Latest news with #EXPAT
Scottish Sun
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
We ditched the UK for Bulgaria & got a huge house with 1.5 acres of land for £7k – but trolls say ‘a B&Q shed is nicer'
But many questioned Lewis and Jordan's decision to move to Bulgaria EXPAT ESCAPE We ditched the UK for Bulgaria & got a huge house with 1.5 acres of land for £7k – but trolls say 'a B&Q shed is nicer' A COUPLE have revealed that they ditched life in Bournemouth and moved to Bulgaria. Rather than breaking the bank each month on a costly mortgage in the UK, Lewis and his wife Jordan purchased a huge property for £7,000. Advertisement 2 A couple have opened up on leaving life in the UK for Bulgaria Credit: 2 Lewis and Jordan now have a huge property and 1.5 acres of land Credit: Not only is the house massive, but it even came with 1.5 acres of land too. Lewis explained that deciding whether to leave their life in Bournemouth was the "hardest decision' they ever had to make at the time. But they put themselves out of their comfort zones and left their UK life behind for an off-grid village lifestyle in Bulgaria, which has recently been hailed as 'the perfect' family holiday destination. Posting on social media, Lewis and Jordan - who have two children, Leo and Fae - gave their followers a close-up look at their Bulgarian property. Advertisement The couple bought the house online, without having viewed it in person. And whilst the large plot is in need of some work, not only did they get a six room property for £7,000, but they also got a free extra house and a massive barn thrown in too. As well as this, there's also space for two workshops and a shower room too. Whilst the average house price in the UK varies massively by the region and the month, in August 2024, it was reported that the average house price in the UK was £292,924, up from £285,073 a year earlier, according to the latest HM Land Registry UK House Price Index. Advertisement Not only did the family luck out with their cheap property, which was £285,924 less than the average home in the UK, but Lewis explained that the family got 'pretty lucky with the views' and the massive garden too. The content creator, who claimed the family have five years residency which they can renew when the time comes, lives on the derelict land, which is in the middle of nowhere. We lived in one of the UK's most expensive seaside towns but house prices were mental - so we saved £293k by packing up and moving abroad Showing off the rural property Lewis confirmed: 'Since we got here, we have been constantly working on it - although you might think that it still looks bad, it actually looked a lot worse.' As well as a space for Lewis to store his tools, Jordan has her own craft room and there's even an outside play area for the kids. Advertisement The family also has a vegetable patch, as the father explained: 'The goal with the garden is to be able to grow lots of produce - grow tomatoes, cucumbers in bulk rather than in small quantities.' Thrilled with their purchase, Lewis later shared: 'I personally think this house is worth way more than £7,000 - even if the market value was £7,000, because in the UK, good luck getting a house like this for £7,000.' Moving house hacks 1. Declutter Before You Pack Sort through your belongings and get rid of anything you no longer need. Donate, sell, or recycle items to lighten your load. 2. Create an Inventory Make a list of all your items. This helps keep track of everything and ensures nothing gets lost in the move. 3. Use Quality Packing Materials Invest in sturdy boxes, bubble wrap, and packing tape. This will protect your belongings during the move. 4. Label Everything Clearly label each box with its contents and the room it belongs to. This makes unpacking much easier and more organized. 5. Pack a 'First Day' Box Include essentials like toiletries, a change of clothes, snacks, and important documents. This will keep you from rummaging through boxes on your first day. 6. Take Photos of Electronics Setup Before unplugging your electronics, take photos of the wiring setup. This will make it easier to reconnect everything at your new place. 7. Use Suitcases for Heavy Items Pack books and other heavy items in rolling suitcases. This makes them easier to transport and reduces the risk of injury. 8. Colour-Code Your Boxes Use different coloured stickers or markers for each room. This will help movers quickly identify where each box should go in your new home. Social media users react The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @frombournemouth2bulgaria, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly racked up 752,000 views. Not only this, but it's also amassed 19,800 likes, 601 comments and 1,799 saves. Advertisement But social media users were left totally divided by the couple's home - while many thought it was 'beautiful,' others questioned their desire to live in Bulgaria. One user gushed: 'Looking fabulous, good luck with your amazing new life.' You could have easily done this in Italy or Spain. Bulgaria is a stretch TikTok user A second chimed in: 'Good for you. What an experience!' Whilst someone else beamed: 'Very scenic and beautiful house.' Advertisement However, at the same time, one person said: 'I could buy a shed from B&Q for less and nicer.' Another added: 'You could have easily done this in Italy or Spain. Bulgaria is a stretch.' Whilst a third asked: 'Who wants to live in Bulgaria?' Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club
