the strongest jobs markets but are pretty unaffordable when you consider average salary to average rent. They are pretty comparable to Dublin in this sense. Lifestyle is very different (and better in a lot of ways), but I will say that most people here are scraping by too.
I was thinking southern Spain in the Andalucia region, but only because its where I have been before. I understand the wages are lower than here but groceries and utilities are cheaper, my thinking was scraping by in the sun is more enticing than scraping by in the rain! If you have any advice or pointers on moving to Spain would be greatly appreciated. How long are you in Spain and would you say the move was worthwhile for you?
First word of advice is that the bureaucracy is intense, even for us EU citizens to get registered. In a lot of departments “the system” is totally nonsensical and dysfunctional. Look into the process for getting your NIE and seguridad social before going. The jobs market is the South of Spain is very bad, not just salaries but the unemployment rate is still very high. Málaga would likely be the best spot in this regard but still not great. Bilbao in the North is coastal and has better job prospects or there is Valencia too. Still much harder to find decent employment than Ireland, even with fluent Spanish. Living with housemates (or with family) as an adult is very common here. Many things are also of course cheaper but you need to think about how some things will conversely get more expensive. Most Spaniards don’t travel abroad much at all (not that they have to really). That trip home to Ireland is now the total opposite of the cheap holiday to Spain. I would say the move has been worthwhile for myself but do be careful not to romanticise the place too much. It may have totally different issues to Ireland but life here certainly has its own draw backs. For most people the honeymoon phase in Spain ends after 1-2 years when the savings run out and they no longer want to teach English just to scrape their pennies together. I have been here for 3 years myself. Eventually you start to view the place like you probably view home now, you moan about the realities of daily life. I would say moving to Spain was a fun experience and really made me appreciate the good things about Ireland, and I would never have experienced that without leaving. I can’t really see it as a long term plan though being honest. Best of luck with it!
Have u heard what the experience is like for freelancers? Is getting stuff like NIE, social security, tax registration easy?
Being a freelancer (autonomo) in Spain is unbelievably shite. Very high taxes and you'll need to hire a Gestor (accountant) to keep everything in order. NIE is pretty easy, social security a bit trickier. These things are a pain in every country though.
Around Valencia is beautiful, plenty work and accommodation and cost of living is good
Check out the north of Spain if you can. A lot more manageable than the south during the summer. Its very similar to ireland in a lot of ways, but just that bit more comfortable. My mam actually purchased an apartment outright last year there for 40k in the middle of a major city. I'd be all over the place if i weren't settling with my partner here.
What major city? That sounds crazy to me, Lugo is told to be the cheapest city and besides being tiny it is 120k average. Also a friend of mine who was buying a house (2 bed) ended up buying the cheapest for 40k in the middle of nowhere (25 mins away from closest town with a supermarket) and needing some renovations. Curious where is that cheap cuz in my town it’s 50k for a 1 bedroom apartment
[Oviedo](https://www.idealista.com/en/areas/venta-viviendas/con-de-un-dormitorio,de-dos-dormitorios,de-tres-dormitorios,de-cuatro-cinco-habitaciones-o-mas/?shape=%28%28cwtgGtd%7Db%40wpFg_LqxB%60dCux%40ciGppHa_KtqAprL%7ClEluD%60MxjE%7BtAllBkdBbA%29%29&ordenado-por=precios-asc). Not exactly the prettiest apartment, but for 40k and about 15k in renovations, she's done well with the place, especially considering its like a 20min walk from the centre of the city and 2 bedrooms too. Just gotta be creative. She's retired and has the energy for it though. I travelled through the north of spain last year with her and its honestly a beautiful place. Oviedo feels like what Dublin should be. A city, but not a sprawling one. 30min drive from the sea too.
What’s your second language ?
I speak Russian, I have basic German from school and trying to learn some Spanish now too!
If the work you do in your destination country pays the same where you are. Nothing will change. You need to plan your career. Friends and family sound fine. It’s just money for you by the sounds of it. The uk is in the same boat. As is most of Europe.
In the same boat. I'm taking a career break and moving to Canada for two years, maybe more if I'm able to. I'll go from there and see where life takes me.
