Al Baker’s extreme holiday money-saving methods have seen some people calling him mad
Al Baker shares his money-saving methods online as The Penny Pincher(Image: Jam Press/@thepennypincheruk)
A thrifty dad has shared his money-saving tactics to help keep his family’s budget intact, including his extreme Christmas preparation. Al Baker revealed that he starts buying Christmas dinner in January and thanks to this trick will be spending only around £30 for the family dinner this year without skipping any of the sides.
He makes the most out of yellow-sticker sales in January, for the upcoming festive season he has nabbed £4 desserts and £12 turkeys that were originally priced at £80, all of which has been sitting in his freezer for months.
The Hampshire resident admitted he has been dubbed “mad” for starting his preparation so far in advance, but says his reasoning often wins people over. He also shared some other money-saving tips people could put in place now to have over £100 put away by the time Christmas comes around.
The 51-year-old told What’s the Jam: “I’ve spent about £30 so far, which has already covered the main items. The turkey is the most expensive part of Christmas dinner, so that is the first thing I hunt for.
“I’ll be checking supermarkets, but also online options. Last year, I found the £12 deal on Amazon Fresh – they were originally £80 each – which is not where most people think of looking.
“I actually bought three, but one of them went at Easter. That alone would normally cost me more than my whole Christmas budget, so it was a huge saving. I also grabbed a few yellow-sticker desserts, which will cover puddings and sweet treats for Christmas Day.
“I freeze Yorkshire puddings and roast potatoes many months in advance as well. It’s not about buying absolutely everything a year early.
“However, having the meat, desserts and freezer-friendly sides already in hand takes the pressure off and significantly reduces the bill. People often look at me as if I’m a bit mad, but once I explain it, they see the logic.”
Al’s penny pinching tactics will give his family the same Christmas at around a quarter of the price(Image: Jam Press/@thepennypincheruk)
Al estimates he saves around 75% on the most costly time of year with this pre-planning method. But while some items he gets months in advance, others like vegetables he risks waiting until Christmas day to buy in order to get the best deals.
The Penny Pincher founder said: “Vegetables are often better bought fresh, and supermarkets deliberately slash prices on them right before Christmas. I’ve picked up a bag for as little as 9p, so I will wait for those.
“Supermarkets tend to offer smaller reductions in the mornings, a bit more in the afternoons, and then the bigger cuts usually occur somewhere between 4pm and 8pm, but it really depends on the store.
“It’s less about one magic time or day now and more about knowing your local store’s habits and being ready to grab the bargains when they pop up. Don’t be afraid to ask the staff members what time the reductions get done.
“I was a code checker (yellow sticker man) and had no problem telling people what time to aim for to get the best reductions, especially for those who I could see really needed those reduced items.”
Al’s previous work in Morrisons also helps give him peace of mind that he is getting the best price as he knows roughly how cheap certain items will get. He said: “I just bought some Quality Street this past weekend as they were on a Clubcard deal, at £3.95. In my experience, they don’t go lower than that.”
Al plans some purchases months ahead while others like vegetables he waits until Christmas Day to buy(Image: Jam Press/@thepennypincheruk)
He shared some other shopping tips for Christmas preppers looking to save some pennies this year: “Decide your menu before you go shopping so you only buy what you need. If you have freezer space, buy yellow-sticker bargains throughout the year or put a small amount of money aside each week instead.
“Even if you start now, £10 a week from today adds up to £120 by December. You could try a banking app with pots, like Monzo, which makes this easy. That money then sits there waiting for you when the festive season arrives.
“Cooking from scratch is another big saver. Yorkshire puddings cost pennies to make but £3 for six if you buy them. A trifle can be thrown together cheaply, while shop-bought versions can be £10 or more.
“In short, plan early, spend gradually, use your freezer wisely and keep the meal simple. People often go overboard, and the food waste levels at Christmas are shocking.”
Dining and Cooking