Latest news with #Popovo
The Sun
04-08-2025
- Business
- The Sun
I ditched the UK & bought a house for the same price as a summer holiday – my bills are 3x less & have saved £20k a year
A BRITISH family-of-six has made a drastic move to Bulgaria, where they are now saving a whopping £22,000 a year on household bills. Fed up with the UK's rising costs and a rental market that left them feeling trapped, Amy Smerdon, 35, and her husband, Jerry, 53, decided to pursue their dream of owning a home. 9 9 9 After realising a mortgage was out of reach in Britain due to age and credit history, they found their solution in Bulgaria, where property prices are significantly lower. The couple - who have two sons aged eight and six, and twin boys aged five - initially bought a three-bedroom home for just £7,000 in 2024 to use as a holiday home. After Amy received some inheritance money when her grandad passed away, the family decided to move permanently. They bought a plot with a warehouse near the town of Popovo, and Jerry, who runs a vape shop and ice cream parlour in the UK, converted it into a liveable home at the beginning of this year. Amy and the children - including her eldest son, eight, from a previous relationship - moved from Wincanton, Somerset, in March 2025. Now, they are renovating the home with a £10,000 budget and feel "free," claiming they are able to save £1,801 a month. "We've regained control of our life," said Amy, a stay-at-home mum. "We're actually a family - not just surviving." Jerry, who has four older sons from previous relationships, shared a similar view. I saved $60k to buy my 'dream' home in less than 5 months - I slept in my car and spent just $2 each day "A big part of this was to give this freedom," he said. "I've been let down by my own country. We were struggling to survive in the UK." Amy had originally considered converting a shipping container into a home to live off-grid, but found the costs were still too high in the UK. She explained their situation: "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 visited Bulgaria on holiday several times and thought it was a "lovely" country. After seeing others buying properties abroad, Amy and Jerry started looking at what was available and took the leap on a doer-upper property. "It was always meant to be a holiday home," Amy said. "It was £7k - the price of what you'd pay for a holiday. Then we had no intention of emigrating." However, as the family started to reflect on their life in the UK, they began to explore how easy a move might be. 9 9 9 Amy was frustrated by the state of the UK, the judgment on parenting, and the rising cost of living and property prices. "We weren't living. We were surviving," she said. "I just feel the UK had become this rat race. It was like Groundhog Day for me." Amy loves that her children can be "free" and play outside in their new home country. "In the UK we see eight-year-olds walking around with iPhones," she said. "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 says the cost of living is also much cheaper. She used to pay £1,300 in rent a month, and her bills cost £670 in Britain. Now, their bills are only £198.50 a month. 9 9 9 Amy admits it hasn't been "easy" and they still don't feel "settled," but they have no regrets. "It's been our saviour," she said. "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." 10 DIY hacks for under £1 each These simple and affordable DIY hacks can help you get creative while saving money Homemade Air Freshener: Mix baking soda with a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Place it in a small jar with a perforated lid to keep your home smelling fresh. Upcycled Tin Can Planters: Clean and paint empty tin cans to use as stylish planters for herbs or small plants. Custom Phone Stand: Use a sturdy piece of cardboard or an old plastic credit card to create a custom phone stand. Decorate it with washi tape or paint. DIY Lip Scrub: Combine sugar and a bit of honey or coconut oil to make a natural lip scrub. Store in a small container. Personalised Bookmarks: Use old greeting cards or decorative paper to create unique bookmarks. Punch a hole at the top and add a ribbon for a finishing touch. Decorative Mason Jars: Paint or decoupage old mason jars to use as decorative vases, storage containers, or candle holders. Easy Cable Organiser: Use empty toilet paper rolls to organize cables and cords. Decorate the rolls with colorful paper or tape. Magnetic Spice Jars: Attach small magnets to the lids of small jars and stick them to a metal board or fridge for easy-access spice storage. Handmade Coasters: Cut out squares from old corkboard or felt and decorate them with paint or fabric to create custom coasters. Natural All-Purpose Cleaner: Mix equal parts water and white vinegar in a spray bottle. Add a few drops of essential oil for a pleasant scent. Use it to clean surfaces around your home.