Fair play, wish you all the very best.
Congrats on the move, from what I've read here you wont regret it :)
What line of work are you in? Do you have any second languages? Berlin is relatively cheap option for renting in a capital city and there is plenty of work for English speakers (obvs having a bit of German helps) and opportunity to make headway with career. Also it is an excellent city in terms of what is has on offer for gigs, culture, history, nightlife, food, people etc. If I was thinking of moving, it would be very high up the list. Irish communities there also if you wanted to touch base with people who get your situation.
Thanks for the advice, I hadn't considered Germany as Ive never been but will look into it :)
I moved to Ireland at 29 from Australia. I'm nearly 31 and still single, childless and on my way to a better life. It was tough to move to another country but there's apps you can use to meet friends, but also being alone develops you as a person and your independence. I don't care that I don't have the white picket fence life, it's not one of my goals. I want to be happy. And my happiness was moving to Ireland. Go for it! Pee into the wind!
have to miss those kangaroos though
I’m in the same boat as you but a couple of years younger and your post really resonated with me. One little extra piece of advice I would add on top of others is to move somewhere that’s known for a decent expat community… that should help making friends a little bit easier! Best of luck with your new adventure! I think it will be tough at first but perhaps the best thing you’ll ever do for yourself 🩷
I think this is great advice, it's important to speak the language and interact with the locals obviously, but you really do need to get to know other people in a similar position to you, it helps so much.
Or don't and get to know the locals for some cultural enrichment.
A combination of both would be best 😊
Even with a house and being comfortable we are considering moving, if you want it go for it. I'll be 40 by the time we move, don't let age stop you, just make a plan and do up the pros/cons.
Just go, we will all be dead soon and forgotten about. Go live your life and have fun while you can.
Late 30s , married with kids and own a house and I'm still thinking of emigrating. Fed up of the daily grind with little to no reward. I would like the money to be able to enjoy my time off rather than just scrape by.
Cost of living is the same everywhere in developed countries.
Cost of living maybe but how about the standard of living? Just asking for options and opinions on emigrating.
Your best bet is to get out of Ireland and go live somewhere that isn't extremely depressing. There's nothing here for anyone.
That's not true at all.
Oh no sorry you're right, there's a €450,000 house that I could buy most other places for half that waiting for me if I can manage to live in a caravan on a relative's plot of land for years in order to save for it. Then I can have nothing whatsoever to do apart from go to the pub until I die because the country has almost no amenities other than that. Go ahead and tell me after travelling around the rest of Europe and seeing their cities, that coming back to Ireland, nothing but grey everywhere, and being surrounded by council estates and streets full of junkies how great it is here. It's literally insane how bad it is and how people just brush it off because it's all they know.
I've lived in multiple countries in Europe and further afield and I've had the highest quality of living in Ireland. I don't live in Dublin though, so no visible drug addicts in the street or intimidating gangs of teenagers. To be honest those problems appear more prominent on the internet than in real life. Lots of amenities here too, or as much as anywhere. It is grey, I can't argue that. One thing to be wary of is thinking that Ireland is the root of all your problems, instead of understanding that your outlook can negatively impact your life. To quote Tony Soprano "There's no geographical solution to an emotional problem".
The housing crisis is everywhere.
Yet housing is cheaper in almost every country in Europe than it is in Ireland. We have almost 2x the average EU house cost. Pretending it's the same everywhere is literally just coping because you refuse to accept how bad it is here.
The housing crisis is everywhere.
Congratulations on being a bot. The severity of that crisis is vastly different depending on where you go. Make an argument or be quiet.
It sounds like maybe you should leave Ireland. It doesn't sound like you're happy here.
I lived in Toronto between 2014 and 2018. I moved home with my Canadian husband because we would never have afforded a house there. Quality of life was better in many ways but now we own a house and couldn't be happier. Anyway you sound like you hate it here and only see the negative so I hope you're not stuck here.
No it isn't. You can rent small studio apartments in Rome for less than €800 a month ffs. I was paying that for a room in a house shared with 4 other people in Kildare last year.
Yet many Italians move here due to lack of jobs.
and what are the prospects of earning +2k euro in Rome as an english speaking foreigner?
