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☆ A TikToker went viral for spending $30 celebrating her birthday with 6 people at Costco
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A TikToker went viral for a budget-friendly birthday celebration with her family at Costco. AdvertisementA TikToker went viral for her budget-friendly birthday celebration in Costco. "Today's my birthday, and I'm having my birthday celebration at Costco," Stimmel said in the video, which has been viewed over 2.2 million times to date. The idea to celebrate her birthday at Costco came about because she didn't want anything "big or fancy" this year, Stimmel told Business Insider. TikTok users are commenting on Stimmel's birthday video and sharing their own Costco party experiences.

Persons: Costco . Madison Stimmel, —, Madison Stimmel, Stimmel Organizations: Costco ., Costco, Service, Business

☆ A US vet wanted to retire in Bangkok. Less than 2 years later, he realized city life wasn't for him and built a home with his fiancée by the sea.
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Joe Green and Gift Prakaew gave up Bangkok city life to live in a seaside town in Central Thailand. Joe Green/Thai Girl Gift and Foreigner JoeThe allure of the countrysideThe couple ended up buying a plot of land for $40,000. Joe Green/Thai Girl Gift and Foreigner JoeThe couple's bedroom faces a mountain, and the sea is a five-minute walk away, he said. Joe Green/Thai Girl Gift and Foreigner JoeThe couple worked with a builder and an architect to build their home. Joe Green/Thai Girl Gift and Foreigner JoeOn the other hand, the cost of living in Thailand is "reasonable," he added.

Persons: Joe Green, Prakaew, Green, —, Manhattan — Green, Joe, Prachuap Khiri Khan, weren't, I'm, It's, they'll Organizations: Service, US Department of Defense, Hoboken , New Jersey —, Manhattan —, YouTube, roosters Locations: Bangkok, Central Thailand, Europe, United States, Hoboken , New Jersey, Manhattan, New York City, Asia, Thailand, Australian

☆ Rita Moreno, 91, says she made a friend at the supermarket so she won't feel lonely
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Rita Moreno, 91, says she makes friends at the supermarket so she won't feel lonely. The "West Side Story" actor told People about her struggles with loneliness after moving into a new home. AdvertisementRita Moreno says she combats loneliness by making friends at the supermarket. The 91-year-old actor told People that she felt sad and isolated after moving into a new condo. The two have since become friends, Moreno told People.

Persons: Rita Moreno, Moreno, —, " Moreno, Vivek Murthy Organizations: Service

☆ Sabrina Carpenter says it was OK to film her horror-inspired video in a Catholic church because Jesus was a carpenter
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sabrina Carpenter isn't too bothered by her Catholic church music video controversy. She recently came under fire for filming parts of her "Feathers" music video at a Roman Catholic church in Brooklyn. "We got approval in advance," Carpenter told Variety, adding, "and Jesus was a carpenter." AdvertisementSabrina Carpenter doesn't seem bothered by the controversy surrounding her "Feathers" music video. Representatives for Carpenter and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn did not immediately respond to Business Insider's requests for comment sent outside of regular business hours.

Persons: Sabrina Carpenter isn't, Carpenter, Variety, Jesus, —, Sabrina Carpenter doesn't, mansplain, Blessed Virgin Mary, Brooklyn Bishop Robert Brennan, Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello, Bishop Brennan, Gigantiello Organizations: Roman Catholic, Service, Variety, Blessed Virgin Mary Church, of, Catholic New Agency, Brooklyn, CNA, Roman Catholic Diocese of Locations: Brooklyn, Brooklyn , New York, of Brooklyn, Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn

☆ Kelly Osbourne says her mom once pooped in her dad Ozzy Osbourne's weed to stop him from smoking
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Kelly Osbourne says her mom once pooped in dad Ozzy Osbourne's weed to discourage him from smoking. Sharon and her kids, Kelly and Jack, shared the incident with Margaret Cho in an episode of "The Osbournes Podcast." AdvertisementKelly Osbourne says her mom Sharon Osbourne once pooped in her dad Ozzy Osbourne's weed bag to stop him from smoking. Kelly, her mom Sharon, and her brother Jack Osbourne, opened up about the incident on the latest episode of "The Osbournes Podcast" featuring guest Margaret Cho. During the podcast, Sharon also recounted how she once tried to stop Ozzy from drinking too much alcohol.

