Need help....if you don't mind reading an essay! LOL

[Debandbee]

Oh my, I am about to blurt my guts out.  I don't even know where to
start, so I guess I will start at the beginning and go from there.  Please
excuse any spelling or grammatical errors as I am posting this from my
mobile phone.

In 1986, I moved from the UK to California with my ex-hubby.  Oh by the
way, I am an Essex girl - I may even have my white stilletos and
matching handbag somewhere!  Living in California is nice but this past 2
years have been miserable.  I will be 40 next year (sob sob) and think I
may be having an early mid-life crisis.  Basically, I want to be nearer
my family all of a sudden.  However, the thought of moving to rainy old
miserable England is too much for my fiancé and I to bear. He was born
and raised in California and is a true "California boy".

Since we both love and adore France, we thought it may possibly be a
good compromise. I can go home more easily, plus I can live a less
stressful life I desire. It's very stressful here in California despite the
great weather and great economy! 

Here comes the hard part: l was a great legal assistant/paralegal for
15  years and pretty much reached the highest salary level available in
that field. I couldn't stand it any more so I left the industry.  I was
then offered a job to train as a financial advisor which is what l have
been doing since (for the past 3 years).

My ex stole all of my savings before my divorce and I doubt I will ever
see that $ again. I have been rebuilding from scratch basically.

So here's the big question: I have been offered a job making at least
$100K a year with a new firm. Great money right?  Don't get me wrong, I
absolutely love what I do and not to be conceited, but I think I am
pretty good at it.  I could take that job and within a couple of years
easily be making a quarter million dollars, but I feel I would still be
missing something.

But all I can think about is living a much less complicated life in a
small village and trying to raise a family.  Moving to the UK would
pretty much be the end of my fiance and I as he hates the UK and I think he
would end up resenting me and we would break up anyway.

How do I start over in my career yet again if we decide France is it
for us?  I am pretty smart for an Essex girl (ha ha ha) but I don't see
how I could be a financial planner in France and there is no way l am
going back into the legal field.

I know this is a lot to digest and I thank anyone taking the time to
read my garbage, but any  place to start figuring out what possible
avenues of employment I should look for would be truly truly appreciated.

Since I don't have any assets reaccumulated yet, buying a gite or B&B
is out of the question, plus I suck at that domestic stuff. I basically
have a housekeeper (my fiance) for that but I am good at business and
again, not being conceited, I am great with people and customer service. 
I have always dreamed of running a luxury tourist type thing where I
take Europeans to California and other places touring areas and then
taking them shopping as everything is so much cheaper here.  Either that or
an online website.  Did I mention I taught myself to design websites
and I owned a couple sites that crashed after September the 11th? See, I
am not as stupid as I look.  LOL

Ok. Now that l have made a complete arse of myself, I think l need a
big stiff drink! Thank god I still have a great  sense of humor!

Deb xx

[Beryl]

On that kind of money Deb, I would work flat out for a couple of years and take early retirement.[:D]

Without any assets, it will be very hard for you in France ( even though you sound like a go getter!) .

How is your French ? Is there any way that you could get a job for a US company in France and try it out like that ?

 

[JimJams]

Deb wrote:

... I have always dreamed of running a luxury tourist type thing where I take Europeans to California and other places touring areas and then taking them shopping as everything is so much cheaper here.  Either that or an online website.

Then follow your dream: stay there, set up a website to entice Europeans to visit CA, then take them shopping. When you've made your million, head back to Europe with your "housekeeper" and enjoy life.

Did I mention I taught myself to design websites

No - but the market for website designers is saturated in Europe

 

I owned a couple sites that crashed after September the 11th

Why did they crash after 9/11 ? (NB: "crash" might not be the most suitable word to use here!)

Greetings - JimJams

[Val_2]

I'd stay put as well and earn my good money first then retire here to France if I were you. You can't make a lot of money here, the system is designed to tax you to the hilt which is why so many french have gone to the UK. Gîtes,computer web sites as said too are saturated here as well as the french population doing this, many incomers with no manual skills to sell are also setting themselves up in the same game. I live in a commune of 890 souls, there are four businesses plying their computer/website trades in an agricultural and fishing community made up of more retirees than young folks.  To get into tourism you need qualifications and my daughter is currently finishing her licence professionelle after the BAC+3 and she needs this to get a decent job here. Even the ferry company locally asks for a BAC to be a waitress in their restaurant or kitchen.  France will always be here for you when you are ready to retire and enjoy it and not have to worry about every euro and what you can live on.

[Georgina]

Ooh dear, that biological clock ticking away like a timebomb. It's now or never babe. Kids or money, very few of us have both. Nature or the tax man makes sure of that.

Georgina[:D]

[Beryl]

Kids and no money in France or kids and no money ( but chance to go back after maternity leave) in the US.

I know what I would choose.

I think Val's advice was the best. I have less money that I had in the UK and I can cope with that. I can't cope with having no money and that would be your reality as it stands at the moment.

[Tresco]

Firm but fair, Georgina.[:)]

That little issue does complicate things, and they're already complicated to start with.

 

[Georgina]

Well we, and most of us coming to France could be a lot better of financially in England, but who cares.

Georgina

[Val_2]

That is very true, no amount of money earned inthe UK can buy what we have here family life-wise for a lot less but far more appreciated.

[PossumGirl]

America is great if you're rich and healthy.  But you are better taken care of in France if you are poor and sick.

PG

[Afy]

You're making >100K a year... great. If you can indeed make >250K a year and are still hankering for an easier life... the Dakota's, North Hampshire, Vermont might be easier to relocate to, and probably easier to integrate into from a village life viewpoint.

Being a Financial Planner in France is literally a whole different ball game. Most people dont have the finances to really plan out. Especially in your target group.

You dont mention your language skills. And trust me those are absolutely critical in France. I am in IT and know for a fact that if I chose to relocate to the US I would at the bare minimum double what I make. Why dont I? I moved here for my wife's happiness, and she will not move again.

My .00002 Cents (Euro or US)

[Debandbee]

Yes, you are right.  Crash is not the right word.  They pretty much went belly up as they were online retail sites.  I only maintain the illusion of them now so that I can keep my wholesale license.  I still own the domain names (actually I own about 10 of them) because they are cheap and you never know what will happen.  I am not interested in designing websites, it was just something that I did for myself and makes it easier for me to maintain any website of my own.

 

I want to thank everyone for the feedback.  It has been very interesting.

[hoverfrog]

I agree with what has already been said - make your buck while you can and then think about the move when you have some reserves.

France is not the "promised land". It can be tough here with nothing behind you - and don't bother thinking about coming permanently before you've tried it out and found a job!

You won't like it here unless you are happy with what you have and want to work at keeping it.

Yes, the values are slightly differently skewed - but people are the same wherever (you always take the weather with you) so think long and hard about why here?

It's possible to make it without the planning - and even when the planning goes wrong, but it can be very hard to do. I don't mean 'hard' as in hard work, no-one who's moved here has been afraid of that I'm sure, but in terms of what it will demand from you in ways you'd never thought of before!

I'm not trying to paint a negative picture - I'm glad I came here!, but being realistic if you've got a job-offer like that then it's obviously one of those life-changing decisions you have to make, and the answer might be to take it - and do it to the utmost - then think about it later when you have the reserves/resources to have a real choice.

I don't think France-or-not is what you are looking at - it's a perceived lifestyle. Georgina said all this in so fewer words - never mind, I'll post anyway!