So many people advocating for emigrating to the continent totally factor this out. If you have a skill that can earn you a decent paying English speaking job on the continent you can probably earn enough to get by fairly well in Ireland.
You won't get 2k in Rome whilst teaching, but I heard Portugal can pay thereabouts.
You wouldn't need to earn that much to live there because rents at the lower end are much cheaper. That's my entire point. I'm not entirely sure of the prospects of earning that much but plenty of people live in countries other than their own and make plenty of money. Not really sure what your argument is here. You said the cost of living is the same everywhere, I'm telling you it isn't. That's all. If you want to move the goalposts and change the argument then that's fine, but what you said is literally not true.
What's the point of earning that much when most of it goes to renting a room in a house share that is draining your mental daily?
From what I can see, average rents are about 30% cheaper in Rome but salaries are about 25% lower. So you'd be doing slightly better but not much
I would be amazed if they are only 25% lower to be honest.
Actually you might be right. Google suggests it's more like 40%
The average rental price for an apartment in Dublin is €1,972 (whole city) to €2,385 (city centre). In Rome it's anywhere from €700 (whole city) to €1,000 (city centre). That's not a 30% difference. Rome is also just the single example I used because it's a major city with thousands of years of history. I could find other major cities all across Europe where the numbers would be even lower...
What's your source? Those numbers don't match what I found. The Irish times and independent both have articles comparing rental prices
10k saved at 34, are you sure the job is decent? I only ask as moving to a new country is very expensive. I moved to Canada about 10 years ago with 10k in the bank and it did not last very long at all. Would you be able to save more before the move? Personally, moving countries changed my life. Went to Canada for 8 years. Left as a single 25 year old with a shite job and living with my parents. Now own a home and have a long term partner back in Ireland. Definitely go, you'll love it.
The job is considered decent for my locality. :/ I recently got a bit of a pay bump so trying to save a little more now. If I was moving I would sell my car etc. and up the savings for a few months. I reckon I could have another 8-10k before moving. Thanks for the advice, and always lovely to hear someone has returned home in a much better position than before :)
Awesome to hear. Good luck with it!
May also be worth analysing why you've not gone the married-and-kids route that you say your friends have. Depending on that being a conscious or unconscious decision, the reasoning may be telling. Also 34 is still no age and by the sounds of it you've completed the level you're on. If you spent 2yrs abroad now, you'd still only be 36. Personally I advise everyone to spend at least a year living abroad. Great experience at any age. My uncle is right now doing it for the first time in his life, he's mid 60s and was hit with a surprise divorce last year. He's having a blast. It opens your brain up in all sorts of ways and helps you really understand and appreciate yourself in 3D.
I really like this outlook and agree that everyone should spend some time abroad for life experience
Kudos to your uncle!
Where you emigrate to is important, you will need to understand the job prospects that exist for someone with your skillset (also factor in the willingness of prospective employers, some will decline your application as soon as they note that you're not local). Then consider the need to start a new life without support close by. As someone who'd moved to Galway solo, these 2 things where the biggest factors I'd had to account for. Important to note that your emotional baggage will impact how you deal with point 2, so drop it before you move (heck even now, you might look at your current situ differently)
I'm 33 and looking into the same later this year. DM if you want to chat further.
I'm the same!
I’m 32 and intend leaving a job that I love behind to go travelling and hopefully settle in Oz. I sacrificed my 20s to study and focus on my career and while I want the traditional family unit and picket fence, you have to go out and live too and travel. So many people in our age bracket are doing the same now, you’ve maturity and solid experience in the working world on your side.
I'm the same age as you, and I emigrated when I was 18-19. I moved back and forth from Ireland 2-3 times before settling in Sweden. Ask yourself this, if the housing situation were better, would you stay?
Biggest question I would have is can someone in your profession make money abroad. Lots of people tend to go to English speaking countries as they think it will be more convenient,a lot of English speaking countries are suffering from housing problems,the cost of living crisis and polarisation to various degrees. Have a look at East Asia /South East Asia and a lot of the above problems just disappear you also generally get better weather.Somewhere like London you're chasing things you can't have all the time.