Persons: Kelly Osbourne, Ozzy Osbourne's, Sharon, Kelly, Jack, Margaret Cho, —, Sharon Osbourne, pooped, Ozzy, Jack Osbourne, Mom, I'm, I'd, Rolling Stone Organizations: Service, Stone Locations: Hawaii

☆ Jennifer Lawrence tells Kylie Jenner her makeup artist is so good people are convinced she had eye surgery
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

I'm doing makeup,'" the 33-year-old told Jenner. AdvertisementIf you think that Jennifer Lawrence looks different these days, it's not because she had plastic surgery — it's just the work of her makeup artist, she told Kylie Jenner. I'm doing makeup,'" the actor told Jenner. I lost baby weight in my face, and my face changed because I'm aging,'" Lawrence told Jenner. "I did end up getting lip fillers, but it's also the same with me," Jenner told Lawrence.

Persons: Jennifer Lawrence, Kylie Jenner, Lawrence, Jenner, —, it's, Hung Vanngo, she's, Hung, I've Organizations: Service, Dior

☆ Patrick Stewart says 'Star Trek' has saved people's lives
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Patrick Stewart says the "Star Trek" franchise has saved people's lives. Stewart plays Captain Jean-Luc Picard in "Star Trek" TV shows and movies. Advertisement"Star Trek" isn't just a media franchise — it has a positive impact on the lives of its fans too, according to Patrick Stewart. Through the years, many fans have even shared with Stewart how "Star Trek" has shaped their lives. In Stewart's memoir "Making It So," published in October, he wrote that his friend Ian McKellen had initially tried to dissuade him from joining "Star Trek."

Persons: Patrick Stewart, people's, Stewart, Jean, Luc Picard, —, Stewart —, Captain Jean, Ian McKellen, Ian Organizations: NPR, Service, Star

☆ Take a look inside Singapore's public housing estates, where 80% of the resident population resides
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Singapore's public housing apartments are home to about 80% of the country's resident population. AdvertisementSingapore's skyline would not be complete without its candy-colored, high-rise public housing apartment blocks. In the US, public housing is intended for low-income families, seniors, or people with disabilities. AdvertisementIn Singapore, however, it's a different situation: Public housing units are where about 80% of the country's resident population lives. And in Singapore, public housing does not mean inexpensive housing.

Persons: —, I've, It's Organizations: Service, Housing Development Board, Straits Times Locations: Singapore, New York City

☆ Brigitte Macron says she waited 10 years to marry the French president because her kids were around his age
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Brigitte Macron waited 10 years to marry the French President because her children were around his age. She spoke about her relationship with Emmanuel Macron to news magazine Paris Match, per The Times. AdvertisementBrigitte Macron says she waited a decade to marry French President Emmanuel Macron to avoid ruining the lives of her children, who were around his age. "The only obstacle was my children," she told Paris Match, as translated by The Times. AdvertisementShe then married Emmanuel Macron in 2007, about 10 years before he became the French President in 2017.

Persons: Brigitte Macron, Emmanuel Macron, —, André, Louis Auzière, Auzière Organizations: Paris, Times, Service, Paris Match, The Times Locations: French, Amiens, France, Paris

☆ They fell in love with Bali after visiting 3 years in a row. Step inside the sleek, modern home they built in the jungle.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Anna-Carina Tetzner and Sean Peel moved to Bali, Indonesia, from Australia right before the pandemic. AdvertisementAfter a few vacations in Bali, Anna-Carina Tetzner and Sean Peel decided it was where they wanted to live full time. Anna-Carina Tetzner and Sean Peel standing in front of their modular home in Bali. AdvertisementA modular design for DIYInstead of brick and mortar, the couple designed their own modular house that comprises steel frames and wood panels. Anna-Carina TetznerThis building method isn't all that common in Bali, Tetzner said: "In fact, we don't know of anyone who has built like us, pre-fabricated."

