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Find Leticia here: https://masteryourfinances.co.uk/leticia-fonseca/

In this episode of Spainly Living, Michelle speaks with Leticia Fonseca, a Brazilian born financial adviser, financial educator and founder of Master of Finances, about leaving London after 21 years and moving to Alicante, Spain, in search of work life balance, geographic freedom and a more intentional life.

Leticia shares her journey from Brazil to the UK, building a career in financial advice and education, and realising that the life she had created in London no longer matched the person she had become. After years of working, studying and helping people make better financial decisions, she began asking: why wait until retirement to live the life you want?

Michelle and Leticia discuss “semi-retirement” before retirement age: not stopping work completely, but designing a life where work fits around living. Leticia explains how she and her husband tested remote work and slow travel in Portugal, Brazil and Spain before choosing Alicante for its city life, beach, infrastructure, transport, sunshine and quality of life.

This episode is useful for anyone thinking about moving to Spain from the UK, becoming a digital nomad in Spain, relocating to Alicante, working remotely from Spain, buying property in Spain or planning for financial freedom abroad.

Leticia gives an honest account of the Spanish digital nomad visa process, including HMRC delays, proving income, private health insurance, translations, notarised documents and upfront costs. She explains why the Spanish visa process was relatively quick once the paperwork was ready, but why the UK side created delay, stress and expense.

Michelle and Leticia also talk about the hidden costs of moving to Spain, including upfront health insurance, holding two properties or mortgages, rental deposits, translations, professional support and why people should budget an extra 30% buffer.

Leticia shares why learning Spanish made a huge difference, why getting a Spanish phone number early is essential and why everyday tasks such as opening a bank account, setting up internet, receiving deliveries and dealing with local services can be difficult without the language or cultural context.

They also discuss renting property in Alicante, working with a local property consultant, avoiding expensive mistakes and how support on the ground helped Leticia with the NIE, bank account, mortgage, negotiations and area knowledge.

As a financial educator, Leticia shares insight into money, retirement planning and financial freedom. She explains the difference between financial advice and financial education, why many people cannot access traditional financial advice and how learning to invest, build wealth and coordinate pensions, savings, property and retirement planning can create more options.

This is a practical, honest and inspiring conversation for anyone dreaming of moving to Spain but wanting to understand the real process behind the lifestyle. Whether you are a remote worker, digital nomad, business owner, future retiree or looking for better work life balance, this episode will help you think clearly about money, visas, property, language, lifestyle and starting again in Spain.

Moving from London to Alicante, Spain: digital nomad visa, HMRC A1 paperwork, hidden relocation costs, Spanish banking, property buying, remote work, financial planning, investing, retirement, work-life balance and finding your why.

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Find Carlos here: https://averiguar.org/en

In this episode of Spainly Living, Michelle speaks with Carlos Romero, a New Yorker, former Harvard University education technology strategist and AI education consultant, about moving to Spain with his wife and young children in search of a more values led, family centred life.

Carlos shares his journey from New York to Boston, working at Harvard and living what looked like the American dream, to choosing a different kind of wealth: time with his children, safety, sunshine, community, nature, good food and a slower rhythm of life in Spain.

This episode is especially useful for families thinking about moving to Spain, parents wondering whether they can relocate with children and anyone questioning whether career status, long commutes and financial success are worth it when family life feels squeezed.

Carlos explains how Spain had been in his imagination for years, partly through his family history and Latin American background. After first visiting Spain in his twenties, he felt an immediate cultural connection.

Years later, he and his future wife walked the Camino de Santiago together, travelling from Paris through Spain, completing the Camino Primitivo and reaching Finisterra, where Carlos proposed. That journey deepened their love for Spain and planted the seed for a future move.

Michelle and Carlos discuss the practical reality of relocating to Spain from the United States, including saving money, financial planning, preparing documents, getting birth certificates apostilled, applying for the non-lucrative visa, attending the Spanish consulate appointments and organising the move step by step.

