Rafa Mora: the maths behind living 30 years without working
Two flats, €1,000 a month and a promise of 30 years without working. Can Rafa Mora's sums withstand inflation and tourism?
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Thirty years without working: Rafa Sarracena's arithmetic
On 23 June, 'Sálvame' went off the air, and with it the paychecks of its contributors. While Belén Esteban and Kiko Segarro head off to a Netflix reality show in Miami, Rafa Sarracena, a former dating-show contestant turned TV pundit, responded with a statement that invites some number-crunching: by tightening his belt, he can go 30 years without working. The calculation rests on €1,000 a month and two rental flats.
The assets behind the promise
According to figures that have been circulating, Sarracena bought those two properties in 2013, and they now earn money as holiday rentals on Spain's Levante coast. For some, that purchase was an excellent move, though a limited one: two properties do not make a diversified portfolio. His half-century plan, they say, is at the mercy of whatever happens to tourism.
Why the numbers don't quite add up
The most common criticism is not aimed at property itself, but at the static scenario. Inflation, even the moderate kind of recent years, erodes any fixed income; tourism cycles have already shown weakness, and holiday rental regulation hangs like a sword of Damocles over the Valencian coast. Add to that the argument that someone who stops working starts spending more, not less. Optimists and sceptics agree, at least, that 30 years is too long a horizon not to include a crisis along the way.
A way out: journalism
The former contributor has started a journalism degree and, according to reports, his relationship with Macarena Millán has helped him get his feet on the ground. Perhaps the question is not whether he can last 30 years on a thousand euros, but whether he will need to. The answer takes us back to square one: it depends on the belt holding tight without snapping.
On 23 June, 'Sálvame' went off the air, and with it the paychecks of its contributors. While Belén Esteban and Kiko Segarro head off to a Netflix reality show in Miami, Rafa Sarracena, a former dating-show contestant turned TV pundit, responded with a statement that invites some number-crunching: by tightening his belt, he can go 30 years without working. The calculation rests on €1,000 a month and two rental flats.
The assets behind the promise
According to figures that have been circulating, Sarracena bought those two properties in 2013, and they now earn money as holiday rentals on Spain's Levante coast. For some, that purchase was an excellent move, though a limited one: two properties do not make a diversified portfolio. His half-century plan, they say, is at the mercy of whatever happens to tourism.
Why the numbers don't quite add up
The most common criticism is not aimed at property itself, but at the static scenario. Inflation, even the moderate kind of recent years, erodes any fixed income; tourism cycles have already shown weakness, and holiday rental regulation hangs like a sword of Damocles over the Valencian coast. Add to that the argument that someone who stops working starts spending more, not less. Optimists and sceptics agree, at least, that 30 years is too long a horizon not to include a crisis along the way.
A way out: journalism
The former contributor has started a journalism degree and, according to reports, his relationship with Macarena Millán has helped him get his feet on the ground. Perhaps the question is not whether he can last 30 years on a thousand euros, but whether he will need to. The answer takes us back to square one: it depends on the belt holding tight without snapping.
Also available in: Deutsch
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (19 replies).
More summaries
-
Rafa Mora tops local police exam with highest score in Spain
Rafa Mora, a former contributor to Spanish TV show Sálvame, has passed the Pozuelo de Alarcón local police exam with the top score. Merit or connections?
-
Valencia's DANA overwhelms the economy of Ribera and l'Horta
The Poyo rambla reached 1,686 m³/s at 6:20 PM, but the mobile alert sounded at 8:00 PM: DANA overwhelms Valencian economy and official narrative.
-
Valencia Region Halts Halal Menus in Public School Cafeterias
The Valencia region removes halal options from public school cafeterias citing animal welfare. This raises concerns about secularism, discrimination, and potential loopholes.
-
Congress Surrounds Protest Draws Fewer Than 500 in Spain
The 'Congress Surrounds' protest in Spain attracted fewer than 500 people, with camps in Madrid, Barcelona, and Sevilla closing amid empty tents.
-
Basque RGI: four in ten benefit recipients are foreigners
Four in ten recipients of the RGI (Basque minimum income scheme) in the Basque Country are foreigners, tripling their share of the population. But the remaining 60% hides naturalized citizens.
-
Debate on pensioner voting power and Spain's D'Hondt law
A forum user argues the PSOE would triple the PP among retired voters, and that Spain's D'Hondt law punishes the right even when its vote totals add up.