A family "working to survive in the UK" ditched Britain and moved 5,000 miles to Zimbabwe and now have staff to clean, garden and cook for them. "

Natalie Furk, 35, and her husband, James, 37, made the move to live in James' childhood home in March 2024 after they felt their work life balance was off.



James had a full-time job in the automotive industry and Natalie's bakery business had taken off well over the pandemic but it left her working 18 hours every day.



They decided to make the leap and move to southern Africa - selling their four-bed house in Ringstead, Northamptonshire for £500k in December 2023.



The couple - who have two children, Isabella, nine, and Harvey, seven - sent the rest of their belongings over in a 40ft shipping container for £8k and have now "settled in" to life in Harare, Zimbabwe."



They say it's given them a "better standard of living" - with their kids able to attend private school for £8,750 each per year."



They have even sent one of their maids on a cookery course and she now cooks "most" of their meals."

Natalie, a content creator, originally from, Leicester, Leicestershire, said: "With James' job and my business it was just so busy and we had no time with the kids."



"All we were doing was surviving."



"Due to bills, a high mortgage and electricity at the end of the month we had nothing."



"Like a lot of people in the UK it was just a rat race and we were working to survive."



"I just knew if we moved to Zimbabwe everything would change."



"We just got home one day from the unit where I worked - it had been a stressful day - and I just looked across at my husband and said 'what are we doing?'. "

"I love the weather it's a top thing about living here. "

"Everything here is organic here it's so fresh. "

"I love that we have so much free time because we have staff, it allows me to spend more time with the kids - it's amazing."

The family have moved into a home owned by James' mum, Lynn, 67, and have built an annex adjoining the building where she now stays.



James works remotely in the same job he had in the UK and only has to travel back four times per year.



With water bills USD $27.11 per month (£20) and all the electricity powered by solar panels, Natalie says they pay just £90 altogether for utilities.

In the UK, water alone was costing the family £70 per month.

Healthcare called medical aid is USD $620 (£457.33) per month for the entire family, which Natalie says is "really good" - claiming it's a much quicker treatment process than in the UK."



"We said if we don't try we won't ever know or regret not trying," Natalie said."



"Moving over I thought the kids would settle in quickly but it's been the opposite."



"Obviously they've got an accent and they say people at school look at them like they're weird, but they've settled in nicely now."



"In the UK kids grow up quickly and with social media there's a pressure to look a certain way or use certain products."



"Over here there's not really any of that - kids are just kids."



"The schools are expensive but not in comparison to the UK."



"We don't pay really for electricity of water that's two big bills gone."



"And because we moved into James' mum's house we're not paying a mortgage either so that takes away a big cost." "

The children's school days is "so different" to the UK and runs from 7am to 1pm, with after school sports compulsory."



"We definitely have a really better way of living and eating here," Natalie said."



"In the UK we did have a cleaner once a week but decided we were moving cut the cleaner out. "

"But it's not like here - the maids will clean the house every single day, mop and clean. "

"It's a huge difference. "

"I sent my main maid - the reason I say this is because we have one set of maids for the house, and one for the annex - I sent her on a cooking course so she can cook for us."



"They get a salary increase too."



"She cooks most of our meals for us - like tonight we're having homemade pizza."



"There's no chemicals in any of the food it's all just pumped with sun and water."



"We don't really eat too much of the traditional food."



"My husband loves sadza - a cross between rice and mashed potatoes - and we have it once a week."



"The barbecues here are amazing - they don't have burgers or sausages like the Brits do they have full fat steak or boerewors". "

Despite being settled into her new home, Natalie admits she found the first year in Zimbabwe "difficult". "

She said: "When we first moved it felt like a holiday but as the months were going on and I realised I wasn't near my family anymore I panicked and thought 'what have we done?'. "

"It's hard to make friends."



"Most of my friends are foreigners from other countries who are in the same boat as me."



"I'd have the odd cry, but I only went back to the UK in August to see my family."



"It was only when I came back from the UK trip I realised this was home now."



"It hit me that I had made the right decision." "

Costs/lifestyle in UK vs Zimbabwe -

UK


Mortgage and bills (council tax, water and electricity) combined - £3,000
Education - Free
Food - £600 per month (minimum)

Zimbabwe
Mortgage - $0 (£0)
Bills (water, council tax and electricity) - $338.92
Education - private school - $17,500 for the year


Food - $1,000 (maximum)
Hired help - maid to cook meals, gardener etc