Persons: Anna, Carina Tetzner, Sean Peel, —, Tetzner, Peel, He'd, Carina Tetzner Peel, I've, Sean, Wells, it's, Carina, It's, They've, Amanda Goh Organizations: Service, Peel, Google, YouTube Locations: Bali, Indonesia, Australia, Ubud, Anna, Brisbane, Asia, Bali . Anna, Sunshine, Bali — Indonesian, it's Bali, agoh@businessinsider.com

☆ They gave up city life to buy an abandoned $10,000 house in Japan and renovate it. They say they'll never take on a project like that again.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Gilles Beaufils and his wife gave up city life in Tokyo to renovate an abandoned house in rural Japan. AdvertisementAdvertisementAfter three decades of working in Tokyo, Gilles Beaufils decided he needed a change of scenery. Gilles Beaufils/Base Camp ImariThe akiya is just over 1,800 square feet and is located right in the middle of the village. Gilles Beaufils/Base Camp ImariOnce the pandemic restrictions started to ease, travelers started coming back to Japan in troves, he said. Gilles Beaufils/Base Camp Imari"They don't show you the moist, they don't show you the termites, they don't show you these kinds of things in the photos," he added.

Persons: Gilles Beaufils, they'll, —, Frenchman, Beaufils, I've, — Beaufils, Makoto Watanabe, Imari, it's, Amanda Goh Organizations: Service Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Kyushu, Okawachiyama, Saga Prefecture, Fukuoka, Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Saga, troves, Itoshima, agoh@insider.com

☆ They built a small house in rural Thailand for $22,500. They don't have debt, but that doesn't mean the lifestyle is easy.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

They built a small house and an outdoor kitchen for $22,500. Ryan and Damo/Life in Rural Thailand"We did that for about a year and a half, and we were growing vegetables here," Ryan said. AdvertisementAdvertisementPhase two: building a small house with an outdoor kitchenThe house has distinctive wooden beams holding up the roof. Ryan and Damo/Life in Rural ThailandWith an eye on permanence, the couple designed a plan for a small home and a freestanding kitchen. Ryan and Damo/Life in Rural ThailandThat made him think about how he and his wife could use their home to make money.

Persons: Ryan, Damo, —, you've, That's, They're, Otis, Hugo, We've, they've, Amanda Goh Organizations: Service Locations: Bali, Thailand, Bali , Indonesia, Damo's, Buri Ram, Rural Thailand, agoh@insider.com

☆ They viewed 16 apartments in 3 days, and finally bought their dream home for $371,000. It wasn't even on their initial list.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Soh Jun Hao and Grace Lim bought their public housing apartment in Singapore right before the pandemic. They viewed 16 apartments in 3 days and came across their forever home by chance. HaosofGraceIt took them 16 apartment viewings to find their dream home, which wasn't even on their initial list. A screengrab from Google Maps Street View showing the couple's apartment block. Amanda Goh/InsiderThe couple's apartment faces a park, and the view from their living room is hard to beat.

Persons: Soh Jun Hao, Grace Lim, —, Jun Hao, they've, Lim, Amanda Goh, " Lim, Soh, Lim's grandmother's, it's Organizations: Service, Housing Development Board, Google Locations: Singapore, Tampines

☆ Barbara Corcoran says she prefers her trailer in LA over her penthouse in New York City
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Corcoran says she convinced the previous owner to sell the trailer by saying she'll still let her "use it whenever." AdvertisementAdvertisementIn an attempt to convince the previous owner to let go of the trailer, Corcoran ended up making her an offer she couldn't resist. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe TikTok video has since amassed over 3,000 comments, with many users expressing surprise at Corcoran's home. "I love that she could EASILY afford a seaside mansion, but opts for a trailer with a view," one TikTok user commented. AdvertisementAdvertisement"love the home, but million dollar beachfront trailer park is something that can only exist in LA," a TikTok user commented.

Persons: Barbara Corcoran's, Caleb Simpson, Corcoran, she'll, —, Barbara Corcoran, who's, Simpson, that'll, she's, lauding Corcoran Organizations: Service, Pacific Palisades, Corcoran, New York City, YouTube Locations: Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, LA, Angeles, Pacific, New York

☆ At 19, a car crash changed her view on the American Dream — so she and 2 friends bought a parcel of land and built a life on their own terms
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Natalie Bogwalker, 44, built a 400-square-foot log cabin in rural Western North Carolina by hand. She loved being in the woods and was always interested in building things, although she didn't consider pursuing it professionally. "They were just happy to have other people living on it who wanted to do cool things," Bogwalker said. AdvertisementAdvertisementShe said anywhere between 15 and 30 people can show up for these work parties, including friends, friends of friends, and even others who are part of the DIY and off-grid living community. AdvertisementAdvertisementIt was about a year and a half between the first cutting of the trees and her moving into the cabin, Bogwalker said.