Scottish Sun
07-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- Scottish Sun
I ditched the UK to live on a cheap island with my kids – I was sick of splashing cash on nursery fees and bills
Scroll down for tips to make moving house easier EXPAT ESCAPE I ditched the UK to live on a cheap island with my kids – I was sick of splashing cash on nursery fees and bills Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A MUM has shared how she ditched the UK for sunny Thailand with her kids and husband. Lauren took to social media and shared why she left England and has no regrets in uprooting her family to South East Asia. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Lauren left the UK and swapped it for sunny Thailand Credit: 3 Now they spend their days island hopping and relaxing by the beach Credit: The mum-of-two revealed that she and her family decided the cost of living and their busy schedule was too much. Instead of putting up with it, they sold their house and bought a one-way ticket to Thailand for a new life. She said: "We didn't leave because we hated the UK. "We left because life started to feel like one long checklist we didn't remember choosing. Wake up. Rush. Work. Nursery. School. Bills. Repeat. "We wanted more presence, more connection, more sunsets and slow mornings. "So we sold almost everything, booked a one-way ticket, and figured it out as we went. "It's not perfect, but it's ours, and we've never felt more free." Lauren often shared her new life in Thailand on social media and recently shared one of their favourite breakfasts while they stayed in Koh Samui. She headed to one of her favourite food vendors and ordered fried chicken and sticky rice before getting some Thai milk tea. The mum even said that she thought the iced tea was better than English Breakfast tea. 3 The stunning island is perfect for families Credit: Alamy Gobsmacked shoppers watch on as hungry elephant raids Thai store and leaves with trunk full of snacks The mum added: "Hands down they are better than an English breakfast tea. They're sweet, they're icy. They do give you that little tea fix." She said the next step to the perfect breakfast was to locate the nearest beach. "The beach closest to our house here is Chong Mon. And if you are coming to Koh Samui, even just on holiday, I really recommend this area," Lauren said. "It's kind of like a mix between touristy but not too touristy. Moving house hacks 1. Declutter Before You Pack Sort through your belongings and get rid of anything you no longer need. Donate, sell, or recycle items to lighten your load. 2. Create an Inventory Make a list of all your items. This helps keep track of everything and ensures nothing gets lost in the move. 3. Use Quality Packing Materials Invest in sturdy boxes, bubble wrap, and packing tape. This will protect your belongings during the move. 4. Label Everything Clearly label each box with its contents and the room it belongs to. This makes unpacking much easier and more organized. 5. Pack a 'First Day' Box Include essentials like toiletries, a change of clothes, snacks, and important documents. This will keep you from rummaging through boxes on your first day. 6. Take Photos of Electronics Setup Before unplugging your electronics, take photos of the wiring setup. This will make it easier to reconnect everything at your new place. 7. Use Suitcases for Heavy Items Pack books and other heavy items in rolling suitcases. This makes them easier to transport and reduces the risk of injury. 8. Colour-Code Your Boxes Use different coloured stickers or markers for each room. This will help movers quickly identify where each box should go in your new home. "The beach here is so good for kids because the water is really shallow." Finally, she and her family sat down on the beach to enjoy their breakfast with a stunning view. The clip went viral on her TikTok account @lifealongsidelauren with 120k views. People were quick to take to the comments in awe of Lauren's new life. One person wrote: "Living the dream, I would swap my builders' tea in England for yours any day of the week." Another commented: 'I have been following for a while just wanted to say that because of you and your TikTok my future with my kids will look the same!" "I haven't seen your posts for ages, glad you're still enjoying your new life," penned a third. Meanwhile a fourth said: "Brekkie on the "Love watching your adventures! We are coming to to Thailand in August and can't wait,' claimed a fifth. Someone else added: 'Such an inspiration."
