Latest news with #lifechanging
Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- Lifestyle
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE I ditched the UK for China and life is so much better - my weekly shop is just £10 and I earn £1,000-a-month working 13 hours a week
A woman who made the 'life-changing' decision to ditch the UK and live in China has revealed the incredible amount of cash the move has saved her. Emily Severn says she spends just £10 on her weekly shop and earns £1k-a-month working just 13 hours a week. The 24-year-old flew over 5,000 miles away from her home in Nottingham to live in Suzhou in the Jiangsu Province of Eastern China in June 2024. Working as an teacher in both kindergarten and junior high schools, Emily normally does just 13 hours every week - teaching English to Chinese students - and is paid £20 per hour. Noticing a huge difference in the amount she spends, Emily says she's seen price decreases in rent and social activities, and says she leads a more active life in China. She says her outgoings in the UK would cost her £850-a-month, compared to £336 for the same in China - and she insists there is 'more of a work life balance' as she only works 13 hours a week, compared to an average 40-hour work week in Britain. Emily, an English teacher, originally from Nottingham, UK, said: 'I think what drew me to it is it's so different to rainy England. 'In Manchester the rent for a one-bed apartment, as my university accommodation, was £850 per month. 'The rent every month here has been costing me 2,200 yuan which at the moment is about £323 pounds. A woman who ditched the UK to move to China says she spends just £10 on her weekly shop and earns £1k-a-month working just 13 hours a week 'You can go to the market here and literally buy a full food shop for £5 and that can last you a few days. 'In the UK there would be a lot of time being sedentary but here I probably lead a much more active lifestyle. 'There are a lot of parks that are free so there are still a lot of free activities. 'They're literally a bigger scale. They have a wetland park near where I live and it's massive. 'It's difficult to walk around it all, it took me around three hours and I hadn't walked around the entire park. It's so easy to go over 10,000 steps every day. 'I was probably doing a lot less on most days at home. It was regularly 2,000 or 3,000 steps, the most was 7,000. 'All there was to do where I lived was a few parks but you didn't really want to walk around them. Everyday feels different in China, but in the UK everyday felt the same.' 'It's definitely a life-changing decision but all of my family are very happy for me.' Emily first began learning Chinese at alongside her masters degree in Journalism - where she also met boyfriend Wei, 30. After securing a job in Suzhou whilst completing her TESOL qualification – which stands for Teaching English to Speaker of Other Languages- the couple moved out to China together, where they now live in a one-bed apartment. She said: 'It was actually my Chinese teacher's old boss that was hiring teachers in China. 'Once I had my TESOL certificate they could start giving me my contract and work permit. 'Personally within the company I work in there is more of a work life balance. 'There's more flexibility than in the UK. 'I think I wanted to move explore and see something new because a lot of the time in the UK there's not a lot that goes on. 'In summer in China there are a lot of light shows and concerts at parks. 'There's a hustle and bustle and a lot going on. 'The utilities in China are 100 yen for the electricity per month and in British pounds that's about £10.15, that was costing me £37 in the UK. 'My water bill is 100 yuan but we only really have to pay it every three months, so £10.15 every three months – compared to £37 in the UK.' Emily explains most attractions – like water towns including Mudu, Nanxun and Zhouzhuang - cost as little as £1 for entry include museum access, and says she spends a lot of her time walking in the different parks on offer in her area. Teaching a mixture of class based and one-to-one sessions, Emily is paid upwards of £20 an hour, and estimates she earns £10,145 over the year. Living in a one-bed apartment with a kitchen, bathroom, living area and mezzanine floor for their bedroom, the couple spend their weekends travelling to local 'ancient towns'. Despite loving life in Suzhou, Emily can see herself returning to the UK at some point. 'I think it's more wanting to come back to family,' she said. 'When you're in China you kind of value family a lot more because everyone places a big value on family.'