Persons: Natalie Bogwalker, —, didn't, Jenny Tenney, Bogwalker, Hazel, they're, it'll, It's Organizations: Service, Humanity Locations: Western North Carolina, Washington, Spain, Guatemala

☆ This single mom lives in a 700-square-foot cabin she built by hand. Now, she's teaching other women how to do the same.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

☆ The 10 best countries to live in if you're a woman and want to go to school, get a job, and be politically empowered
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The World Economic Forum, or WEF, released its Global Gender Gap Report 2023 in June. AdvertisementAdvertisementAlthough no country has fully closed its gender gap, Scandinavian countries are taking the lead, according to the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2023. The study found that the global gender gap has closed by 68.4% — up by 0.3% from last year's 68.1%. The Global Gender Gap Report compares countries' gender gap in four different areas: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment. The average of each subindex score is then used to calculate the overall Global Gender Gap Index score.

Persons: —, Saadia Zahidi Organizations: Economic, US, Service

☆ Their mortgage was bogging them down, so they sold their apartment in Singapore and bought a smaller one for $220,000. It was a blast from the past.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Tobby Toh and Goh Kai Yi downsized to a three-room public-housing apartment in Singapore in 2021. AdvertisementAdvertisementWhen Tobby Toh and Goh Kai Yi were looking for a new home, they knew they wanted a smaller place. At that point, they were still living in their four-room public housing apartment in Singapore. Tobby Toh and Goh KaiyiDue to its age, the 45-year-old apartment wasn't exactly in the most well-kept condition, Toh said. "We did approach designers, but we didn't go ahead with it because we just felt that we already knew what we wanted," Goh said.

Persons: Tobby Toh, Goh Kai Yi, —, Toh, Goh, Goh Kaiyi, Amanda Goh, Toh's, it's Organizations: Service, Housing, Housing Development Board Locations: Singapore, Geylang Bahru, Tobby, BTOs

☆ How to buy one of those cheap, abandoned houses in Japan, according to a Canadian dad of 2 who did it
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Eric McAskill, bought an abandoned house, or akiya, in rural Japan through an akiya bank for $23,600. Foreigners can obtain Japanese real estateOne of the best parts of Japan is that foreigners can own property, McAskill said. AdvertisementAdvertisementBut navigating akiya banks can be confusing because every community in Japan manages its own directory of abandoned houses, McAskill said. "The real-estate agents worked with the notary here to prepare the documents and sent me a copy in Bali," McAskill said. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe transaction was finalized without a hitch, and McAskill's currently in the midst of restoring the abandoned property.

Persons: Eric McAskill, McAskill, —, eyeing, they've, McAskill's Organizations: Service, Foreigners Locations: Japan, Wall, Silicon, Bali , Indonesia, Bali, Canada

☆ A millennial dad of 2 bought an abandoned home in Japan for $23,600. He says restoring it is easier than expected.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Eric McAskill bought an abandoned house, or akiya, in the rural Japanese countryside for $23,600. Eric McAskill and his wife, together with their two children. Over the next decade, he would find himself visiting Japan again and again, each time visiting a different prefecture. McAskill bought his akiya through an akiya bank, which is a database maintained by the local municipalities for abandoned or vacant houses. "The first person to bid starts to enter into negotiations with the owner," McAskill said of the bidding process in Japan.

Persons: Eric McAskill, Eric McAskill's, —, McAskill, let's, Eric McAskill McAskill, Eric McAskill McAskill's, I'm, haven't, It's, I've, he's Organizations: Service, IKEA Locations: Wall, Silicon, Japan, Bali, Nagano Prefecture, Vancouver, Canada, Abashiri, Hokkaido, Yonaguni, Taiwan, Indonesian

☆ Singapore is the world's 6th Blue Zone — and a look at its urban planning helps explain why
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Singapore is the world's sixth Blue Zone, according to Dan Buettner, a journalist who popularized the term. In the Netflix series "Live to 100," Buettner shows how the country is designed to encourage its residents to live healthier. Policies on housing, transportation, and hawker centers come together to create what he calls a "Blue Zone 2.0." The original five Blue Zone regions include Okinawa in Japan, Ikaria in Greece, Sardinia in Italy, Nicoya in Costa Rica, as well as Loma Linda in California. "You share tables and you're interacting with the stall user, interacting with the person next to you," Buettner told Fortune.

