Latest news with #selfsufficiency
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
We moved to a cheap as chips European country with 3 kids – houses are less than UK train tickets & our food shop is £43
A FAMILY-OF-FIVE have left the UK and moved to a cheap as chips European country. Now, not only are the houses cheaper than UK train tickets, but their weekly food shop has been majorly slashed too. 2 And that's not all, as luckily for these parents, who have three children, their petrol costs are also now a third of the price. Posting on social media, a couple who are known as 'Fresh Start Sticks', have shared an insight into their new life in Bulgaria. The family made the decision to move abroad in search of a 'homesteading life,' which is a lifestyle focused on self-sufficiency and often involves practices such as small-scale farming, food preservation, and crafting. Standing in front of their three-bedroom house which they bought without viewing it in the flesh, the mother said: 'We bought a house in Bulgaria for less than a UK season train ticket, but the price is secondary to the reasons why we made the decision.' While the mother didn't confirm how much they paid for their home, the cost of a yearly train ticket in the UK varies significantly based on the specific route and class of travel. The most expensive annual train ticket in the UK is typically for journeys into London, with routes like Harlow Town to London Liverpool Street costing £3,496. However, some long-distance routes, such as those from Canterbury and Southampton into London, are set to rise more than £300 to £7,100 and £7,477 respectively. The savvy mum explained that buying the home was a 'massive risk' and while it 'isn't perfect' it's worth it for them. She then acknowledged their reasons for leaving the UK, as the content creator highlighted: 'We were running out of steam in the UK, things were not getting any better, in fact, it was getting worse - a lot of people's attitudes had changed, things were different, people were different. 'We did a lot of research before turning up in Bulgaria - for us, Bulgaria ticked all the boxes, it was warm in the summer, the only thing that we were a little unsure of was the winter, which gets down to -20.' 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 The mum-of-three explained that the Visa process was a bit of a faff, but this wasn't the only issue they came across. She continued: 'When we came to Bulgaria, there were so many pitfalls that we unfortunately fell into and that was the first thing that really irritated us.' As well as the lengthy Visa process, she shared: 'The estate agents were showing us properties that were derelict and we were not interested in anything that was beyond what we could live in, and also the fees to get your visa were astronomical.' Huge savings In another clip, the mother got candid about the cost of living in Bulgaria. Opening up about her costs, she confirmed that the family spend around £43 a week on food shopping. They also spend around £26.60 on fuel and £15 a week on fresh fruit. When it comes to their miscellaneous spending, this normally costs just £6.65 a week, bringing their total weekly spend to around £91.25. The parents confirmed that this is much cheaper than what they were previously spending, as they explained that whilst in the UK, they would normally fork out between £60 to £80 a week on petrol. How easy is it to move abroad? Brexit means British citizens now have to apply for visas to move to countries within the EU. While some countries residency restrictions are easier than others, here's what you need to do at home before moving: Notify HMRC about your upcoming move. Let your local authority know and provide a forwarding address. Contact your mortgage and utility providers and bank before leaving. If you have paid enough UK national insurance contributions, you can qualify for a state pension abroad - contact the International Pension Centre. You can sign up to the Royal Mail's redirection service. If you have outstanding student loans, contact the Student Loans Centre. If you have children, give due notice to childcares and schools. Meanwhile, their supermarket food would typically cost them £180 a week and fruits would set them back between £70 and £80 a week. With a total cost of around £320 a week in the UK, this savvy saver beamed at the 'big difference.' And not only are they saving a huge amount, but they are also on a mission to reduce their spending even further, as the couple have plans to reduce their shopping costs and grow their own food on their land. Big divide The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @ freshstartsticks, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly racked up 521,400 views. But social media users were left totally divided by the family's decision to move to Bulgaria - whilst some thought they would 'love' it, others expressed their concerns. One person said: 'Enjoy your life in Bulgaria.' Another added: 'Very cool! Welcome to such a beautiful journey.' A third commented: 'You'll love it in Bulgaria.' Meanwhile, one troll slammed: 'I couldn't even be paid to move there.' A second chimed in: 'There is a reason why it's so cheap!!!' Someone else asked: 'I'm stunned 😳, why have you done this? I have no words.' Whilst another claimed: 'This is just reckless 😖 I pray for your children and the hell they'll have to go through.'
