— Tools and Services I Actually Use
*Last updated: May 2026*
—
This page is simple. It lists everything I personally use, recommend, or have thoroughly researched for the expatover55.com community.
I have not included anything because someone paid me to. I have not included anything I wouldn’t recommend to a close friend. Some of these links are affiliate links — marked clearly — meaning I earn a small commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you. That commission helps keep this site free to read.
Nearly 40 years of expat life on the Costa Blanca has given me a clear sense of what actually works. This is the shortlist.
—
## 💳 Money & International Transfers
### Wise ⭐ My Top Recommendation
*For moving your pension and income abroad without losing money to bank fees*
Wise is the tool I recommend more than anything else on this site — because the savings are real, immediate, and require almost no effort to set up.
Traditional banks charge a hidden markup of 2–4% on every international transfer, on top of flat fees. On a regular monthly pension transfer, this quietly costs most expats £500–£1,000 or more per year. Wise uses the real mid-market exchange rate with a small, transparent fee — typically saving expats several hundred pounds annually on regular transfers.
**Who it’s for:** Anyone receiving pension income in one country and living in another. Anyone making regular international transfers. Anyone tired of watching money disappear in exchange rate markups.
**What I use it for:** Monthly transfers, holding multiple currencies, and spending abroad with the Wise debit card.
👉 [Open a free Wise account](your-affiliate-link-here) *(affiliate link — I earn a small commission if you sign up, at no cost to you)*
📖 *Read more: [How I Save Over $500 a Year Using Wise as an Expat Over 55]*
📖 *Read more: [How to Transfer Your Pension Abroad Without Losing Money to Fees]*
—
## 🏥 Health Insurance
### International Health Insurance Comparison
*For expats over 55 who need proper coverage abroad*
Healthcare is the question I’m asked more than any other — and the one where getting it wrong is genuinely not an option. After 55, access to good medical care isn’t a luxury; it’s the foundation everything else sits on.
I’ve researched the leading international health insurance providers specifically for our age group, including Cigna Global, Allianz Care, AXA Global Healthcare, IMG Global, and April International. Each has different strengths depending on your destination, your health history, and your budget.
**Who it’s for:** Anyone moving abroad who needs private health insurance coverage — which, in practice, means almost everyone over 55 relocating internationally, since most destination countries require it for visa applications and public healthcare access takes time to establish.
**The most important thing to know:** If you have pre-existing conditions — which most of us over 55 do — the underwriting method matters enormously. Read the detail before you commit.
👉 [Get a personalised international health insurance quote](your-affiliate-link-here) *(affiliate link)*
📖 *Read more: [Best International Health Insurance for Over 55s — An Honest Comparison 2026]*
—
## 💼 Creating a Second Income
### Fiverr
*For selling your professional skills to clients anywhere in the world*
Fiverr is the platform I recommend to anyone over 55 who wants to earn a modest but meaningful second income using skills they already have — writing, bookkeeping, consulting, tutoring, translation, design, or any professional expertise built over a career.
The over-55 advantage on Fiverr is real: clients are increasingly hungry for genuine experience, not cheap generalists. Decades of professional credibility is your selling point.
**Who it’s for:** Anyone with a marketable professional skill who wants flexible, location-independent income. Particularly good for expats who want to work a few hours a week without being tied to a desk or a single employer.
**Realistic expectation:** Most people build to £300–£800/month within 6–12 months of consistent effort. Not life-changing, but genuinely useful alongside a pension.
👉 [Create a free Fiverr seller account](your-affiliate-link-here) *(affiliate link — I earn a small commission if you sign up)*
📖 *Read more: [7 Skills Over-55s Can Sell Online to Earn From Anywhere]*
—
### Network Marketing — Atomy
*A second income opportunity I’m currently exploring and documenting honestly*
I want to be straightforward with you about this one: I am at the beginning of this journey, not reporting back from a place of established success.
I have researched and chosen a specific network marketing company whose product I believe in and whose global reach — across most of the world, with the exception of Africa — makes it particularly well suited to an expat community like ours. I am documenting this journey honestly on this site, including the early stages, the learning curve, and real income figures when I have them.
