'We felt like UK had let us down so bought £23,400 house in Bulgaria'
A family of six has "escaped" the UK's financial pressures by snapping up a £23,400 house in Bulgaria, allowing them to live mortgage-free and save a staggering £21,600 annually on household expenses. Amy Smerdon, 35, along with her husband Jerry, 53, had long harboured ambitions of an off-grid lifestyle and were weary of renting, yet found UK property prices beyond their reach.
The couple, parents to two boys aged eight and six, as well as five-year-old twins, initially purchased a three-bedroom fixer-upper in Bulgaria for £7,000 in 2024, intending it to be a holiday retreat. However, following an inheritance from Amy's late grandfather, the Smerdons opted to relocate permanently, acquiring a three-bed property with a vast plot and a sizeable warehouse in Popovo, Bulgaria.
Jerry, who operates a vape shop and ice cream parlour back in the UK, transformed the warehouse into a habitable space earlier this year. Amy, a full-time mum, made the move from Wincanton, Somerset, with the children in March 2025. They are now refurbishing their new home on a £10,000 budget and relish the sense of liberation, managing to put aside £1,801 each month.
Jerry, also a father to four older sons from previous relationships, shared his motivation: "A big part of this was to give this freedom. I've been let down by my own country. We couldn't get any help with paying council tax - and then you get a bailiff turning up at the door.
"We've got two homes - done in six to eight months together. We were struggling to survive in the UK."
Amy had initially considered off-grid living - transforming a shipping container into a dwelling - but discovered the expenses would remain steep in Britain.
She explained: "With the age gap - I'm never going to be able to get a mortgage as I don't have very good credit. Jerry is older - he'd never be able to get one because of his age.
"We didn't want to rent somewhere for the rest of our lives. You can't paint that wall, or put something up on one wall."
The family had holidayed in Bulgaria multiple times and considered it a "lovely" nation. After witnessing others purchasing properties overseas, Amy and Jerry began exploring available options and took a chance on a fixer-upper in Bulgaria.
Amy said: "It was always meant to be a holiday home. It was £7,000 - the price of what you'd pay for a holiday. Then we had no intention of emigrating."
However, as the family began reassessing their British lifestyle, they investigated how straightforward relocating might prove. Amy grew increasingly frustrated with Britain's condition, parenting judgements, and escalating living costs and house prices.
She added: "We weren't living. We were surviving. I just feel the UK had become this rat race. It was like Groundhog Day for me."
Amy started researching Bulgarian properties, and when her grandfather's inheritance came through, they managed to purchase their present home in December 2024 for 27,000 Euros. The family now live without a mortgage and have set aside £10,000 for home renovations, hoping to move in by the year's end. Amy relishes the freedom her children have to play outdoors.
She said: "In the UK we see eight-year-olds walking around with iPhones. We wanted to escape all of that.
"Here they can scream and shout. They can do whatever without someone twitching at the window or knocking and asking for the kids to be quiet. That's really important for me."
Amy also explained that the cost of living was significantly lower - she used to pay £1,300 in rent per month and her bills amounted to £670 in the UK. Now their monthly bills are only £198.50.
While admitting that settling in Bulgaria hasn't been "easy" and they still don't feel completely "settled", Amy has no regrets about their relocation.
Amy said: "It's been our saviour. Everything is so simple and relaxed.
"It's like going back in time. There is no limit - if you want to do something you're able to achieve anything you want. No one can tell you that you can't."