Reuters
6 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Japan PM Ishiba urges less US dependence as Tokyo faces new tariffs
TOKYO, July 10 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on Thursday his country needed to wean itself from U.S. dependence in such key areas as security, food and energy, as Tokyo faces the prospect of new U.S. tariffs in three weeks. "If they think Japan ought to follow what America says as we depend heavily on them, then we need to work to become more self-sufficient in security, energy and food, and less dependent on America," Ishiba told a TV news programme. He made the comment when asked about his remark, made during his stump speech on Wednesday, that tariff negotiations with the United States were a "battle in which national interest is at stake. We won't be taken lightly". Trump notified Ishiba on Monday that Washington would impose tariffs of 25% on Japanese imports from August 1, but hinted at opportunities for additional negotiations.
Bloomberg
09-07-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Nvidia Reaches a Milestone $4 Trillion Valuation
Good morning. Nvidia passes a major milestone. India strives for self-sufficiency. And beer drinkers are still looking for that buzz. Listen to the day's top stories. Nvidia made history on Wednesday as the first company ever to exceed $4 trillion in market valuation. The brief achievement marks a stunning rebound for the chipmaker after a rough start to the year when spending fears sparked by DeepSeek and Donald Trump's trade war weighed on risk sentiment and pulled the stock market down. The company's shares have risen more than 21% in 2025, and are up a staggering 1,015% since the beginning of 2023.
RNZ News
08-07-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
More work needed to protect prime horticultural land, says industry
Photo: Supplied The horticulture industry says more work is needed to protect prime horticultural land. New research looking at the ability to get by with domestic production if global food supply chains are disrupted ranked New Zealand was one of the most self-sufficient countries. The paper, published in the journal Nature Food , analysed 186 countries ability to feed their citizens and achieve dietary guidelines if supply chains were disrupted by trade tariffs, wars, pandemics or other crises. The research found over a third of countries cannot meet self-sufficiency for more than two of the seven essential food groups, while New Zealand was fully self-sufficient in five of the seven - fruit and vegetable, meat, dairy, fish and seafood supply - but would struggle to produce enough starchy staples and legumes, nuts and seeds. Industry group United Fresh spokesperson Dr Hans Maurer told Morning Report while the report bodes well for New Zealand's food security, there's an imbalance in protecting prime horticultural land, citing housing development at Pukekohe. "[That's] very good volcanic land and a lot of that land over the last twenty years has been built up with new housing," he said. "Horticulture - particularly the protection of vegetables - is very dependent on land that can be intensively farmed. We have plenty of land in this country, but not land of the same quality of Pukekohe or Horowhenua, where the soils are just ideal." Dr Maurer said the industry was working with the government on new legislation. "We need to create a legal framework that protects production," he said. New Zealand has traditionally "boxed above it's weight" when it came to the adoption of technology and innovation, he said. "You only need to look at the kiwifruit industry or the way the apple industry has maintained its edge globally." But he said there needs to be continued investment, especially as new on-farm and orchard technologies come online, including artificial intelligence. New Zealand's reliance on seasonal labour was also problematic, as it would become harder to come by as the population aged, he said. United Fresh figures showed the country's fresh fruit and vegetable exports reached $4.3 billion dollars last year, an increase of 8 percent from 2023. The group said there was an industry-wide push underway to increase horticulture production, with an aim of doubling the farmgate return by 2036. Consumers spent roughly $1.3 billion dollars on New Zealand-grown produce in 2024. While shoppers were increasingly suffering from sticker shock at the price of some produce, the sector is heavily impacted by other markets, particularly energy and gas, instability in those markets puts a lot of pressure on supply chains. Maurer stressed the weather dependent nature of the industry, including challenges from extreme weather events, pests and diseases, noting that last month's widespread flooding in the Nelson Tasman region will impact next season's apples. Despite New Zealand's relatively good showing in the research, a map summarising the results contained a significant glitch - the country did not feature at all. "That is not a reflection of the work that has been done, they certainly analysed New Zealand as well," Maurer said. The researchers had apologised for the unintentional omission, he said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Maynard shares ‘inspiring' update
