A mother of two has revealed that giving up a single everyday habit could help people save hundreds of pounds annually. Gemma Bird, widely recognised on social media as Money Mum for her financial advice, paid off her £225,000 mortgage by the age of 37 through a combination of frugal living and side hustles.
From Living with Parents to Financial Freedom
Gemma, who resides in Essex with her husband Adam and their two children Bronte and Brody, now enjoys what she calls a 'privileged' lifestyle. However, her path to financial security began while living with her parents and meticulously saving every penny. She shared some of the hacks that helped her budget, even when earning just £15,000 a year.
How Coffee Became a Savings Tool
Gemma recounted a clever trick she used at Costa Coffee: picking up discarded receipts to claim loyalty points. 'If people hadn't added their points to their loyalty card, I could go to the counter and say, Sorry, I forgot to put my points on my card last time — can you add them? Then I'd get free cups of coffee,' she explained. When a friend questioned this, Gemma replied, 'Because I earn about £15,000 a year, I've got two kids, and my husband's just lost his job. We haven't got any money.'
She also warned against the daily expense of buying coffee. 'If you're buying a coffee every single day and it's adding up to a couple of hundred pounds a month, that's a significant amount you could be saving,' she said. Nevertheless, she emphasised the importance of occasional treats: 'You need to be able to treat yourself and enjoy life. We only get one.'
Building Wealth Through Property and Side Hustles
While living rent-free with her parents, Gemma saved enough to buy her first home worth £165,000 at age 23 with her then-partner. Later, working in estate agency, she followed a colleague's advice and purchased an investment property in Walthamstow for £109,000 with a 5% deposit in 2007. She expanded her portfolio with two more properties in Waltham Cross and northern England, using savings and equity from existing homes.
At 29, her divorce led to a financial setback. She received £66,000 from the sale of the family home but had to move back in with her parents and took a £15,000 bank job while the other properties were tenanted. To cope, Gemma rented out her spare room to French students, leased her driveway on a parking app, and started an Amazon underwear business.
Additional Money-Saving Tips
Gemma also adopted strict budgeting measures: replacing salon visits with home haircuts, bringing snacks to the pub, and cutting open nearly empty toiletry bottles to use every drop. Her other tips include:
- Using image search tools to find cheaper alternatives online
- Taking advantage of voucher codes whenever possible
- Cancelling unnecessary subscriptions
- Completing online surveys for extra income
- Renting out a driveway to generate additional cash
Now 44, Gemma continues to share her financial wisdom, proving that small changes can lead to substantial savings over time.
