January 3rd 2009

Hello all,
This is the first time I have done anything like this so please bear with me. I have decided to keep a blog for a year and share my experience with anyone else who find themselves in the same boat.

I am a 42 year old male unemployed and in the middle of a recession. I have a partner Liz and two daughters aged 2 and 8. My immediate goal is to find employment (within 3 weeks) and my long term goal is to take steps to ensure we always have a plan B.

So how did we find ourselves in this situation?

We made a change in lifestyle decision 3 years ago, we wanted to find a nice safe environment in which we our girls could grow up. We have found this safe haven in the mountains of mid Spain. Our village has a population of 6,000 and both girls are doing really well at school.

So far we have survived, I have taken on all sort of jobs, from sweeping the streets to running a printing press, which I had previously done many years ago in England. Lizzy did her bit by making and selling greeting cards, making and selling sock creatures, teaching art classes and painting on commission for any local bars.

Once my Spanish was good enough I was able to then take on short term contracts for UK companies working freelance as a Print Buying/Vendor Manager consultant in Spain, and our standard of living improved. I think at this point we took our foot off the gas and came crashing down to earth last April when my last contract ran out. I was unemployed from April til September last year and our savings went.

We made the decision that I should go back to the UK and find anything that pays and send the money back, which I did. That contract finished just before Christmas and my last paycheck should get us through til the end of February.

**** I SHOULD SAY AT THIS POINT THAT THIS IS NOT A BEGGING LETTER AS IT IS BEGINING TO SOUND LIKE ONE ****

So back to the present. I need to start work in February, this will probably be in the UK and send money back to my partner and kids. Liz and I will be coming up with all sorts of money making schemes throughout the year.

Writing this blog will help me follow through with any plans I make, and put down here, and if anyone likes my blog and it helps them through this recession - then great!

The layout will change throughout the year as I get the hang of this, and I will add some pics. Hopefully my spelling and grammar will also improve!

Wish me luck!

John