The family's monthly expenses in the UK
Rent - £1,300
Council tax - £238
Internet - £40
Electric - £198
Gas - £129
Water - £95
Total - £2,000
Their current monthly expenses in Bulgaria
Mortgage - £0
Council tax - £18 a year
Internet - £40
Electric - £154
Water - £3
Total - £198.50
Article continues below
They said they save £1,801 monthly compared to their previous costs in the UK, which amounts to an annual saving of £21,618.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
40 minutes ago
- Reuters
Canada to help lumber industry cope with US tariffs, says Carney
OTTAWA, Aug 5 (Reuters) - Canada will provide up to C$1.2 billion to help softwood lumber producers deal with U.S. countervailing and anti-dumping duties, Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Tuesday. Carney, speaking to reporters in the Pacific province of British Columbia, said Ottawa would make up to C$700 million available in loan guarantees and also provide C$500 million to help speed product development and market diversification. ((Reporting by David Ljunggren, editing by Promit Mukherjee)) (Reuters Ottawa editorial; opens new tab)) Keywords: USA TARIFFS/TRUMP CANADA
The Herald Scotland
2 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Greggs and KFC team up to launch sausage roll drenched in gravy
The brands said the alliance followed Britons consuming 15,000 litres of KFC gravy and more than one million Greggs sausage rolls every day over the past year. They are taking the new combination on a three-day tour from Thursday, handing it out for free in London on August 7, followed by Manchester on August 8 and Newcastle on August 9. A sharing bucket including six Greggs sausage rolls and a large tub of KFC gravy will be available for £10 on Friday August 15 and Saturday August 16 through Uber Eats in London, Manchester, Newcastle and Birmingham. KFC brand manager Phoebe Syms said: 'At KFC, we bleed gravy. We go to obsessive lengths for our liquid gold, and so do our fans. 'In fact, it was them who inspired this once-in-a-lifetime event, calling for us to partner with Greggs and unite our iconic gravy with their iconic sausage rolls. 'Now we're joining forces for just a few days to give the people a taste of what they really want … it's time for gravy to meet pastry. You're welcome.' Fiona Mills, brand communications lead at Greggs, said: 'With 96 layers of light puff pastry, and perfectly baked to give that satisfying golden crisp and flaky goodness, we've always known our sausage rolls are a true British icon. And why not pair one icon with another? 'We can't wait to see what Greggs and KFC fans make of our latest partnership. We're sure fans of both brands will enjoy devouring their Greggs x KFC sharing bucket.' The tour will stop at London's Southbank Centre on Thursday, followed by Manchester's Cathedral Gardens on Friday and then Newcastle's Times Square, all between 12pm and 5pm, with supplies available on a first come, first served basis. Last week, Greggs revealed a slump in profits as it was knocked by hot weather and caution among shoppers over their finances. The Newcastle-based business revealed that pre-tax profits fell by 14.3% to £63.5 million for the half-year to June 28, compared with a year earlier. It said the first half of 2025 was impacted by 'challenging market footfall, more weather disruption than in 2024' and increased costs.
The National
3 hours ago
- The National
Dundee Utd tax accusations explained: Claims suggest £1m HMRC loss
In 2021 Robbie Patterson, owner of James Mackie Wholesale Ltd, was introduced to ZLX – a firm billing themselves as research and development tax experts. R&D tax relief was created in 2000. The aim was to fund and facilitate advances in science and technology such as a new drug or a form of artificial intelligence. ZLX, a firm established by former Hamilton Academical director Stephen McCallion, advised the wholesaler that installing a cold room could attract £30,000 in R&D tax relief. Robbie Patterson's accountant took a different view. And when James Mackie Wholesalers changed their minds over making an R&D relief claim ZLX pursued legal action in pursuit of the £8000 fee they believed they would have received if the the transaction had gone ahead. In Glasgow Sheriff Court, Sheriff Stuart Reid was critical of ZLX and rejected the claim. The subsequent publicity concerning a tax row over a fridge attracted the the interest of Dan Neidle, a former lawyer with one of the world's largest law firms. Niedle advised corporates, governments, regulators and central banks now runs Tax Policy Associates, a not-for-profit company found to improve tax and legal policy and public understanding of the complex issues involved. As he tells Herald Sport now: 'Not only did ZLX think that they could make a claim for a fridge but then they got the poor guy, the greengrocer, in to court to try and force him to do it. And they were humiliated.' The case prompted Neidle – a thorn in the side of former chancellor Nadhim Zahawi and Baroness Michelle Mone - to pay closer attention to some of the other R&D tax relief claims submitted by ZLX and he found that Dundee United were one of a number of British football clubs to have benefitted from the scheme. Hibernian, Chelsea and Nottingham Forest were others and it's now believed that 33 clubs in the UK are under investigation by HMRC. United face a £600,000 bill after the club was order to repay a portion of its successful £1.28m claim for research and development tax relief. The tax relief claim covered 24 per cent of staff and player wages from July 1 2021, to June 30 2022. The Tannadice club also claimed for 80% of the club nutritionist's salary, 90% of the player analyst's salary and 21 % of the Tannadice heating and lighting bill. 