CATLETTSBURG As he does regularly at city and county government meetings, Hillcrest-Bruce Mission's director provided what the judge-executive labeled 'inspiring' update during Tuesday's Boyd County Fiscal Court meeting. Mike Maynard shared a few stories about people overcoming adversity and experiencing success through the Mission's programs. Maynard told the county commission about a man Hillcrest-Bruce has assisted for three years who enjoyed buying his first car. He's a Boyd County Schools employee now. Maynard also spoke about a woman who had landed in jail, got evicted and lost custody of her children all in one weekend. She initially turned away from Hillcrest-Bruce's help only to return two months later. 'She graduated drug court last week,' Maynard said. 'She has a house, she has a job, she has visitation, and we were able to gift her a vehicle to help her get a better-paying job. … That was about a two-and-a-half-year, three-year process.' As of last month, 264 people have been in Hillcrest-Bruce Mission's programs over the last seven years, according to Maynard — 185 of them have landed jobs and are no longer on government assistance. 'That's what it's all about — helping people become self-sufficient because there's dignity in being able to take care of yourself,' he said. '… We are blessed to have partnerships we have in order to do what we do. 'We're looking to expand our services,' he added. 'So I appreciate your all's support.' 'It's always inspiring when you come in here and share these stories,' Judge-Executive Eric Chaney said. 'Keep doing what you're doing. You're appreciated.' Hillcrest-Bruce Mission is at 1819 Eloise Street in Ashland. Visit or call (606) 324-5723 for more information. Other notable items from Tuesday's meeting: • Kacy Abrams, the county's community development director, previewed a couple of upcoming events — Sno-Cones and Suncatchers at Armco Park Shelter 5 on Friday, July 18, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and the Boyd County Repair Affair on Saturday, Sept. 27. Project applications will be accepted for Repair Affair through July 31. Applicants must own their home and reside in an unincorporated Boyd County area. Applicants must be at least 60 years old or certified as disabled. Applications are available at the Boyd County Courthouse or accessible online at • David Bland, of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, supplied information to the fiscal court about the organization that does 'everything we can to get our contractors work,' he said. IUPAT contractors have contributed heavily to major projects in the area such as Sandy's Gaming and the UK King's Daughters emergency department. Bland, who is from Parkersburg, West Virginia, said the union focuses on construction and finishing trades — painting, drywall finishing, sign/display work and floor covering are among them. He said the union is making a push to bring in more women to the crafts. 'Women make great painters and drywall finishers because of their attention to detail,' Bland said. Visit for more information. • The Boyd County Conservation District, which received $60,000 from a recent Kentucky Department of Agriculture settlement, is running a cost-share program in the county until July 25. The program is in place to help agricultural operations protect the soil and water resources and to implement agriculture water quality plans. Email bcconservation@ or call (606) 928-8027 for more information. • Commissioner Jeremy Holbrook reminded citizens to be aware of the Rock the Country festival this weekend, which is expected to bring in a large turnout to the fairgrounds and the area, in general, over the next few days. 'We are going to have busier roads, we're going to have packed gas stations and, more than likely, longer waits for our favorite restaurants,' Holbrook said. 'We know this, but to remind everybody, of the trickle-down effect of the economy of festivals like this. ... Like last year, I pray that the number of incidents that occur at this are the lowest on the tour. We had a great festival last year. … Some people are going to be coming to Boyd County for the first time, so that's an honor for us.' • The next Boyd County Fiscal Court meeting is slated for Tuesday, Aug. 12, at noon. (606) 326-2664 | asnyder@
