Hi I'm john

[johnp]

Hi, my names John, I've been looking at this website for over a year, and have found it the most informative site for a real UK persons aspect of living the Bulgarian lifestyle.

I live in N/London, but life just hasn't dealt me a set of great cards.
I'm wasting my life away overhere, worked all my life and hardly anything to show for it.
If i don't make some move now I'm sure its not going to get better.
With that in mind & everything in the UK seemingly against me, reading Thetravelbug has opened my eyes to a type of life/lifestyle that really appeals to me.

As money is tight I'm always scanning the Internet for a REAL cheap property to buy and live in and do up myself.
Lucky for me, I'm extremely handy and can turn and have turned my hand to just about every practical skill you can think of.

I'm am apprentice trained metalworker/welder, recently qualified as a gas/plumber (gasafe).
Previous to that i spent 12 years as a HP computer network systems engineer, then made redundant.
Setting up and fixing PC's networks/internet servers is easy for me.

I'm sure my talents in DIY/Building would come in handy in Bulgaria, my only doubts is money, my net worth would only be approx £20k that would include buying a place.
Could a single person with no contacts or acquaintances survive on such a low start up.

Sorry for rambling but needs must

Thoughts appreciated.

John

[cumbrian]

Greetings John,

All the best of luck to you.

[TheTravelBug]

Hi John,

Welcome to the forum. Well 20K pounds, or around 23,000 Euros will certainly buy you a cheap place and get you well on the way to having it renovated. For example I have 3 places for sale, all under 10,000 Euros each. Each would take maybe a further 5 to 10,000 Euros to do up to a basic but decent standard. What you need to consider is more the long term plan - once you have your house and you've spent a year or so renovating it, and then you are down to your last few thousand - what then? Could maybe get internet installed and set up working from home. Would need a car as well but could maybe drive out in cheap one from UK. But do need some income once settled in Bulgaria. Many forget that and then end up having to leave. Can't live off nothing, even if living cheap.

Rachel

[maxmataz]

Hi John
Reading your post - is remarkable the same as my story - if the cards stack wrongly in Blighty then life here is just a case of turning the days over on the calendar!!
I am hoping to get over to BG in Aug 2010 I have bought a very cheap property central north East I have also struggled to find a way to make the move so I have compromised & intend to 1st to go for 3 - 6months then return for 3- 6months until I can find a way to stay there permanently. I am not actually bothered with having everything up to western standards & think far too much is made of fully fitted highly expensive westernised kitchens etc etc I'm just not materialistic but would like to meet people - my only worry

[TheTravelBug]

You'll have no problem meeting people in Bulgaria. There is quite a thriving expat community and while you may have to make a little effort to go and see people and attend events its worth it.

[maxmataz]

I have over the years searched & searched the internet trying to find expat communities Perhaps you can tell me how to contact the expat communities and where do you find out about events etc
Ps I have every intention of making BG friends too but until I get a grip of the language that maybe difficult so in need of a few expat friends

[TheTravelBug]

I guess there are maybe not quite as many expats over in the north east.
I have mainly found people through forums such as this and I guess as I used to work in property sales in Bulgaria quite a few of the people I sold to became good friends and moved out there.
Around our area we have monthly car boot sales, meet ups etc and there are loads in the larger towns and cities.

[mono]

Apr 23, 2010 6:41:59 GMT TheTravelBug said:

I guess there are maybe not quite as many expats over in the north east.
I have mainly found people through forums such as this and I guess as I used to work in property sales in Bulgaria quite a few of the people I sold to became good friends and moved out there.
Around our area we have monthly car boot sales, meet ups etc and there are loads in the larger towns and cities.

There used to be a very good forum called Brits in Bulgaria but I dont know if it is still going.

Mono

[maxmataz]

I am only 45mins from VT & about the same from Rousse so don't think I'll be in a brit dead zone - quite happy to travel to VT. I have joined forums before but a lot of posts are years old but I will try Brits in BG - thanks Mono

[TheTravelBug]

There used to be a very good forum called Brits in Bulgaria but I dont know if it is still going.

Yes its still going if you like posting in a forum that's run by the Gestapo and every other post gets removed or locked for infringing some stupid rule that seems to apply to some and not others.

[skidemon]

Hi John,

Your story fits with alot of us brits out here, our plan was to sell up move out here build a house and live mortgage free, but best laid plans and all that . . . !!
As we put our house on the market the credit crunch hit, so selling was impossible, we had to rent the house out ( so there was 20-30K less than we thought we would bring with us) . Well we came out and stayed with friends for a few weeks while we found somewhere to rent, because the paperwork, which we'd been asured was all done meaning we were ready to build wasn't. It took us a further 8 months to finalise paperwork and start the build.
We have a shell house with roof, windows to the ground floor and water and electric to the plot, we've been here 20 months and are still in rented. We would love to think we could be living in the house for the winter to get alot of the finishing done ourselves.

But even after all that, we love it here, it's a beautiful country, the people are so friendly and helpful, we can still manage to live quite comfortably. My partner works from home for a guy in the uk ( IT programmer/ developer) of course it isn't a uk wage but he's here and it's an income.

There are quite alot of English over here both full and part - time ( we are near Borovets ) and I have just gone into business with a couple, in the property management field aimed mostly at the English with property here as they were having various issues and problems and with the language barrier found it difficult to have things sorted when they weren't here.

I am sure you would be able to find work with your various skills, though money isn't always the way of payment, trade happens frequently here, I've seen our mechanic get paid in potatoes and home made rakia and our Dr with fish and pies, so don't worry you'll be well fed - the Bulgarians love to feed and take care of you ;o)


Good Luck with your plans Donna