Emigration - not for the faint hearted.

If you are considering emigrating remember it is not for the faint hearted and can often be extremely stressful and expensive if things don't work out. Everybody has their own reasons for emigrating, better quality of life, personal growth, business opportunities or simply to be closer to loved ones that have already moved.

When relocating it's important to remember the things that we leave behind, things often taken for granted in the excitement of starting a new life. Consider the things that you love as these are the things that you will miss the most; ask yourself why am I going? What do I hope to achieve? How much will it cost? What will I do if things don't go as planned?

Decide what to take with you and what to leave behind, get some idea of shipping costs by shopping around for competitive quotes - use reputable companies that include port handling charges, door to door delivery and contents insurance. The trick is to do the math by assessing whether it will cost more to ship than it will to replace. Replacing items can be cheaper than you think as they may not cost as much abroad.

It is worth taking more than one trip to the country in which you intend to spend the rest of your days, stagger the time you spend visiting in order to get a sense of living away from home. It is a natural reaction to miss all that is familiar which is why homesickness tends to be the reason for high the number of returning residents.

Soon after arriving you'll have to start looking for a new home, avoid making the expensive mistake of buying straight away. It may take time to find the right neighborhood, schools and job. When renting be sure to negotiate a tenancy agreement that offers you flexibility in case you need to move, like England many rental properties abroad are bought as investments designed to be let for long periods of time - make sure the property is not just being rented until sold.

Calculate your budget based on the exchange rate of your new destination, if you are leaving funds in the UK until you have settled remember to set up a fax indemnity with your UK bank which will allow you to move funds from abroad should they be required. It is also worth speaking to a specialist Foreign Currency provider who will ensure that you get the best exchange rate every time you transfer money as this could save you thousands.

The decision when to transfer your pounds is a vital one as a few cents difference on the exchange rate can make a huge difference. If you have sold your property in the UK and now have the unfortunate task of deciding what to do with the proceeds in the meantime, speak to a professional. An independent financial advisor will have the tools and resources available to invest your money in an environment that offers maximum financial return. Once again make sure that your investments offer flexibility in case you need funds immediately; high interest accounts usually involve long period contracts with costly penalties for early release.

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