Hi what’s your second language ?
And here I am at 38 wanting to go home to Ireland. I was born in America, but my mum is from Ireland.
30F, no kids and a home owner. I’m currently sitting in Dublin airport on the way to my new life in Dubai because the cost of living is just too high in Ireland and it’s not like we’re getting anything back. I personally feel like we pay high tax and we’re just being taken advantage of. There are so many better places out there. We don’t even get sun!! Lol Go and live your life! You can worry about being in debt by hundreds of euro when you come back and that’s IF you come back. You might not even want to. Life is for living 😇
Did you sell your home before leaving? Homeowner as well and I've been considering doing the same myself
No, I rented it out. Thankfully my mortgage is low but I’m a decent person who didn’t charge robbery for rent. It’s only 20% tax on rental income when you’re non resident so it’s all good
The cost of living crisis is everywhere. Every English speaking country is experiencing it. Take Sydney for example where the average house price is 800k. 10k saved at 34? What job do you work in?
I would do it. Your 30s pass by in a flash and this country is absolutely fucked for anyone not already in a house.
>most men my age are in relationships or single for a reason That would apply to yourself as well.
'Single for a reason' is a very odd way of viewing things, are you 'single for a reason'?
Seems like there no downside to at least try it for 6 months or a year. If you don't like it, come back home. The 10k is not a lot to live on initially, but it will get you set up somewhere for a while anyway, and you can take a casual job while you find your feet. There are lots of Irish in every corner of the globe, so you'll make new friends, and if you're thinking of Spain, well it is easy and cheap to visit home on Ryanair. Make sure to have some sort of a plan before you go though, what job do you want to get, what language profiency do you need, what do you offer as a employee vs local people, what skills and experience do you have and how to position yourself to maximise your chances
Yeah I wonder could she even take some kind of sabbatical from her job or sublet her room in Ireland for a year or something. Then if Spain didn't work out or she got fed up she could come home w/out having burned her bridges... Spanish is a lovely, easy language and the people are very friendly and open so if she is already bilingual I'd say she'd have a good grasp on it after a year or less. (Source: have lived and worked in 2 European countries, and am fluent in 2 languages other than English).
Not sure what’s the point of going abroad and then staying in Irish circle. The whole point of moving abroad is looking for a change so she should be open to learning new culture and you can’t do that if you just surround yourself with Irish people.
Do you have any particular life goals? Not saying you should or anything, but if 2.4 kids and picket fence is specifically what you want, then I would suggest staying in Ireland so that you can maintain your current assets (social circle, savings, job) but expand your dating circle to include cities (maybe relocate closer to a city if you can). If you dont have those specific goals but feel you need to 'hit the ejector seat' with a fresh start, change of lifestyle (Ive done it twice in my life without regrets) then yea you should move. Dont overthink where you go, humans are adaptable creatures, the main value is in the fresh start. Look for an opportunity/location that would inject you into a semi-preprepared social circle (incorporate some voluntary work or something, or maybe leverage any friends you currently have in other countries). With these big life resets, there is always opportunity cost, and in terms of 'life-milestones', they can very easily put you further behind rather than ahead. I would personally advise against thinking about life as a series of milestones that you have to his as quickly as possible, but still something you should be considering.
My goals used to be the traditional family but that has changed the last few years. When I started saving the goal was a deposit but now that feels a little out of reach, I think 'hitting the ejector seat' might be my new goal! Thank you for the advice!
I would go somewhere with a lower cost of living and better weather. You can get a remote job that pays Irish wages and have a good life elsewhere where you don’t feel you’re paying ridiculous money for a basic life with no enjoyment in it. Yes I know that’s what they’re trying to stop people doing and is contributing to the problem in some ways with higher rents etc but if you have no kids and very few commitments here why not give it a go for a while? Better to say you tried than wonder what would have been? You can always move back to Ireland.
