A thrifty dad has shared some of the most extreme cost cutting tips which can help people save some pennies – from reusable toilet paper to drying tea bags on the washing line for a second cuppa.
Al Baker, 48, from Aldershot, was plunged into £300,000 business debt in 2017 and was forced to declare bankruptcy.
Ever since, the dad-of-two has been on a mission to cut costs – notably living on yellow sticker bargain foods to help him save £10,000 over the course of two years.
Now, Al – who shares money saving tips on his blog The Penny Pincher – has revealed some of the other ways which can help save you some cash.
But brace yourself – they’re not for the fainthearted…
REUSABLE TOILET ROLL
Although Al himself thinks reusing loo roll is a bit too far, he shared that people have been known to use this trick to help save cash.
Instead of toilet roll, some thrifty people use pieces of cloth, which are cleaned by storing them in a container of bleach and water and then placed in the washing machine.
Al said: “It’s not a million miles away from washing babies’ nappies, but I suspect the contents may be a little worse, and I get that loo roll is expensive, but I think there are other things I would be happy to lose before losing loo roll, still thousands of people are now doing this, and if money is tight then fair enough!”
However, with the added cost of extra bleach, plus the electricity and water used to wash the cloths, it could be argued that this extreme tip may not be saving you as much as you think.
TEA BAGS FOR LIFE
It’s safe to say that as a nation we all love a cuppa, however would we all go as far as reusing our tea bags to save that extra bit of cash?
Described by Al as the ‘most un-British thing you could do’, drying out used tea bags to reuse them for a second brew is one tip for frugal people.
Al said: “I’ve tried it, and it is kind of OK… obviously, it’s a weaker cup of tea than the first cuppa, but more or less passable.
“I think it would be better for making iced tea, as you don’t need quite so much flavour, and based on that, again, it’s on the list as an extreme frugal contender!”
So if you’re happy with a slightly weaker cup of tea, then this extreme cost cutting hack could be one for you.
FLUSHING TOILETS ONLY ONCE A DAY
Another money-saving bathroom exploit is reducing how often you flush your toilet – with Al advising you could cut this to just one flush a day.
He said: “If you want to flush as normal, invest in a hippo bag that fills up space in your water cistern, which means your toilet will use less water to fill up the cistern.
“You could also consider filling up a larger fizzy drink bottle with water and popping that in your cistern, which will do the same job as the hippo bag.”
RE-GROW YOUR VEG
By growing your own fruit and veg from leftovers, you could save yourself quite a few pennies on your food bill – plus it sounds like a lot of fun.
Al said: “This is very achievable and is something I already do.
“For example, take a spring onion, cut off the root, and place it in water or soil, and it will re-grow, which you can then use for food, and re-grow again!”
WATER DOWN YOUR MILK
To save money on milk, Al advises buying a full carton of whole milk and, once half used, filling it back up with water – the idea being you get double the amount of milk for your money.
Al said: “The logic is reasonably sound. I did try it, and it isn’t something I would want in my cup of tea, but it works ok when making sauces or puddings.
“It’s a bit extreme, but if used for the right thing, it’s a yes from me!”
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FREEBIES
Don’t panic, we don’t mean steal from a store, however if you’re ever staying at a hotel, this is a little tip you may want to remember.
Al said: “If you go and stay at a hotel, make sure you nick the complimentary tea and coffee from the room, as well as the guest shampoo and soap.
Al also recommends tips such as freezing leftovers, cancelling subscriptions and avoiding eating out to cut costs.