Daily Mail
03-08-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
We escaped the UK for Bulgaria and now save more than £20k on bills... here is how we did it
A British family-of-six moved to Bulgaria and now save £22k-a-year on their household bills. Amy Smerdon, 35, and her husband, Jerry, 53, had always dreamed of living off grid and were fed up of renting but realised they couldn't afford a mortgage in the UK. The couple - who have a two sons, aged eight and six, and twin boys, aged five - heard about cheap property in Bulgaria and bought a three-bedroom home for £7k in 2024 to do up as a holiday home. After Amy got some inheritance money when her grandad passed away, the family decided to move out permanently and bought the plot, with a warehouse, near the town of Popovo. Jerry, who runs a vape shop and ice cream parlour in the UK, converted the warehouse into a liveable home at the beginning of this year. Amy and their kids - and her eldest son, eight, from a previous relationship - moved out from Wincanton, Somerset in March 2025. Now they are renovating the home with a £10k budget and feel 'free' - and say they're able to save £1,801 a month. Amy, a stay-at-home mum, said: 'We've regained control of our life. 'We're actually a family - not just surviving.' Jerry, who has four older son's from previous relationships, said: 'A big part of this was to give this freedom. 'I've been let down by 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 originally looked into living off grid - and converting a shipping container into a home - but found the costs of this would still be high in the UK. She said: '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 visited Bulgaria on holiday several times and thought it was a 'lovely' country. After seeing others buying properties abroad, Amy and Jerry started looking at what was available and took the leap on a doer-upper property in Bulgaria. Amy said: 'It was always meant to be a holiday home. It was £7k - the price of what you'd pay for a holiday. 'Then we had no intention of emigrating.' But as the family started reflecting more on their life in the UK they looked into how easy moving out might be. Amy was frustrated by the state of the UK, the judgement on parenting and the cost of living and property prices. She said: '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 loves that her kids can be 'free' and play outside in their new home country. 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 says the cost of living is also much cheaper - she used to pay £1,300 in rent a month and her bills cost £670 in Britain. Now their bills only cost £198.50 a month. Amy says it's not been 'easy' and they still don't feel 'settled' in Bulgaria but have no regrets over their move. 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 Sun
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I'm a Brit who's chuffed to have got a house in Bulgaria for £8k…but trolls say they've seen ‘better homes on Shameless'
A BRITISH couple are chuffed to have bought a house in Bulgaria for just £8,000. But not only have people described the huge property as looking 'rough', but one mean troll has even claimed to have seen 'better houses on the Chatsworth Estate on Shameless.' 3 3 3 Posting on social media, Maxwell, 38, and his wife Leah Jones, 29, gave viewers a close-up look outside and inside the huge property, which is in Popovo, Bulgaria. As he took a step inside his new pad, Maxwell was pleased and felt 'very lucky' that his bargain home has UPVC doors and windows everywhere. He showed off the 'big hallway' and the 'original coving' which is still in place around the lights and walls. He described the first bedroom as being in a 'good state', as he admitted: 'Seen a lot worse on the market in Bulgaria for the money.' Maxwell, who plans to take his family over to Bulgaria to renovate the house and eventually become as 'self-sustainable as possible', recognised that despite the electrics being 'half done', he wasn't bothered as he beamed: 'But for £8k, I'll deal with it.' After showing off the huge bedrooms and the large kitchen space, Maxwell gave a quick glance in the bathroom, which was complete with a bath, toilet, sink and radiator. Thrilled with the bathroom, he beamed: 'We're very lucky to get this because a lot of the other houses that we've seen, there was absolutely nothing - every single room needed doing. 'It's all plumbed in, ready to go - needs a bit of love, a bit of TLC and a clean, but that's what we're here for.' Not only does the property have three bedrooms, but there's also a 'massive' barn with 'endless possibilities', and a garage on the land too. As he showed off the outside space, which is 'very overgrown' with 'so much c**p everywhere', Maxwell acknowledged: 'All needs bringing back to life - I can't wait to do that.' Big divide The TikTok clip, which was recently posted online under the username @ maxwellmydailys, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly gone viral and amassed 1.5 million views. Not only this, but it's also racked up 24,700 likes, 2,339 comments and 2,760 saves. 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. But social media users were totally divided by Maxwell's £8,000 property - while some thought he was 'lucky' to get such a great deal, others described it as looking 'rough.' One user beamed: 'What a steal! It's amazing what you can get here for a good bargain! Wish you all the best!' A second gasped: 'That is one of the best deals I have seen!!!!! LUCKY.' Whilst someone else shared: 'The house is mint for that price.' But at the same time, one person said: 'It's rough.' Another added: 'Seen better state houses on the Chatsworth Estate on Shameless.' Meanwhile, a third chimed in and wrote: 'Don't mean to disappoint you, but this is too high of a price for this property. Source: I am Bulgarian.'