Daily Mail
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Pip Edward's ex and Ksubi founder breaks his silence about balcony fall that almost ended his life and tore apart his marriage to model after he dragged her into GoFundMe scandal
Pip Edwards ' ex Dan Single has broken his silence on a horrific accident that left him in an induced coma. The Ksubi designer was left injured after he fell from a third-story balcony at an upscale Paris hotel in 2017. The accident saw him plunge several storeys, shattering his legs and leaving him in a coma for eight days. Dan has revealed how the incident that saw him 'die for ten minutes' was a 'life changing experience'. 'Falling off a fourth-floor balcony in Paris in 2017, dying and then coming back to life, was certainly a life-changing moment,' he told Esquire. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'When you die you will never know if you achieved your dreams or if you got the house or if the business didn't work out – because you are dead. 'It's just finished. It sounds a bit morbid, but I think that has stopped me from being scared or regretting things.' His ex-wife Bambi Northwood-Blyth, a model and TV presenter, was in the Hotel Grand D'Amour apartment with Dan on March 11, 2017, when he fell 'feet first' from a bedroom window. Alongside two friends, she was seen rushing to a nearby hospital, where Dan was placed in an induced coma. A month later, previously supportive fans turned on him, labelling him 'pathetic' for using fundraising website GoFundMe to ask for $250,000 to cover hospital bills. An anonymous donor said: 'How come you can fund partying, drinking and overseas trips but not your own recovery?' 'I'll give you $5 with the sole intent of telling you what an idiot everyone thinks you are.' It was later claimed Bambi was 'mortified' about Dan's decision to ask for money, and reports subsequently emerged speculating the pair had split during the fallout. In 2018, Dan confirmed his split with Bambi on the 12-month anniversary of the balcony fall. Alongside an image of his estranged wife, he explained: 'When I fell, my hips and pelvis broke in half, and with that our D&B co-dependent relationship broke too.' 'We were no longer joined at the hip. Two people cannot live as one, it's not healthy, you can try but you're really living half a life.' He also previously dated PE Nation founder Pip, the mother of his 18-year-old son Justice, but they split in 2008 and have remained on good terms.
BBC News
04-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Norwich forklifter driver quits job after £1m scratchcard win
A forklift driver who quit his job after winning £1m on a scratchcard says he believes his late father had something to do with the Lopez, 39, from Norwich, bought five scratchcards from a corner shop in Hellesdon and discovered he had won the top prize with the final Lopez said he "bruised my arm pinching myself" and has since quit his job and bought both himself and his mother a new said he was visited in his dreams by his father, who died eight years ago, and "in some ways this win has come from him". Mr Lopez said he had been on his way to see friends when he popped into the shop on Reepham Road to buy a handful of scratchcards. After winning on the National Lottery Millionaire Maker scratchcard, which costs £5, he sat in his car for an hour savouring the moment, with the ticket hidden away in the glovebox."It was the biggest surprise I've ever had on a scratchcard, £1m... I'll never forget the moment," he said he watched the balance on his bank account go from £12.40 to £1,000,012.40. Mr Lopez said he was visited in his dreams by his father, and had asked him to let him prove that "money won't ruin me"."I think in some ways this win has come from him. So, when I treated myself to my dream car, I knew I had to make mum's dream come true too," he said."It's life-changing.... the £1m has allowed me to do everything to change my life for the better and set opportunities up to allow me to carry on in life - to write my own story."Mr Lopez has previously taken part in fundraising events, including in 2023 when he attempted to break the world record for the fastest time recorded running a mile in a swimming pool. He ran 63 lengths of a 25m (82ft) pool to raise money in aid of a five-year-old girl with spinal muscular atrophy. He said he wanted to go public about his win because the National Lottery gave about £30m of funding to projects each week."To be able to give back by going public... I'm thinking about the bigger picture... to carry on that momentum of the fundraising," said Mr Lopez. Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How Aus lotto winners spend their millions
