Which country to retire to for fun, culture, nightlife? Ireland,France, Spain?

I'm starting to question if Ireland could work for the Mrs. It rains nearly 160 days per year. Not sure she could handle that. At this point France and Spain are far out front as choice one and two.

Which country would each of you pick if you didn't have to think about the other?
If you both agree, then there's your answer! 

I wouldn't rush in to buying a property. I think it's safer to rent for a good long time first! 

And when you do, make sure you have a good handle on the bureaucracy involved!

We will and thanks for the good advice. If we don't feel safe about the bureaucracy in our retirement country, we will go to our back-up plan of just renting and buying a vacation home in a stable market, probably the UK. Somewhere between Brighton or outer London.

Which country would each of you pick if you didn't have to think about the other?
If you both agree, then there's your answer! 

I'm open to any of them really. I'd prefer the UK but baring that happening then I'd say Spain. I think she is 100% Toulouse but she is very amiable. I think the visit in September will help us decide.

I'm open to any of them really. I'd prefer the UK but baring that happening then I'd say Spain. I think she is 100% Toulouse but she is very amiable. I think the visit in September will help us decide.

I didn't realise the UK was on your list. The weather in the UK overall isn't that different from Ireland. But the UK is quite a long country, so the weather varies a lot north to south and coasts to inland.

If you want sun, go south.

I didn't realise the UK was on your list. The weather in the UK overall isn't that different from Ireland. But the UK is quite a long country, so the weather varies a lot north to south and coasts to inland.

If you want sun, go south.

The UK isn’t an option in this case though, as there is no longer a ‘Retired Person of Independent Means’ Visa for the UK... hence them looking at other European countries .


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I didn't realise the UK was on your list. The weather in the UK overall isn't that different from Ireland. But the UK is quite a long country, so the weather varies a lot north to south and coasts to inland.

If you want sun, go south.

It varies from east to west too, with the west being wetter.

But the OP has already said that although the UK is their first choice to retire to, they don't qualify for any visa. It seems that a few years ago he wanted to apply for a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa, but didn't do that.

I didn't realise the UK was on your list. The weather in the UK overall isn't that different from Ireland. But the UK is quite a long country, so the weather varies a lot north to south and coasts to inland.

If you want sun, go south.

I wish the UK was a retirement option. Certainly would make my decision easier. Unfortunately the UK has one of the most expensive investor visas in the world. If the cost was on par to that of the United States that could change our thinking moving forward.

 But once you're in Europe it's super easy to travel from one country to another. I've driven from NYC to Florida many many times. And that trip is nearly 3 1/2 times further than driving from London to Paris. Having said that, it's important to keep things in prospective with this new adventure. I think it's going to be insane to live in a continent where you can drive one thousand miles and actually travel through three different countries. In America you could drive 1000 miles and only move through three different states. You could drive 1000 miles at one end of Texas and still be in Texas.

It varies from east to west too, with the west being wetter.

But the OP has already said that although the UK is their first choice to retire to, they don't qualify for any visa. It seems that a few years ago he wanted to apply for a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa, but didn't do that.

Exactly!

You might also want to look at the cuts the EU have had to make to the EU budget and check to see how that will affect some EU countries in future?

Some of the schemes funded from the EU budget, such as the CAP for farming subsidies which gets 41% of the entire EU budget and the cohesion policy, are fully funded by the EU budget. Whereas things like Research, are only partly funded from the EU budget and the rest is paid by the county.

Basically, a few EU countires end up paying for everything themselves. These put in more to the EU budget than their county gets back in what the EU calls "EU funding" and the rest of their money is given to poorer EU countries, who put in less than they take out. In this link to a German magazine, there is a list of which countries give to the EU budget and who takes.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/brexit-to-cost-european-union-billions-a-1111724.html


Although they initially thought the EU budget would be 12 billion short due to the loss of the UK's money, experts now think it is 15 billion. At a recent budget meeting, the richer countries have refused to make up for that loss by paying more, because they said their economies will be taking a loss with Brexit.

