Charlie Herlihy, 26, and Sophia Woodcock, 24, have revealed how they save £1,600 per year while living in London. The couple say they have been living frugally since their teens and have built a reputation for never paying full price for anything.
Since moving to London on entry-level salaries in 2025, they have discovered new ways to maximise savings. They eat out using apps that offer large discounts, choose energy providers carefully for rewards, and use Gold Amex cards to earn points on all spending, which they exchange for perks like plane tickets.
Savings and Goals
In July, the pair saved £137.02 through their savvy swaps. Their previous achievement includes saving £12,000 in just three months in 2022, which funded a six-month trip to Southeast Asia. Now, their next goal is to afford return tickets to Singapore.
Charlie, a graphic designer from London, explained: "Kind of our brand became we never pay full price for anything. I think mainly the reason it became a habit is anywhere you go you tap your card without thinking about it."
Apps and Rewards
Sophia and Charlie use a "portfolio" of methods to live frugally, especially on food and drink. Sophia said: "Eating out and coffee is something me and Phi love to do and one of the things we spend on and apps are the best way to save money on a big expense. The Paace app rewards you with coffees for getting your steps in. Eat Club gives you discounts at restaurants that don't have their tables filled."
They also use First Table, an app that often gives a 50% discount on food bills for early dining. The pair prefer shopping at Sainsbury's, where they earn four points per £1 spent through an Amex affiliate, compared to £1 elsewhere. They also use Lidl Plus and Ocado's 25% off offers.
Energy and Cards
Charlie highlighted their energy provider: "We use Octopus energy as it gives you stuff like two for £8 cinema tickets, e-bike rides around London and free coffees for literally paying your bills as you would with every other provider."
He added about the Gold Amex card: "We use the gold Amex card which gives you points on everything you spend anywhere really. You can build those up and buy flights, stuff like that. Our project we're working towards is return tickets to Singapore. We've made it our default card even when tapping on the tube and stuff like that."
Sophia is also a "big advocate" for checking restaurant email promotions, recently paying nothing after using a £15 voucher and half-price ramen. Charlie noted: "We're not really saving for anything but just to have enough money for freedom in life as we'd love to go to Australia and go travelling again."