Persons: Dan Buettner, Buettner, Amanda Goh, Chan Heng Chee, Chan Organizations: Netflix, Service, World Bank, Housing Development Board, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Transportation, Singapore, Hawker Locations: Singapore, Wall, Silicon, Okinawa, Japan, Ikaria, Greece, Sardinia, Italy, Nicoya, Costa Rica, California

☆ He moved from Reno to rural Portugal, bought a house for $300,000, and makes travel videos for a living: How one American guy pieced together his dream life at 32
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Dave Alastair moved from Reno, Nevada, to a rural province 45 minutes north of Lisbon, Portugal, in 2022. He bought a three-bedroom house with a pool for $300,000 and says he appreciates his new laidback lifestyle. The exterior of Dave Alastair's house in Portugal. "My neighbors within a mile have tons of wine vineyards, so I'm guessing this was all wine country back then." Buying property in Portugal as a foreigner can be challenging because of the legalities of the process, he said.

Persons: Dave Alastair, Alastair, Dave, Sara, Dave Alastair's, there's, it's, Portugal Alastair, they're, you'll, he's, you've, Amanda Goh Organizations: Service, YouTube Locations: Reno , Nevada, Lisbon, Portugal, United States, Wall, Silicon, American, Nevada, Europe, Algoz, Lisboa, Reno, Dave, America, agoh@insider.com

☆ A couple in the UK quit their 9-to-5 jobs to move to the Philippines. Now, they have no debt and their monthly utility bills rarely exceed $55 — see how they did it.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-02 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

Adam and Jane Vizor moved to the Philippines with their daughter to lead a slower-paced, debt-free life. Now, the couple has no debt, and their monthly utility bills rarely exceed $55. "After we came to see the land, we worked with an architect to create a floor plan to maximize the layout of our house," Adam said. Adam and Jane Vizor"An equivalent house in the UK, I would say, probably easily costs a million pounds," Adam added. Adam and Jane VizorUnlike the UK, they have no heating costs, since the Philippines is a tropical country.

Persons: Adam, Jane Vizor, Isabella, Jane, She'd, I'd, Jane's, —, we've, It's, it's, everyone's, Jane Vizor It's, Jane said Organizations: Service, YouTube Locations: Philippines, Wall, Silicon, Bristol, Ormoc, Leyte, Manila, —, England

☆ A millennial couple lives debt-free in a house they built by hand in Montana. Now, they're teaching others how to do the same in workshops that cost less than $1,000.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Daniel and Katherine Ray live debt-free in a 700-square-foot cob house that they built by hand. The millennial couple spent over two years constructing their cob house in the Bitterroot Valley in Victor, Montana — where they've been living since 2019. Daniel Ray/Spiritwood Natural Building"We realized that we just love doing it, so we started teaching people how to do it," Daniel said. Daniel Ray/Spiritwood Natural BuildingThe participants who attend the couple's workshops come from the area as well as far-flung states. AdvertisementAdvertisementThrough all their education efforts about building cob houses and living debt-free, there's just one point that they're really driving at.

Persons: Daniel, Katherine Ray, Victor , Montana, they've, Katherine, Daniel Ray, Ray, We've, Daniel said, It's, it's Organizations: Service Locations: Wall, Silicon, Bitterroot, Victor ,, Victor , Montana, Alaska, Montana

☆ A couple bought an abandoned farm in Portugal for $103,000 and turned it into an off-the-grid homestead where they're raising 2 small kids — see how they did it
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

A couple moved from the UK to Portugal to live on an abandoned farm they bought for $103,000. The couple moved from the UK to Portugal to restore and live on an abandoned farm. The couple fell in love with the second property they viewed — an abandoned farm set on three acres of land. The couple — who were living and traveling around in a van at that time — bought the farm for 95,000 euros, or about $103,000. The Newbys have been documenting every step of their Portuguese farm renovation on their YouTube channel.

Persons: Tara Newby, They've, Tara, —, Sawyer, John, we've, Portugal's, John said, who've, they've, you'll, We've Organizations: Service, YouTube, Google Locations: Portugal, Wall, Silicon, Lisbon, England, Bristol, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Antarctica, Europe

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