The EU has already announced cuts to the Cohesion policy, which at present Poland is the biggest taker, and to the CAP, which France is, and always has been, the biggest taker.
https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-eu-budget-agriculture/eu-proposes-to-cut-farm-subsidies-france-says-unacceptable-idUSKBN1I31WW

That cut in the CAP and Cohesion policy, will mainly affect the eastern and southern EU countries. Plus, because the EU wants money to stop immigration, they have suggested that they will tax the EU countries to get that funding. 

It's worth having a look to see how the cuts will affect these countries spending.

You might also want to look at the cuts the EU have had to make to the EU budget and check to see how that will affect some EU countries in future?

Some of the schemes funded from the EU budget, such as the CAP for farming subsidies which gets 41% of the entire EU budget and the cohesion policy, are fully funded by the EU budget. Whereas things like Research, are only partly funded from the EU budget and the rest is paid by the county.

Basically, a few EU countires end up paying for everything themselves. These put in more to the EU budget than their county gets back in what the EU calls "EU funding" and the rest of their money is given to poorer EU countries, who put in less than they take out. In this link to a German magazine, there is a list of which countries give to the EU budget and who takes.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/brexit-to-cost-european-union-billions-a-1111724.html


Although they initially thought the EU budget would be 12 billion short due to the loss of the UK's money, experts now think it is 15 billion. At a recent budget meeting, the richer countries have refused to make up for that loss by paying more, because they said their economies will be taking a loss with Brexit.

The EU has already announced cuts to the Cohesion policy, which at present Poland is the biggest taker, and to the CAP, which France is, and always has been, the biggest taker.
https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-eu-budget-agriculture/eu-proposes-to-cut-farm-subsidies-france-says-unacceptable-idUSKBN1I31WW

That cut in the CAP and Cohesion policy, will mainly affect the eastern and southern EU countries. Plus, because the EU wants money to stop immigration, they have suggested that they will tax the EU countries to get that funding. 

It's worth having a look to see how the cuts will affect these countries spending.

Which countries between Ireland, France and Spain do you believe might suffer the most from the Brexit situation?  And what will that entail?

Do you think the UK economy might be hit the hardest after Brexit? I've been reading a few econ websites and there is the opinion out there that the UK could experience considerable shrinkage of it's economy.

Do you think the UK economy might be hit the hardest after Brexit? I've been reading a few econ websites and there is the opinion out there that the UK could experience considerable shrinkage of it's economy.

There's significant opinion that says we'll run out of food and medicine after two weeks! 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-no-deal-food-medicine-shortage-doomsday-armageddon-david-davis-a8381076.html

There's significant opinion that says we'll run out of food and medicine after two weeks! 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-no-deal-food-medicine-shortage-doomsday-armageddon-david-davis-a8381076.html

I doubt you believe that because you and your EU wife have gone to such great lengths to try to stay in the UK after Brexit, as have many other of the millions of EU citizens and their Family Members.

It's the same with those who have moved to the UK/are still moving to the UK, using EU rules since the UK voted to Leave. They hope they will be given the chance to stay in the UK even though they know when they left their country that EU rules will end in the UK.

Instead of hoping Brexit will stop, wouldnt it be better to take legal advice on all the problems you keep creating for yourself?  I suggested that ages ago when the Leave vote came in. And I really hope for your sake, that you haven't carried on doing that.

David Davis: "I’m not employed for my intellect"

No kidding.

https://www.totalpolitics.com/articles/diary/i’m-not-employed-my-intellect-david-davis-tells-tory-mep-pal

There's significant opinion that says we'll run out of food and medicine after two weeks! 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-no-deal-food-medicine-shortage-doomsday-armageddon-david-davis-a8381076.html

It's going to be interesting how the UK moves forward now it has decided to rid itself of Brussels. Will the UK's economy grow faster without Europe being joined at the hip of GB? Will Europe try to isolate the UK as punishment for walking away from the EU? Some people believe if another major country (Italy) were to leave the EU, it will be the death nail of the European Union.

It's going to be interesting how the UK moves forward now

A Glorious New Empire.