Al Baker, 48, from Aldershot, Hampshire, has revealed how he has managed to fund Christmas for his family without spending any of his regular income. The father of two has saved £1,000 through cost-cutting methods, including buying a yellow sticker turkey from Marks & Spencer for £8, originally priced at £60, on Christmas Eve 2021, which he has kept in the freezer for this December.
Baker, who runs the blog The Penny Pincher, also earned money through side hustles such as market research, which paid him in vouchers. He sold items on eBay and Facebook Marketplace and used receipt scanning apps for cash back. 'There's a lot less stress knowing I don't have to find extra money when times are tough,' he said.
His daughter Heather, 20, and son George, five, will benefit from the savings. Baker has frozen various items over the months to cover Christmas dinner. 'My turkey is yellow sticker that I got from M&S last Christmas Eve for £8... It's been sitting in the freezer all year,' he explained.
Baker estimates he has saved over £1,000 for Christmas but aims not to spend it all. 'I'm a penny pincher, so I'm trying not to spend it all and we can appreciate what's left next year,' he said. He added that his son is 'very much into the spirit of Christmas' and that the extra money helps make the occasion special.
