How much to budget

[DiggerP]

Hi, looking at over wintering in Spain, 4 months. How much do you budget for . Pitch fees, weekly cost of living. No bothered by travel costs. TVM

 

[PandR]

300 Euros per month for a pitch would be a good price and another 100 for Electricity. Cost of living probably 50 - 75% of UK pricing.

[Jaydug]

1 hour ago, DiggerP said:

. How much do you budget for . Pitch fees, weekly cost of living. No bothered by travel costs. TVM

 

I usually spend three months in Spain each winter.   Site fees cost me around €325 for the firstr month which includes 10 amp electricity.      The second and third months reduce by a further €10.   Weekly cost of living is pointless to Talk about.   We're all different in our requirements.   Day to day items are pretty much the same as UK.   Wines and beers of course are much cheaper.

[montesa]

FWIW,

'4 months stay' mmm -  discussed at length in another recent thread about the 90 day in EU rule.

We will do a 90 day max trip this next time.

As said & would agree we also Budget similar e400 per month for pitch, gas, water & electric on one of the more sensible priced sites. For the very popular sites, not forced to be 5*, or for shorter stays will be +50% more.

Food we find a bit cheaper & fresher but dont cost it into the trip as we also eat when at home.

Insurances for Travel personal, Overseas Breakdown Car & Caravan = £250 per 90 day trip ( c£500 pa)

NB  c.£1200 budget for the return travel bit. e20 per pet vet visit + extra pet travel cost.

M

[AlanNancy]

On 30/10/2019 at 19:33, DiggerP said:

Hi, looking at over wintering in Spain, 4 months. How much do you budget for . Pitch fees, weekly cost of living. No bothered by travel costs. TVM

 

Whats a TVM?

Alan

[ValA]

Thanks 

14 minutes ago, AlanNancy said:

Whats a TVM?

Alan

'Thanks very much' (in Text speak)!

 

[Mr Plodd]

15 minutes ago, AlanNancy said:

Whats a TVM?

Alan

 

Thanks Very Much 

[AlanNancy]

1 hour ago, ValA said:

Thanks 

'Thanks very much' (in Text speak)!

 

I find English is quite easy to understand!

Alan

[Ern]

6 minutes ago, AlanNancy said:

I find English is quite easy to understand!

Alan

Me too, and I find text speak can simply create confusion and generate extra text. 

Site costs in Spain depend largely on the type of site and type of area. Some of the sites are a bit grubby but if you want cheap, then they may be ok. Sites with inclusive electric are certainly the best value for money but the better sites meter it (and the rates can be <€0.35/Kwh. That may be about €7 per day if you are not careful). ACSI card can be useful but not all sites participate. I would budget more than €400, say €500 for site and lekky. If you plan to use Spanish gas, add €1/day.

Food is similar to UK. Booz is cheaper than UK. Sun is FREE! 

[AlanNancy]

On 30/10/2019 at 19:33, DiggerP said:

Hi, looking at over wintering in Spain, 4 months. How much do you budget for . Pitch fees, weekly cost of living. No bothered by travel costs. TVM

 

It may be interesting for you to know the experience of a friend who wintered for three months in Spain in his motorhome.

He and his wife had spent a considerable time in Spain during the summer for a few years. They decided that they would spend three months there last winter 2018 - 2019.

The experience was not what they had expected! They had not taken into account the length of the days - it gets dark early and cools down considerably.  Where as in the summer they would sit out during the evening they found that was not practical, so what to do? He came to the conclusion that unless you went to a restaurant or bar there was not much to do, as he and she are not drinkers (they are not tea total) there was not much to do.

They will never do it again.

That is what they told me.

Alan 

[Jaydug]

12 minutes ago, AlanNancy said:

It may be interesting for you to know the experience of a friend who wintered for three months in Spain in his motorhome.

 

They will never do it again.

 

Entirely their choice - if that's what suits them!   My wife and I started travelling to Spain during the summers in 1985.   Once we got retired and had more time on our hands we thought we would try it in the winter months, so in 1995 we travelled out in January, but only for four weeks.   We were hooked - and gradually we made our stays longer.   Soon we left the UK at the beginning of November and returned home in March - however we spent Christmas and New Year at home.   Now on my own, I leave home at the end of October and return at the end of February.   Yes - for some of the time it's getting dark by 5.30pm and it's still not light at 8am, but it's a very cold night if the temperature on the southern coast falls below about 6C.   During most days one can look forward to 18C to 20C.    As for what to do once it's dark?   I do pretty much the same as I do at home.     And most days I know that by 10am I'll be able to roll down the front of the awning, sit out and enjoy the sunshine.   And if I've been doing the laundry, no doubt it will be dry by lunchtime.  

[Ern]

The nights are long and quite cold its true, so it has an impact on heating cost, but the Spanish winter climate is very nice in my opinion. We did a dozen winters and enjoyed them all.  As Jaydug said you just do what you chose - just as at home at night, and enjoy the glorious sun most days. A walk on a deserted beach after Christmas lunch, a Paella and a slurp with friends in the afternoon?

[Jaydug]

2 hours ago, Ern said:

 a slurp with friends in the afternoon?

 

You mean like this?

 

 

This pic is dated 18th Dec last year.   What's not to like about the weather.

[ivan leslie]

20 hours ago, Jaydug said:

 

You mean like this?

 

 

This pic is dated 18th Dec last year.   What's not to like about the weather.

Ah , but you might have to put a jumper on later 😀😀

[montesa]

Fwiw .....

Strong vote here for dry & sunny Spanish part overwintering rather than our alternative of dreary grey Northern Pennine England at 950 ft above sea level. 2 hours more winter daylight as a starter.

M