Ilona Richards an ex-lorry driver from Scunthorpe, has been branded Britain’s stingiest woman and we’re truly in love with her (well most of her), some of her habits are a little extreme (even for us) but with her state pension of £10,000 she has to keep things tight.
Here are some of her money-saving tips, she has plenty more on her website!
- Ask guests to bring their own tea bags
- Use less ink by making your handwriting smaller
- Spend no more than £1 on every meal
- A weekly bath and the occasional strip-wash in the kitchen is fine
- Layer up instead of turning the heating on
- Don’t join a gym for exercise, incorporate walking into your everyday life, it costs nothing.
- £1 men’s shorts from Primark work fine for a woman
- Before doing clothes washing inspect your items to see if they really need washing
- Make your shed from old pallets and wooden doors
- Keep your car use to a minimum. Can you walk or cycle instead of driving.
- If you have to use the car remember smooth acceleration and braking uses less fuel.
- Only flushing the loo once a day, ideally with old bathwater
- Boil water in the microwave instead of a kettle
- Only treat yourself to the occasional treat, like a pack of doughnuts (reduced to 15p) and a four-pack of pear cider
‘People don’t seem to know the difference between want and need,’ she says. ‘They might think, “Ooh, I need a new phone”, but I’d say: “If your old one works, then you don’t need a new one.” ’
- Cut your own hair
- Use a microwave to warm water
- Go shopping after 7.30pm when prices are knocked down
- Eat your food in date order
- Grow your own veg, even in pots. Eg, salad in an old washing up bowl with a few holes at the bottom
- Her hair dryer is 30 years old, her microwave 20 years!
- Don’t use washing up liquid unless strictly necessary
- Buy clothes from Primark and charity shops
- Only buy pants aimed at teenage boys (they’re cheaper and last longer)
- Find household good like vacuum cleaners in rubbish skips
- Write down all purchases in a notebook to identify where you can save
- Water down fruit juice to make it stretch further
- Use unwanted bath soap given as a present for cleaning the house
- Use sun tan cream as a moisturiser all year round
Via Daily Mail & Jane’s website
2 comments