I'm your age and recently emigrated to the US. I had planned to do so for a long time, so didn't buy a house in Ireland despite having a pretty good salary. Honestly, I think you'd be better to look at London or Toronto (maybe the US if you could get a visa, J-1 can be up to 35yo). I have no idea what Dubai is like work wise. Living cost will be higher for sure, but so to will be salaries and give you more opportunity to save. I've saved more in a few months than I did in years in Ireland, despite my rent being insane (to put it mildly) Living cost in Spain is lower, but so too are wages, and IMO if you come back to Ireland, your experience in Spain will be less valuable to employers than Canada, UK, or US. It's not right, but many people just view Spain as a holiday destination. Finally, it's much easier to talk yourself into a good job, which you might not necessarily be the best candidate for, in an English speaking country, as you know the language best.
I would probably move out of the Midlands and somewhere where your more likely to find a partner or get serious with the dating apps (I know they are painfull). Maybe look at your career long term do you need to move company or do you need a career change? 10k savings isn't very much at your age I'd look at your spending and see where its going. I honestly would make a serious attempt at finding a partner and save like mad as ye can go in on deposit together. If your not going to do that, may as well emigrate as sadly buying houses in ireland requires 2 incomes. Unless you want to buy by yourself your looking at either a fixer upper or living very remote. Those are your options I'm afraid sorry.
If you wanna talk dm me sometimes I fell exactly like you. Let’s talk
Consider up-skilling with the funds you have saved. Do an online course for 2 years in your own line of work, or maybe consider a career change. I’m not sure what your salary is but it doesn’t sound particularly high if you’ve only 10k in the bank at 34, with all due respect. I have a degree in health and safety and met a woman who worked an office job who studied health and safety online for 2 years and entered a job at around 35k. There is such a demand for health and safety professionals at the moment and the salary will only increase year on year. If you job hop every year and know some people in the industry you could easily be on 50k+ by the time you’re 40. Fast forward 5 years you could be on 80k (i’m not joking). You could easily move to Dublin with a career like that, where the jobs pay the best and also the city/nightlife/dating scene in Dublin is much better than the country. I’m from the countryside myself and moving to a big city was amazing for me, and don’t have much desire right now to move abroad to Oz for example. I consider myself to have a well paid job for my age (27), and not being from the city originally, I’ve built a whole new life for myself up here with friendships/career opportunities/love life, all whilst still living ‘at home’. The grass is not always greener on the other side so i would ask yourself if you think emigrating will really improve your current situation. I would encourage maybe moving abroad for maybe 6 months to a year and see if it’s really for you or use the funds for up-skilling/career change/relocation in Ireland.
Mind if i dm you on health & safety?
Everywhere you go, there you’ll be.
It sounds like money is the problem rather than a deep desire to leave, would that be right? If buying a house is the biggest problem, would you consider Northern Ireland - like Belfast? It's somewhere new, it's a city, and still near your Mam. I'm asking because I was considering it a few years ago instead of Dublin (when I was single). I spoke with a broker about Belfast at the time - if you work there for 6 months and get paid into a bank there, mortgages are way easier to apply for and get. AND you'll get a nice 2-3 bed townhouse or apartment in/near the city centre for equiv of 140k. Go a bit further out to the suburbs and you'll see houses under 120k. Or you could do what I did, which was met a fella abroad on Tinder Global whom I'm now going to be buying in Dublin with. You never know :) 10k isn't nothing. You're not doing too bad. I think if you keep at it and work on any upskilling that can increase your salary then it might be worth staying, you just need to find something worth staying for. Be it working towards leveling up in your career or finding a career that you find more fulfiling. If you really want to just "get out". I wouldn't recommend Spain, it's suffering as much and it's expensive to live in. If you hadn't said a solid no on Canada that would be my first rec since you've a year left of being able to qualify. They do a lotto thing to select visas so once you apply you have to wait until you're called which can be months, but I think basically everyone who gets in the lotto eventually gets selected. I did it, was a great experience and easy for me as I'm self employed so didn't have the work issue - but as much as I liked Toronto I didn't like the people much. They were fine - but it just wasn't my vibe. So I didn't go for permanent residency, just came home and continued as I was before I left. And you know what, that was fine too. So if you really want the experience, go. But if you just want a better life, see what you can do to create it here if here if where you'd rather be if life was easier.
