gloomy thoughts on a bright spring day
Today was a beautiful spring day in Barcelona, the kind of day that just begs to be enjoyed while sitting outside having lunch at a nice little cafe. I didn't, though -- not because there aren't any nice little cafes nearby, but because I have roughly 58€ to last through the end of the month. Not since university have I had to give such careful consideration to paying for basic staples, and it's a depressing situation when you're 40 years old. Add in the fact that there's a baby on the way next month, and it becomes a terrifying prospect, one that keeps me up at night staring at the ceiling.
The problem lies partly in the amount of money we've had to spend in the last couple of months to get ready for Sofía, but the real root cause is a combination of low Spanish salaries and the rapidly rising cost of living. Although the the situation in Spain hasn't yet reached the level of the subprime mortgage crisis in the US, there's an increasing amount of talk about people not making their mortgage payments and defaulting on loans. If our own mortgage goes up again next year by the amount that it did last year, chances are we'll need to start looking for a cheaper place -- again, not exactly the ideal situation with a newborn baby.
In short, something has to change. All things considered, I like living in Spain, and I think it's a good place to raise a family, but unless the salaries reach some sort of parity with the cost of living, we're going to have to make some tough decisions before long.
The problem lies partly in the amount of money we've had to spend in the last couple of months to get ready for Sofía, but the real root cause is a combination of low Spanish salaries and the rapidly rising cost of living. Although the the situation in Spain hasn't yet reached the level of the subprime mortgage crisis in the US, there's an increasing amount of talk about people not making their mortgage payments and defaulting on loans. If our own mortgage goes up again next year by the amount that it did last year, chances are we'll need to start looking for a cheaper place -- again, not exactly the ideal situation with a newborn baby.
In short, something has to change. All things considered, I like living in Spain, and I think it's a good place to raise a family, but unless the salaries reach some sort of parity with the cost of living, we're going to have to make some tough decisions before long.
posted by greg at 12:22 AM
4 Comments:
Thanks for your candid post. Gab and I have lived in this state of affairs for awhile now as we build our new biz. It makes for some sleepless nights, and tough decisions. Here's to us both making it to the next phase, of stability in the near future...Maybe we should grab a beer some night in Terrassa when you finish up work...We could commiserate together! ;)
Eek! You're freaking me out Greg. I've got less than a week and I there myself. Anyway, you'll get through it. I'll ping you when I'm in BCN and settled in and I'll BUY you a beer or a coffee. Un abrazo.
Thanks, Ryan...I know what you mean. In your case you're building something all your own, which helps make the sacrifice worthwhile. Plus, where wine is considered, you're in just about the best place possible. :) I'll take you up on your offer, too...we should get together one night in Terrassa to compare notes.
Don't worry, Jen...you've got things lined up already, and I'm sure you won't have any problems. The biggest money drain right now is a mortgage, so unless you're planning on buying a place next week, you'll be fine. (Just wait until lots of people default on their mortgages, then buy a place at a huge discount.)
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