WITH the cost of everything from food to petrol continuing to skyrocket, households are trying to cut back on costs wherever they can.
But one self-confessed cheapskate has gone even further than most – by revealing how she flogs old loo roll tubes to rake in the cash.
Any if you’re wondering how, well she’s revealed all – along with four other things she does in just one day to save the pennies.
And while many of us will throw cereal boxes straight in the bin once we’ve come to the end of the pack, the money-saving whizz instead told how she clings onto it for future use.
“I save them and reuse them as food bags or bags to clean the cat poo up with – anything that means it can get reused again before it goes into the bin,” she says, in a clip shared to TikTok.
Next up, the thrifty content creator behind the page Diary of a Cheapskate explains that her children have been on a little trip away with her parents for a couple of nights – adding that they had two rooms between them.
“They all brought home these coffees and sugars and biscuits and the things that you get for free in the room,” she says.
But while the proud cheapskate admits she doesn’t like the taste of tea, so she’ll pass the teabag to her mum to make use of, she’s the first to admit she’ll keep the rest of the items and make use of them at a later stage.
Another money-saving tip the frugal mum shares is to keep hold of empty toilet roll tubes when she’s finished with them.
Instead of chucking them straight in the bin, she stores them away in a shoebox in her bedroom and then sells them.
“You might think that’s strange but go on eBay or Vinted and have a look,” she urges.
About 9pm I’ll light one of these candles – they’re pretty big so they throw out enough light and it saves us on electric
Frugal mum
“They really do sell…I think people use them for crafting or gardening.”
Any parent will know that stocking up the snack cupboard when you’ve got kids around can end up costing a small fortune.
But not for the savvy TikToker, who is mortgage-free at 32.
To save the pennies, she instead gets her kids to bake the likes of chocolate cupcakes and jam tarts so that she hasn’t got to splash out on snacks at the store.
As any homeowner will know, the cost of electricity has gone through the roof in recent years.
And as Autumn draws in, it won’t be long before we’re forking out more on heating and electricity.
But this savvy money-saver had told how she’s started using big candles that she’s had for years incase they had a power-cut, to add a bit of light to her house as the evenings start getting darker earlier.
“About 9pm I’ll light one of these candles – they’re pretty big so they throw out enough light and it saves us on electric,” she says.
The post has since garnered a whopping 1.3 million views, the several TikTok users quick to take to the comments section.
“Yes it’s cheapskate-esque, but you’re also doing so much for the environment! I can’t hate on any of these hacks,” praise one person.
A second commented: “This is not cheapskate at all… It’s using the brain in 1000 %….
How to save money on your food shop
Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save hundreds of pounds a year:
Odd boxes – plenty of retailers offer slightly misshapen fruit and veg or surplus food at a discounted price.
Lidl sells five kilos of fruit and veg for just £1.50 through its Waste Not scheme while Aldi shoppers can get Too Good to Go bags which contain £10 worth of all kinds of products for £3.30.
Sainsbury’s also sells £2 “Taste Me, Don’t Waste Me” fruit and veg boxes to help shoppers reduced food waste and save cash.
Food waste apps – food waste apps work by helping shops, cafes, restaurants and other businesses shift stock that is due to go out of date and passing it on to members of the public.
Some of the most notable ones include Too Good to Go and Olio.
Too Good to Go’s app is free to sign up to and is used by millions of people across the UK, letting users buy food at a discount.
Olio works similarly, except users can collect both food and other household items for free from neighbours and businesses.
Yellow sticker bargains – yellow sticker bargains, sometimes orange and red in certain supermarkets, are a great way of getting food on the cheap.
But what time to head out to get the best deals varies depending on the retailer. You can see the best times for each supermarket here.
Super cheap bargains – sign up to bargain hunter Facebook groups like Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK where shoppers regularly post hauls they’ve found on the cheap, including food finds.
“Downshift” – you will almost always save money going for a supermarket’s own-brand economy lines rather than premium brands.
The move to lower-tier ranges, also known as “downshifting” and hailed by consumer expert Martin Lewis, could save you hundreds of pounds a year on your food shop.
“There is no need to waste anything and you’ve perfectly saved money… I say well done!”
A third added: “This isn’t cheapskate! My parents did these kind of things my whole life – including catching bath/shower water in a bucket and then watering the garden with it.
“Egg shells got crushed and put in flower beds. Vegetable scraps went to the horses / to the dog if they could eat them.
“If everybody lived a little bit more considerably, we’d be doing so much more for our earth.”