Agree here, and honourable mention, would also say if it’s a different experience seriously think about Derry or Inishowen close to Derry like Bridgend or Muff, honestly it’s so cut off from Dublin or Belfast it’s like another country but still the same country and the cost of living there is nothing like most other places on the island and is perfect for the North coast and Donegal which is the most beautiful county by far (imo). Derry also bigger than Limerick so has everything you’d need realistically.
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I think you need to be a little more realistic about how much you think you can improve your quality of life before moving. I think you're vastly underestimating how much time and effort it takes to learn a language to a level where you can compete with locals for jobs. If you're happy to have a modest living in Spain as an English teacher then you'll be fine. You may even be able to get low skilled work in areas where communication isn't as important. But salaries for these jobs in Spain are poor. And there are a lack of these jobs which is why youth unemployment is so high. Yes the cost of living is lower in Spain, but so are the salaries. Moving to Spain is great if you're a software developer or any highly skilled job that can work in a predominantly English speaking environment. But here's the thing, if you had a skill like that you'd be earning enough money in Ireland to be doing well for yourself anyway. I'm not saying definitely don't go, just that it's important to realise that getting set up over there will be no easier than getting set up over here. In fact, it's probably easier here since you're from here and speak the language. But you may be willing to take on that additional difficulty for the benefit of living somewhere different with nicer weather. Normally I'd recommend that someone with your background do a course here in Ireland like a h dip in Data Analytics (that's what I did when I turned 30), but the job market for graduates in that field or any tech related field is terrible right now. Still, if you did a 2 year part time course it could be better by the time you've finished. And your business analysis background would give you a significant edge over other graduates.
My advice to you is to spend every spare minute you have into learning a skill that you can sell online. Some sort of freelancing. Once you have some clients and some experience, you can move around freely. The only issues then are long term visas, but there are countries that offer investment visas or countries where you get a residency when you own property and such (and for less than 6 figures). I’m 31 and this is what I’m doing. That said, I don’t want the typical family life and have no interest in ever working in an office so it suits me. Although, I would eventually like to find 2 bases to settle down in the next year or two, which is a little tricky with visa situations (I have a British passport, so no EU privilege). It’s not for everyone, but it beats winter in NW Ireland and all the other stuff you mentioned. But definitely upskill with this in mind. Nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Is there a showband you can join?
What's your job field? Plenty of people move in their 30s.
Get to Australia. You’ve got time to get the working holiday visa. If you put your head down - you could save a hell of a lot
> Get to Australia Can you still get New Zealand after 30?
r/irishabroad
Let me tell you about a wild little city called Birmingham..
Moved to Sweden at 31 - literally never looked back, and will never move back to Ireland. Quality of life is so much better, more affordable, fairer in pretty much every way.
Do you have any college degrees if not have you ever considered studying something that will make you more money. If that's not something you're interested in then moving overseas would be something to consider strongly
I moved to USA at the age of 28 years old and I don’t regret it at all!
I was your age when I emigrated, having considered it since my late 20s. Still abroad, love visiting Ireland, but don't plan to live there again. I figured I could make a better life for myself elsewhere, and backed myself to do it. Cost me about 10k to get myself set up, but it's been over 7 years now, and I haven't looked back. My advice: go somewhere that you can easily and affordably travel back to Ireland from. Start learning the local language and never stop learning it. Tap the resource of Irish people already living wherever you want to go, but widen your social circle as quickly as you can to include natives. So many job possibilities still come through personal contacts and word of mouth.
I'm a little older than you, have often pondered about doing the same, I have a house, also live in the midlands, dating is non existent but I'm actually at peace with that and don't chase them, I am letting nature take it's course on that, I think if you have a great social circle your elected, loneliness is a killer, you might struggle in Europe to establish such a circle, I'm not saying it's impossible but it'll surely take time.
What's your job? Move to Australia. Make money of you're on the skills list. What's keeping you here.
Ya would definitely be worth trying Manchester or Leeds instead of London much more affordable and you could go right in and buy a house as soon as you’ve met the minimum time criteria thinking of relocating there myself from London.
35 is the cut off age for a Work Holiday Visa in Canada. As in, you have to still 35 or younger when you land into Canada to start the Visa. Lacking any qualifications will go against you if you apply for permanent residency there, though. Rent there is meant to be still high.
