A frugal dad has shared some of his extreme cost-saving tips — from reusing toilets paper to tea bags on the clothesline for a second cup.
Al Baker, 48, of Aldershot, was plunged into £300,000 corporate debt in 2017 and forced to file for bankruptcy.
Since then, the dad-of-two has been on a mission to cut costs – specifically living off yellow sticker bargains 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 you can save some money.
But brace yourself – they are not for the faint of heart…
Al Baker has been on a mission to save since he was forced to file for bankruptcy after his company went into debt in 2017
An easy win in terms of cost savings is to buy foods that are discounted, so have yellow stickers on them. It often goes on sale at the end of the day
Grow your own vegetables from seed. It is actually quite easy to grow your own salad, tomatoes, courgettes, potatoes and carrots
Al suggests drying our used tea bags by hanging them on a clothesline. Can be reused afterwards and delicious in iced tea
LEAVE THE LOO ROLL – AND USE REUSABLE FOODS
While Al doesn’t do this himself, he has shared this trick to help others save money.
Some frugal people use pieces of cloth instead of toilet paper, which are cleaned by placing them in a container of bleach and water and then putting them in the washing machine.
Al said, “It’s less than a million miles from washing babies’ nappies, but I suspect the contents are slightly worse.”
He said he doesn’t do this trick himself, adding: “I understand that toilet roll is expensive, but I think there are other things I’d like to lose before I lose the toilet roll.
“Thousands of people are still doing this, and if money is tight, that’s fair enough.”
TEA TRAYS FOR LIFE
We Brits love a cup of tea – so this could be considered a sacrilegious act. But drying tea bags for reuse is an economical way to further stretch your daily requirement.
Al said: ‘This is the most un-British thing you can do, but another tip for frugal people.’
He added: ‘I’ve tried it, and it’s kind of okay… it’s obviously a weaker cup of tea than the first cup of tea, but more or less passable.
“I think it’s better to make iced tea because you don’t need as much flavor, and based on that, it’s back on the list as an extremely frugal contender.”
Homegrown Potatoes: Al became an avid gardener while on a mission to squeeze a penny
Al grows his own beans, which saves buying at the supermarket
Al doesn’t even buy packets of seeds. He just grows new plants from existing fruits, like these strawberries and tomatoes
Before going bankrupt, Al was a businessman and didn’t think about how to reduce daily expenses
The father of two is proud of his achievements and shares his cost-saving tricks online
FLUSH TOILETS ONLY ONCE A DAY
Another money-saving exploit in the bathroom is reducing how often you flush your toilet – with Al’s advice that you can reduce this to just one flush a day.
He said: ‘If you want to flush normally, invest in a hippo bag that will fill the space in your water reservoir, meaning your toilet will use less water to fill the reservoir.
“You might also consider filling a larger fizzy drink bottle with water and putting it in your cistern, which does the same job as the hippo bag.”
REGROW YOUR VEG
Growing your own fruits and vegetables from leftovers can save yourself quite a few bucks on your food bill — and it can be fun, too.
Al said: ‘This is very feasible and I am already doing it.
‘Take a spring onion, for example, cut off the root and put it in water or soil, then it will grow back, which you can use as food again and will grow again.’
From vegetables to pizzas, cake to bread, Al never buys anything for full price
Fancy a steak? Then buy one with a yellow sticker. Al and his family still manage to eat well and save money at the same time
Supermarkets often discount their products when the best before date has been reached
WATER ON YOUR MILK
To save money on milk, Al recommends buying a full carton of whole milk and refilling it with water once it’s half used up – the idea being that you’ll get double the amount of milk for your money.
Al said, “The logic is pretty good. I’ve tried it, and it’s not something I’d want in my cup of tea, but it works great for making sauces or puddings.
“It’s a little extreme, but if it’s used for the right thing, it’s a yes from me.”
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FREEBIES
Even people who can afford to go out can still take advantage of free offers.
Al said, ‘If you are going to stay in a hotel, make sure you get the free tea and coffee from the room, as well as the shampoo and soap for the guests.’
Al also recommends tips such as freezing leftovers, canceling subscriptions, and avoiding dining out to cut costs.