The next time an unknown number pops up on your screen, don't hit decline - you might be ignoring a million-dollar phone call. A call out of the blue was how a quarter of Australian lottery winners discovered the life-changing news in 2024, according to The Lott's Annual Winners Report. There were 441 division one winning entries across Australia, collectively dishing out more than $1.56bn in prize money. The findings come as the search for the elusive mystery winner of the $100m Powerball jackpot stretches into its third week, with officials still hoping to track down the holder of the winning ticket purchased in Bondi. The ticket was unregistered, meaning the winner has not been able to be contacted directly. Of those who have claimed their new fortunes, another 24 per cent made the happy discovery by checking their tickets online. 'I let out a number of swear words and then spent most the night checking my numbers,' one winner said. '(I) yelled out, 'You beauty!' and scared the dog with my excitement,' another said. While most winners agreed the experience was 'life-changing', the most common ways they enjoyed their prize varied from investing to using it to help their family and friends or buying a car. 'I was emotional because of what it meant for my family,' one winner said. 'I felt a great sigh of relief that so much pressure to provide for my family had been lifted, and our future felt far more secure.' Others opted to use their winnings in delightfully unexpected ways, with one winner heading all the way to Istanbul for a confidence-boosting hair transplant. One splurged on a pair of handcrafted leather dress shoes, while another tapped into some classic car nostalgia by picking up a vintage 1936 Oldsmobile. Another marked the occasion by gifting luxury watches to close relatives, and another jetted off to Las Vegas to attend a mate's Elvis-themed wedding. Seventeen per cent donated to charities close to their hearts, and on average, six other people benefited directly from each winner's prize. The Lott's report also asked past winners what advice they'd give to future recipients. 'It's very easy to go crazy early on, but my advice would be to calm down and carefully think about your future plans,' one winner said. 'Treat your win as an opportunity to improve your circumstances, so don't waste it.' The other bit of advice was to keep the win quiet, and keep track of who you told. The Lott spokesperson Anna Hobdell said the emotional reactions are often intense and immediate. 'Winners often tell us their bodies go into overdrive the moment they hear the life-changing news, with hearts racing, hands trembling, and even a wave of nausea setting in,' she said. 'But once the news sinks in, most winners can't wait to share the joy with people in the know. 'Only about eight per cent keep it completely under wraps and tell absolutely no one. 'For many, the best part of winning is being able to give back, whether it's helping their kids buy their first home, shouting a holiday for their friends, or even strangers who could use a helping hand.' Sign in to access your portfolio
News.com.au
30-06-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
‘You beauty': Aussie lotto winners reveal what happened after they won
The next time an unknown number pops up on your screen, don't hit decline - you might be ignoring a million-dollar phone call. A call out of the blue was how a quarter of Australian lottery winners discovered the life-changing news in 2024, according to The Lott's Annual Winners Report. There were 441 division one winning entries across Australia, collectively dishing out more than $1.56bn in prize money. The findings come as the search for the elusive mystery winner of the $100m Powerball jackpot stretches into its third week, with officials still hoping to track down the holder of the winning ticket purchased in Bondi. The ticket was unregistered, meaning the winner has not been able to be contacted directly. Of those who have claimed their new fortunes, another 24 per cent made the happy discovery by checking their tickets online. 'I let out a number of swear words and then spent most the night checking my numbers,' one winner said. '(I) yelled out, 'You beauty!' and scared the dog with my excitement,' another said. While most winners agreed the experience was 'life-changing', the most common ways they enjoyed their prize varied from investing to using it to help their family and friends or buying a car. 'I was emotional because of what it meant for my family,' one winner said. 'I felt a great sigh of relief that so much pressure to provide for my family had been lifted, and our future felt far more secure.' Others opted to use their winnings in delightfully unexpected ways, with one winner heading all the way to Istanbul for a confidence-boosting hair transplant. One splurged on a pair of handcrafted leather dress shoes, while another tapped into some classic car nostalgia by picking up a vintage 1936 Oldsmobile. Another marked the occasion by gifting luxury watches to close relatives, and another jetted off to Las Vegas to attend a mate's Elvis-themed wedding. Seventeen per cent donated to charities close to their hearts, and on average, six other people benefited directly from each winner's prize. The Lott's report also asked past winners what advice they'd give to future recipients. 'It's very easy to go crazy early on, but my advice would be to calm down and carefully think about your future plans,' one winner said. 'Treat your win as an opportunity to improve your circumstances, so don't waste it.' The other bit of advice was to keep the win quiet, and keep track of who you told. The Lott spokesperson Anna Hobdell said the emotional reactions are often intense and immediate. 'Winners often tell us their bodies go into overdrive the moment they hear the life-changing news, with hearts racing, hands trembling, and even a wave of nausea setting in,' she said. 'But once the news sinks in, most winners can't wait to share the joy with people in the know. 'Only about eight per cent keep it completely under wraps and tell absolutely no one. 'For many, the best part of winning is being able to give back, whether it's helping their kids buy their first home, shouting a holiday for their friends, or even strangers who could use a helping hand.'
