After bankruptcy and illness upended their lives in Gloucestershire, Chris Yates and his wife, Becky Yates, found a fresh start in rural Spain — where solar panels now keep their home powered without a monthly electricity bill, according to YorkshireLive.
The off-grid setup saves the couple an estimated €150 ($169) a month, helping their retirement income stretch further.
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The couple, both 60, live primarily on Becky's £1,700 ($2,290) monthly pension, with Chris supplementing it through occasional work.
Their three-bedroom, two-bathroom home has a swimming pool and costs €1,100 ($1,235) a month.
The property lies west of Valencia, between Torrent and Turís, in a rural area with citrus groves, agricultural land, mountains, and vibrant villages nearby.
The Yateses spend approximately €100 ($111) a week on groceries.
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"It is an area of small, traditional towns surrounded by mountains, farmland and orange groves. It feels very different from the busy resorts and heavily developed parts of the Spanish coast," Chris said of the region.
"It was the old-fashioned Spain we had hoped to find, with independent shops and bars where people remember your name and their faces light up when you walk through the door. We quickly fell in love with the area," he added.
More background
In Gloucestershire, Becky worked in a civilian police role while Chris ran a construction and surveying business.
The couple had settled there after marrying, having come from the Huddersfield area of West Yorkshire.
Together, they enjoyed what Chris described to the i Paper as a "comfortable, privileged lifestyle."
Rebuilding their finances became a necessity as they approached their 50s. In 2015, they faced bankruptcy when the construction and property markets were disrupted.
Becky came to rely on crutches and eventually retired early following a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, a condition that changes how the central nervous system processes pain signals.
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Their Newfoundland dogs accompanied them on the ferry to Spain.
To finance the move, the Yateses eventually sold their home, having already parted with belongings and shipped items to Spain, according to YorkshireLive.
The couple have also learned conversational Spanish and settled into local life.
They believe the warmer weather has benefited Becky's health. While she continues to manage fibromyalgia, the outlet described her as more active and thriving in their adopted home.
"A decade ago, we were sitting in an empty house in Gloucestershire after bankruptcy and illness had dismantled the life we thought we would have. Today, we feel we have the best of both worlds," Chris told the i Paper.
"We have no intention of returning."
Where can I learn more?
Solar power gives the Yateses more room in their retirement budget. These stories explore solar projects in Spain, alongside solar and battery savings in the U.K.
• In Spain, a DIYer plans a solar balcony setup with battery storage to lower costs.
• A U.K. homeowner says solar brought their electric bills to near zero for six months, including heating.
• In the U.K., a solar owner says batteries erased their power bills, saving them £1,050.
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