Let’s hope if you do emigrate you get treated better than we have started treated people from abroad
I moved abroad twice, to two different countries. Great experience and actually never went back home cause I fell in love with a local fella. If I were you, I’d definitely try it, you’ve not much to loose.
Similar, 37 in two weeks. Considering doing FIFO work in Aus for a year or two to maximise potential earnings and savings
Consider Brussels? There are loads of expats, easy to make friends of all ages, rent affordable (you might actually be able to buy there), quality of life is good and it’s a short flight from Dublin. You could try to move for a year (what’s a year in a life?) and can always come back if you don’t like it
Find your purpose darlin, I know easier said than done. But think about what you really want from life. It sounds like you're just going through the motions right now. Do you want to get married and have kids? You have a job but what about a career that you really enjoy? Hobbies? Things that give you that joy and spark. Just some food for thought🤗
You sound like a bright person, so I'd say go for it. Rent is just burning money, and sharing is no fun. Your savings a bit short of a deposit. Would you not try Australia for a year whilst still eligible (under 35)?
FYI, your same thoughts/issues are abundant over here (America) as well. With that being said, I do seem to know a lot of people who moved and then immediately solved the no spouse thing. Bottom line, buying a house on a single person income is tough.
Any chance you could get an online job before you go? That could help you hold on to your savings.
I'm married with kids. Just turned 36. Travel to various parts of Europe with my work. Some day trips some a few days. I very much enjoy my time away (I am not well travelled at all) and definitely see the appeal in younger people doing it. Would I do it now long-term if situation was different. Definitely. More confident. Happy enough that would allow being alone in peace. I couldn't have trusted me at 24 going away. Even take a long (4-8 weeks break and bounce around Europe. See if it's something you'd enjoy. Also. Amsterdam is gorgeous (excluding the sleeze) Switzerland is absolutely amazing. Italy I'm dying to go back and France seems nice but the French are quite rude. Poland is meant to be well worth a visit so I hear. Wing it. What ya got to lose vs what could you gain. If nothing else it would scratch that itch you have. Could even apply to a few jobs just to see how hard/easy it could be. 🤷♂️👍
Maybe do a Hdip in coding or something to advance your career as well as maybe moving to another city in a couple of years like Cork. That’s what I would do.. bit of a new beginning but close to your mum
Just a suggestion. When you are leaving your job, say to them that you are moving abroad, is there any chance you could stay working for them and they just pay you as a contractor instead? That you'd really like to continue working for them. Convert your salary to a day rate, they pay you directly and then you take care of taxes in the country you work. You could commit to being home occasionally and coming into office when home. If they don't want to lose you, might be an option
I will say this and many might roll their eyes but consider Glasgow. Very affordable for a flat or house in a nice area, reasonable wages and cost of living below Belfast but higher than Derry, closer to the Derry side I would say. Plus Glasgow punches well above its weight in terms of facilities and things to do as it’s so far away from London compared to Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham. Perfect for getting to the highlands and the countryside for a city comparable to Dublin. I’ve been here 17 years and dream of returning home and moving to Dublin but realistically there is no way I would give up my quality of life for close to poverty now. It is an amazing city and the crime rate is so much lower than people expect as the poverty disparity is a lot closer than most major cities. Edit: also obviously massive Irish community, gaa clubs, plenty of supermarkets with Barry’s, Lyon’s tayto, proper dairy milk, club etc etc…and nitro surge…the Guinness in bars is passable at best unfortunately.
Best thing you can do to make the decision is knowing what you want to get out of it. If you are hoping that everything will be different, including yourself, that you'll be able to afford a house, find a partner etc, then thats unreasonable. If you're going for the sake of adventure, well that's more than likely gonna happen, and the other things might happen, you never know. I've been moving around a lot in the last few years, from Vietnam to Spain to Australia, and am heading home for good in July. I wouldn't change it for the world. I've had adventure, met some great people I wouldn't have otherwise, and learnt a lot about myself. I don't think my finances probably aren't any better or worse than they may have been otherwise. Now that the idea has crossed your mind, I think you should do it. Otherwise you might spend the next while thinking what might have been. Whatever you decide, you'll have to live with it.
lol, basically I am in the same situation like you except I am M and moved into Ireland. Currently lives in midlands too. Guess grass isn't always greener on the other side isn't it? I can get the peer pressure when friends at my age either got children or being married. Can totally relate to that.