The Sun
14-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
We quit UK life to live in an abandoned home abroad for £8,000 – we now live mortgage-free
A FAMILY has traded life in the UK for an abandoned home abroad so they can live "mortgage-free". Maxwell, 38, and Leah Jones, 29, bought the deserted house in Bulgaria in January for just £8,000 - and they didn't even view it in person. 6 6 6 6 The couple said they had always dreamed of living self-sufficiently and didn't want to spend the next 25 years paying off a mortgage in the UK. So they decided to take the plunge and buy the three-bed home in Popovo, Bulgaria. Maxwell and Leah said they started looking at properties just before Christmas last year after seeing others do the same on social media. Maxwell said: "We were due to buy a house in the UK but it became hard to put all this money out and still be paying it off for 25 years. "We looked at the price in Bulgaria and it became a no brainer." And it sounds like they struck gold, bagging the spacious family home for just £8,000. Which is a bargain when compared with property prices in their home town in Wales where a three-bed house sells for around £300,000. While the abandoned home needs a lot of work done, the couple aren't in any rush. Leah said: "We want to try and get away from this idea that it has to be an aesthetically pleasing home." Maxwell added: "If the kids help out with painting and there are a few brush strokes on the skirting board - that's OK. Brendan Courtney reveals incredible home re-vamp "It will be an ongoing project - it might take years." The couple will also transform their garden so they can grow their own fruit and vegetables and have their own animals. They estimate that it will cost between £15,000 to £20,000. They added that the cost of living in Bulgaria is a "lot cheaper" than in the UK. One neighbour told Maxwell that he pays £15 to £20 a month for electrics, compared to the £3,000 a year the couple is currently paying for electric and gas in the UK. And council tax is only £25 a year. The couple have estimated they can get by on about £300 to £400 a month in Bulgaria - on a stringent budget. Which is half the price of the current cost of their UK rent - £680. 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. Maxwell and Leah flew out to the house in May with the plan being for the whole family to live there at the end of they year. Maxwell from Prestatyn, Wales, said: "It was exactly like it looked online. "Now we're mortgage-free. "There is a lot to do - it's a shell. "We're up for a challenge." The couple pride themselves on their "alternative" lifestyle and already home school their two kids - Lorenzo, two, and Indy, nine. They also make sure to eat organically and even make their own toothpaste. Maxwell said: "Breaking from the norm - as scary as it is it can be rewarding. "In Bulgaria the kids are playing out all day. "In this country kids are striving for that next toy or app - it's constant dopamine hits. "We want to keep a creative space in our children." 6 6
Daily Mail
13-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Welsh family wanting to be mortgage-free buy house for £8,000 without even viewing it
A Welsh family have spent £8,000 on an abandoned home in Bulgaria without viewing it in person, in a quest to become 'mortgage free'. Maxwell, 38, and Leah Jones, 29, said their dream was to live self-sufficiently and did not want to spend 25 years paying off a mortgage in the UK. The couple bought their three-bedroom home in Popovo, Bulgaria in January 2025, a relative bargain compared to similar-sized properties in their home town of Prestatyn, Wales, which have a market value of around £300,000. Joiner and landscaper Maxwell and Leah, who works in health and social care, flew out in May and are set to move out to at the end of the year. They say if you were to live on a 'stringent budget' it only cost their family-of-four £300 a month in Bulgaria or £680 for a 'comfortable month'. This is in comparison to their current £680 monthly rent, up to £200 weekly food shop, and £250 a month they pay for electric and gas. They estimate it will cost them £15k to £20k to bring the home up to scratch. Maxwell said: 'It was exactly like it looked online. 'Now we're mortgage-free. There is a lot to do - it's a shell but we are up for a challenge.' Maxwell and Leah like to live 'alternatively' and already homeschool their two children- Lorenzo, two, and Indy, nine. They eat organically and even make their own toothpaste. They have always dreamed of living self-sufficiently and started to realise this wasn't affordable to do in the UK. Maxwell and Leah started looking at properties Bulgaria just before Christmas 2024 after seeing others do the same on social media. Maxwell said: 'We were due to buy a house in the UK but it became hard to put all this money out and still be paying it off for 25 years. 'We looked at the price in Bulgaria and it became a no brainer.' They found a property online they liked and put an offer in - paying for it in January 2025. The home has three bedrooms and a barn - which Maxwell hopes he will be able to do livestream DJ sets from. He will fly out in two months to re-wire the home before the rest of his family join towards the end of this year. They don't have a set budget or timescale for the renovation - and don't feel any pressure for it to look like a 'showhome'. Leah said: 'We want to try and get away from this idea that it has to be an aesthetically pleasing home.' Maxwell added: 'If the kids help out with painting and there are a few brush strokes on the skirting board - that's OK. 'It will be an ongoing project - it might take years.' The couple also have plans to transform their garden so they can grow their own fruit and vegetables and keep their own animals. They say the cost of living in Bulgaria is a 'lot cheaper' and the weather and pace of life also attracted them to the country. Maxwell said: 'Our neighbour says he pays £15 to £20 a month for electric. 'We pay about £3,000 a year for electric and gas in the UK. Council tax is only £25 a year. 'We estimated you could get by on about £300 to £400 a month in Bulgaria - on a stringent budget. 'The cost of our rent - £680 - will be everything you need in Bulgaria for a comfortable month there.' Maxwell says they are lucky that they can work remotely - as he has just launched a wellness supplement brand - which has helped them secure visa's. Maxwell said: 'Breaking from the norm - as scary as it is it can be rewarding. 'In Bulgaria the kids are playing out all day. 'In this country kids are striving for that next toy or app - it's constant dopamine hits. 'We want to keep a creative space in our children.'
