Latest news with #mortgagefree
BBC News
7 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Stanley lottery winner fulfils 'every parent's dream'
A builder who won £1m on the National Lottery says he has fulfilled "every parent's dream" by paying off his four daughters' Gillings, of Stanley, County Durham, said he would "never forget" phoning his children to tell them about the the triumph was accompanied by heartbreak as his 85-year-old father, who had prostate cancer and Parkinson's disease, died two days later."I like to think knowing [my wife] Caroline and I, and the girls, were all well set up for the future meant he slipped away more peacefully," Mr Gillings said. The 61-year-old added: "I told dad we'd won a million and, true to character, his first words were 'don't lie to us!'"My dad always said 'celebrate the wins'. That's exactly what we intend to do and I've enjoyed telling everyone I've bumped into since that we've won."We've always worked hard and helped our kids where we can, but this is a whole other level. Surely it's every parent's dream."I'll never forget phoning our daughters to tell them that their mortgages were being paid off. It generated quite a bit of screaming and joy." Mr Gillings has been a builder since he left school and continued to work in the days after the win but might now focus on his own project - developing a plot of land he bought with a friend some years and his wife, 54, will also use the money to support Breast Cancer Awareness after close family members were affected by the Gillings, a keen breeder of endangered birds such the Bali myna, hopes to spot one in the wild with a visit to Indonesia.A trip to Machu Picchu, in Peru, is also on the cards for the Gillings won the Lotto game on 26 March with the numbers 14, 17, 18, 22, 34 and 58. Follow BBC Sunderland on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
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.'
The Sun
06-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
I love being a cheapskate – I only drink tea at work as it's free and use rain water to flush my loo to save on my bills
A FRUGAL mum has shared the five ways she cuts costs in her day-to-day life. From stocking up on free food, to never drinking tea at home, the 32-year-old has saved so much money she is now mortgage-free. 2 As a self-described 'cheapskate,' she revealed five habits that stop her spending. Taking to social media, she said: "Here's 5 things I did today as a cheapskate to either save me money or stop me spending money." She revealed she woke up and headed out straight away to pick up a bag of free food through the Olio app. The savvy woman managed to pick up some bread, fruit and salad which she used to make an egg sandwich with the eggs her chicken laid. To add to her income, she also sold items on Vinted but refused to fork out for packaging, instead using boxes or bags she had lying around her home. She also revealed she bought some period pants to save on buying sanitary products every month. "It's one of those sustainable swaps I'd been putting off because it costs money to buy them in the first place," she added. The frugal woman also revealed that her loo was currently broken and wouldn't flush, so she had to use a bucket of rain water to get it working. "Of course the cheapskate in me loves this because we're not using paid-for water to flush the toilet, we're using rainwater," she added. And last but not least, the money-saving fanatic revealed that she never buys tea or coffee at home and waits until she is at work to have one as the company pays for it. I used cheap Temu tiles to get a herringbone bathroom while saving for a reno - they're good as new 4 months later She added: "Now that I'm at work I'm taking full advantage of the free coffee, I've said before I don't drink tea or coffee or anything other than water when I'm at home but when I'm at work and it's free I might as well." The clip was shared on her TikTok account @ diaryofacheapskate and went viral with over 435k views and 12k likes. People were quick to take to the comments and many claimed the mum had gone overboard with her frugal lifestyle. One person wrote: "You work and you have an extra income. Yes olio is for all but someone might genuinely have nothing and that bag of food could have gone to someone less fortunate than yourself!" Here's how to cut the cost of your grocery shop SAVING on your shop can make a big difference to your wallet. Here are some tips from about how you can cut the cost of your shopping bills: Write yourself a list – Only buy items that you need. If it isn't on your list, don't put it in the trolley Create a budget – Work out a weekly budget for your food shopping Never shop hungry – you are far more likely to buy more food if your tummy is rumbling Don't buy pre-chopped veggies or fruit – The extra they'll charge for chopping can be eye watering Use social media – follow your favourite retailers to find out about the latest deals Be disloyal – You may want to go to different stores to find the best bargains Check the small print – It's always worth checking the price per kg/lb/litre when comparing offers so you're making a like for like decision as a bigger box won't necessarily mean you get more Use your loyalty cards – Don't be afraid to sign up to them all. They all work slightly differently – work out what bonus suits you better and remember to trade in your points for additional rewards Another commented: 'Why won't you drink tea or coffee at home? We're allowed a little treat you know." "If it involves a water bucket for the toilet, you know you're pushing it too far," penned a third. Meanwhile a fourth said: "May this lifestyle never find me." "Wowza, this would send me insane,' claimed a fifth. Someone else added: 'This isn't living."
