Britain’s stingiest woman gives us all some tips

Britain’s stingiest woman gives us all some tips

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 MailJane’s website

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