A man who says living in London left him £10,000 in debt has cleared the sum by relocating to Sicily and buying an 85p house, while doubling his earnings. George Laing, 33, accumulated the debt due to the high cost of living in the capital and his youthful spending habits.
With half his income spent on rent and the rest on bills and taxes, he was adding £300 monthly in debt for expenses like commuting. After being made redundant from a night shift role, he sought an escape and discovered Italy's one euro home scheme. He purchased a dilapidated three-bedroom property in Sicily in December 2022, spending roughly £2,000 on renovations.
George cleared his debt within two years by earning more through content creation while spending less on living costs. He now owns two properties in Italy and helps others access the scheme. Through online seminars and showcasing homes, he claims to earn double his London salary.
He said: 'I had loads of debts from bad decisions when I was younger – credit cards, phone bills, borrowing from family. London is also so expensive to live in, so I was living paycheck to paycheck.' He added: 'In London, you get a decent salary, but you are never able to spend it – the expenses are so much.'
Following his purchase in Mussomeli, he lived without water or electricity for 18 months while renovating. He documented the process on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, using social media income to rent accommodation during the work and clear his debts. He now plans to acquire around 50 properties for a renovation business.