'R&D relief is designed for people who are being completely innovative and in sport the first people who did data analytics in football could have claimed R&D tax credits for that,' explains Neidle. 'That's a legitimate innovation. 'It's possible that clubs might be doing innovative scientific work, you don't want to say it never happens. 'But not in this Dundee United case. Not based on the description given. 'And you certainly can't claim in court for staff wages as if your players are out there doing scientific research. 'Some people have said that maybe Dundee United didn't know what they were doing, that maybe they were just misled by ZLX. Whatever the reason it's difficult to see how they could have thought that this was legitimate.' Dundee United's tax relief claim centred around The United Lab. Launched in April 2020 the project was set up by former Sporting Director Tony Ashgar, recruitment coordinator Sean McGee, performance consultant Ryland Morgans and head of football research Dan Parnell to broker 'new channels for ideas and innovation.' All four men have now left the club with a Dundee United statement to the Courier confirming that the lab had ceased to exist in 2023. A spokesperson said: 'Dundee United Football Club can confirm we remain in constructive dialogue with HMRC regarding a Research and Development (R&D) tax claim submitted in 2021. 'As this is an ongoing process, we are unable to comment further on the details of the matter at this time. However, the club is fully engaged in the discussions and remains confident in a satisfactory outcome of the process for both parties. 'The R&D initiative known as 'The Dundee United Lab' ceased operations in March 2023 and no longer exists in any form, with all personnel previously involved in the project no longer employed or affiliated with the club in any capacity.' The plot thickened further when United's former finance director denied signing the document made public by Neidle last week. Employed at Tannadice between December 2018 and April 2023 Derek Bond – now a partner with Edinburgh firm Bond Accountants - is seeking legal advice after claiming the signature on the document was not his. The co-signatory on the document was ZLX Business Solutions consultant David Purvis. 'The document I've seen that purports to have my signature on it, isn't my signature,' he told The Courier. 'You can see on the document that someone has just typed 'Derek Bond'. Read more from Stephen McGowan: 'That's not my signature on that document. 'I've spoken with a solicitor about that document. I've not signed that document.' Distancing himself from the HMRC investigation he added: 'It's galling, I don't want to be attached. 'There's a document with my name on it. I'm not saying it's forged. But somebody's typed my name and made it look like my signature but it is definitely not my signature.' While ZLX has yet to comment, Dundee United has assured fans the 'historical matter has no impact on the club's current or future operations'. 'HMRC won't say anything on the record,' adds Neidle. 'But I think they woke up rather late to the ways in which this R&D scheme was being abused. But it is an abuse. 'HMRC are pretty sure they will be able to get the cash back on this one. And it wouldn't surprise me if they try to charge penalties as well. Whether Dundee United can pay those as well is an interesting question. 'This is money which is being taken from the pockets of taxpayers at a time when we are all paying more tax because of the lack of tax revenue going into the government this is making it worse for everybody else. 'So, yes, it's an example of football taking money from the rest of us and it's not on. 'There is also a question, I think, for the Scottish League on the grounds of financial fairness. Generating free money by making fake tax claims doesn't seem very fair. 'It may need to go a little further but, really, the football rules should say that clubs are not allowed to do anything improper when it comes to tax.' While SPFL rules on HMRC obligations allow for punishment of tax arrears any disputed claim against a member club by the tax authorities can't be actioned 'until such time as a final determination is made on HMRC's claim.' In 2024 Hibernian also banked £1.2million in tax relief earmarked for research and development and Niedle believes the issue extends well beyond the boundaries of the SPFL Premiership. 'Across the UK we think 33 clubs are being investigated by HMRC across the UK over sums totally £13million. 'It's possible that some of them are not as crap as Dundee United's claim. It's equally possible that some of them are worse.' Earlier this year Neidle was invited to speak on a radio programme about the impact of Employee Benefits Trusts on football clubs in Britain. The financial impact on Rangers on the scheme proved catastrophic in 2012, posing an obvious question. When will football clubs actually learn their lesson when it comes to iffy tax schemes? 'You will know the answer to that better than me. 'The problem is that when you put that money into the pockets of well paid footballers public sympathy is likely to be thin on the ground. 'But I suspect that people who are desperate for money are not as critical as they should be when they are faced with free bags of cash…'