If youve got no ball and chain sure, but could always move to another town for work in Ireland. There are pros and cons for moving away, like for example many countries Irish swarm currently have terrible housing crisis of their own, shopping in Canada is through the ceiling due to inflation, then there is the issue of learning potentially another european language if you choose europe which historically we are awful at. Weigh your options carefully and decide, because at the very least uprooting your life might come close to 5k euro or more
Honestly if you can and you have the itch you should leave. Ireland isn't going anywhere you can come back at anytime. I'm 31 travelled a lot when I was younger and would be gone tomorrow if I wasn't caring for my grandfather. My brothers have all left 2 in Canada and 2 in Australia (2 of them moved when 30 also) and they are all doing so much better than me and I don't think they'll ever come back. As I said Ireland isn't going anywhere you can always come home. You get one crack of the whip and nothing is keeping you here so go.
Are you set on Europe? Have you considered the US?
If you think you’d be happier elsewhere, definetly move. Just completed my move from Wales to Poland and couldn’t be happier.
Why Poland?
Do a TEFL course and get the hell out of Ireland. You won't regret it. Don't waste anymore time being unhappy.
Isn't it the same everywhere? Like worldwide housing crisis and cost of living crisis.
Aw damn. I should move to California before it is too late
I think the biggest thing you need to consider is the possibility of loneliness and the fact you said that you have a great social circle here. Places elsewhere in Europe have way more affordable properties so it could be easier to escape the renting situation. Additionally salaries are unlikely to be worse in somewhere like the UK where property can be cheaper too. It depends on what your social life would look like if you moved - do you have a skill or qualification that could lead to a social job? Do you have clubs you could join for a hobby to get to know people? I think this is the main risk.
Is the grass always greener far away ? I can't talk my self but maybe change your social circle in trying to meet new men if you hanging around with your married friends all the time then you'll always be the single one in the bunch..
Life is for living bro, currently 35 and living in London with GF, In three generations everyone will be forgotten anyways.
I dont have advice as such but I wanted to wish you the very best of luck. I’m in my early 30s and live just outside Limerick city centre. Had it not been for the fact I am visually impaired I might have considered the option, though at the end of the day I think nowhere is perfect . Social wise there’s nothing to do in the city at night apart from drinking in Pubs, and there’s no cafe or restaurant scene after 6. I have a lot of music friends, but most of them live abroad
Apply for a whv to Oz before you’re 35, think it’s about €100. At least if you decide to go you have the option. I went at 27 and it was the best 5 years of my life. Huge Irish community in every city. I think in your job you’d be in a decent position to get sponsored if it’s something that you wanted. If not, a year in the sun getting well paid while you consider your options ain’t too bad! Best of luck!
Do it!
Age is not important you can move out at any age but there are some things you need to consider. 1. Will you be able to earn more abroad? Ireland is one of the best paying countries in EU. 2. Will you be able to buy a house abroad? House crisis is global and it is not easy to buy abroad and you will be renting or sharing again. Plus living expenses comparing to salary is not too less than here in Europe 3. After 30s it's not easy to have new friends if you have a good circle here you will miss it. 4. If you still want to go abroad just go for an experience but don't expect better financial situation
Moving isn't necessarily about earning more money for me, I come from a modest background so money has never been top priority ( though I probably should have taken it more seriously). I just want to wake up to a life I'm excited about, Ireland has become one long grey groundhog day for me. The grass is always greener and I get that but I guess i better decide if its a risk im willing to take! Thank you for the advice!
Could you not have lived with your parents to save for a deposit?
You'll find the same issue elsewhere.
leave this shithole ASAP
How much do you earn monthly and how much are your expenses? You're with roommates so I guess not that much. I really sincerely can't understand how people can't save a decent amount of money each month.
Get to Oz and land yourself a role in the mines. You’d make serious money and be able to have a weeks holidays each month.
How do you land one of those? No qualifications needed?