The Strategic Blog
Spain's Ingreso Mínimo Vital: the minimum income explained
~€733/month for a single adult, child supplements, 1 year of legal residence, claimed from the INSS: Spain's last-resort net, how it works.
Job-hunting in Spain on Nordic unemployment benefits (U2)
The U2 form from your a-kassa or NAV, 7 days to register at the SOC, the DARDE and its sellado: exporting benefits for 3 months, traps included.
Declaring foreign bank accounts in Spain: the full map
Revolut, N26, home accounts: Modelo 720 (from €50,000), ETE and D6. Informative reporting, not a tax — the clear guide for new residents.
Unemployment for autónomos: Spain's cese de actividad
70% of your base for 4-24 months: conditions (12 months, >10% losses), claiming from your mutua, SOC registration and the 'stored dole' nobody uses.
Unemployment benefit in Spain: how to earn and claim it
360 contributed days in 6 years, 70% then 60%, a 15-working-day claim window, Nordic years totalised via U1: the complete guide to the paro.
Smartphone or pro photographer: the real estate debate
The gear debate is over — the difference is the professional: the 3-second rule, guaranteed results, agent time and deductible costs for agencies.
Registering with Spanish social security: the expat guide
NUSS via Import@ss, employee or RETA registration, the pensioner's S1 form and what happens to your Nordic coverage: the 4 entry doors mapped.
Spanish mortgages for non-residents: the Nordic guide
60-70% LTV, your Nordic income file, the FEIN and its 10-day rule, bank-paid costs (Ley 5/2019) — and the SEK/NOK currency risk explained.
Tarragona vs Barcelona: the real cost of living compared
€9/m² vs €30/m²: verified 2026 rents, jobs, the 1-hour train and paperwork — the honest comparison for Nordic movers, by one who chose.