Carlos also shares why his father’s advice “make a spreadsheet” became one of the most practical tools for turning a dream into a plan.

Carlos and his family tried different areas of Spain before settling in the Alicante region. They lived in Mallorca, Sevilla and the coast of Granada before identifying Alicante as the best fit for their values: access to beaches, mountains, schools, services, transport, healthcare, an airport, international connections and a strong family lifestyle.

Carlos gives honest insight into the challenges of moving to Spain with young children, including letting go of belongings, starting again, building a new network, finding community, navigating Spanish bureaucracy and understanding what documents and systems you need in place. He also shares one of the biggest practical surprises for Americans moving to Spain: a US driving licence cannot simply be exchanged, meaning many Americans may need to start again with the Spanish driving test, including learning to drive a manual car.

This conversation also goes deeper than paperwork. Carlos and Michelle talk about leaving behind professional status, shedding material possessions, rebuilding networks, choosing values over prestige and doing the inner work required to make such a major life change.

They also discuss entrepreneurship in Spain, AI education, starting a business as an expat, building value in a new market and the opportunity Alicante offers as a dynamic international city that still retains its Spanish character.

This is a thoughtful, practical and deeply human conversation for anyone dreaming of moving to Spain but wondering whether they can really make it work.

As Carlos beautifully says in the episode, moving to Spain may not make your bank account bigger straight away, but it can make you “rich in soul”.

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Find Olga here: https://www.cleesvogel.com/

In this episode of Spainly Living, Michelle speaks with Olga, a Costa Blanca property expert who moved to Spain in August 2020 and now helps international buyers find homes across Costa Blanca.

Olga shares her personal story of relocating to Spain with her family after COVID changed their perspective on life, work, health and the importance of enjoying the sunshine before retirement.

She explains why her family chose the Alicante region, how she moved into real estate after buying her own home and how her property agency grew from helping friends from Luxembourg to supporting international clients from across Europe.

This episode is packed with practical advice for anyone thinking about buying property in Spain, relocating to Alicante or searching for a second home, family home or short-term rental investment on the Costa Blanca.

Michelle and Olga discuss what foreign buyers need to know before purchasing in Spain, including how to choose the right area, why you should never buy a property purely from online photos, what to understand about tourist rental licences, why not every area allows short-term rentals and why working with a knowledgeable local agent can help you avoid expensive mistakes.

They also cover the hidden costs of buying property in Spain, including the 10% property transfer tax, notary costs, lawyers, gestores, architects, NIE numbers and the importance of checking paperwork before signing.

Olga explains the difference between buying a resale property and buying a new build, why mortgages in Spain can take longer than expected and why cash buyers often have a simpler process.

This conversation also explores the realities of renting in Spain, including deposits, Airbnb, long-term rental risks and why many landlords ask foreign tenants for several months’ rent in advance. Olga explains why deposits in Spain are often a source of stress for tenants.

For families moving to Spain, Olga gives especially valuable advice on choosing an area close to schools, understanding school options, thinking about teenage children, public transport, driving distances and the importance of imagining your real day to day life before choosing a location.

In this episode, you will learn:

How to choose the right area in Alicante or Costa Blanca
What to know before buying property in Spain
Why you should visit properties in person before making a decision
How tourist rental licences work in Spain
Why some areas no longer grant short-term rental licences
The difference between short-term rentals and long-term rentals
What hidden costs to budget for when buying a Spanish property
Why buyers need an NIE number before purchasing
How the Arras deposit contract works in Spain
Why mortgages can take around three months or longer
The difference between buying a new build and a resale property
Why foreign renters may be asked for several months’ rent upfront
What families should consider when relocating to Spain
How to choose a location near schools, transport and daily amenities
Why Costa Blanca is attractive for lifestyle, safety, food, sunshine and family life

Whether you are dreaming of a holiday home in Spain, planning a permanent relocation, considering a short-term rental investment or looking for a family-friendly place to settle on the Costa Blanca, this episode will help you understand the Spanish property market with more confidence.