I’m not including an affiliate link here yet — because I think you should read the full honest introduction first, understand what network marketing actually involves, and make a genuinely informed decision about whether it’s right for you.
📖 *Read first: [Could Network Marketing Be Your Second Income? An Honest Introduction]*
📖 *Company reveal coming soon — follow along by subscribing to the newsletter*
—
## 🌍 Visas and Immigration
### Immigration Lawyers — What to Look For
*I don’t have a single affiliate partner here — and here’s why*
Immigration law is one area where I won’t point you to a single recommended provider, because the right lawyer depends entirely on your nationality, your destination country, and your specific circumstances.
What I will tell you is this: **use a qualified immigration lawyer for your first visa application.** Every time. The paperwork is precise, the requirements vary by consulate, and a professional who knows your specific application route will save you far more in time and mistakes than their fee costs.
**For Spain (Non-Lucrative Visa):** Look for a gestor or abogado de extranjería registered with the relevant Spanish bar association. Expect to pay €500–€1,500.
**For Portugal (D7 Visa):** A Portuguese immigration lawyer who handles D7 applications regularly. Many operate remotely and can handle your NIF and bank account setup before you arrive.
**How to find one:** Expat Facebook groups for your destination country are the most reliable source of vetted personal recommendations. Ask for recent experiences — immigration law changes frequently.
📖 *Read more: [The Ultimate Guide to Moving Abroad After 55 — Visa Section]*
—
## 📚 Learning the Language
### Language Learning Resources
*For Spanish and Portuguese — two of the most useful investments you can make*
After nearly 40 years of speaking Spanish daily, I am obviously biased — but I genuinely believe that learning the local language is the single most impactful thing you can do to improve your quality of life abroad. It opens doors, earns respect, and makes the official side of expat life dramatically easier.
**For getting started — free:**
– **Duolingo** — genuinely good for building a daily habit and basic vocabulary. Free, gamified, works on your phone. [duolingo.com](https://www.duolingo.com)
– **BBC Languages** — free online resources for Spanish and other languages. Solid grammar foundations.
**For going further:**
– **Babbel** — more structured than Duolingo, better for grammar. Around £7–£10/month. Worth it once you’ve established the habit. [babbel.com](https://www.babbel.com)
– **italki** — connects you with native speaker tutors for one-to-one online lessons. Genuinely the fastest way to improve conversation. Prices vary by tutor — budget sessions from around $10/hour. [italki.com](https://www.italki.com)
**On the ground:**
– Local language schools in most expat areas of Spain and Portugal offer affordable group classes (typically €50–€100/month)
– Language exchange meetups — free, social, and good for meeting local people. Search Meetup.com for your area.
📖 *Read more: [Living in Spain After 55 — The Language Section]*
—
## 🔧 Running This Website
*For anyone building their own expat blog or content site*
Several readers have asked what tools I use to run expatover55.com. Here’s the honest answer:
**WordPress** — the world’s most widely used website platform. Powers this site. Free to use, though you’ll need hosting. [wordpress.org](https://www.wordpress.org)
**Hostinger** — [add a sentence about who hosts your site and whether you recommend them]
**MailerLite** — my recommended newsletter platform for new sites. Free up to 1,000 subscribers, genuinely easy to use, and does everything a growing site needs. No affiliate link — I just think it’s the right tool for this stage. [mailerlite.com](https://www.mailerlite.com)
**Canva** — free design tool for creating blog graphics, social media images, and simple PDF resources. No design experience needed. [canva.com](https://www.canva.com)
**Google Search Console** — free tool from Google that helps your site get found in search results. Submit your sitemap here as soon as possible. [search.google.com/search-console](https://search.google.com/search-console)
—
## A Note on Recommendations
This page will grow as the site grows. I add things when I’ve genuinely used them or thoroughly researched them — not on a schedule, and not because anyone has asked me to include them.
If there’s a tool, service, or resource you think belongs here — or if you’ve had a good or bad experience with anything listed — I’d like to know. [Contact me here.]
And if you’re ever unsure whether something I recommend is an affiliate link or a genuine independent recommendation — ask me. I’d rather answer the question than have you wonder.
—
*Affiliate disclosure: Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you sign up or purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This does not influence which products are included or how they are described. Full details in my [Disclaimer] and [Privacy Policy].*