![\"Frugal](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SEI_259831684-9194.jpg\")
\n\t\tChristine and her husband have learnt how to stretch her budget (Picture: @eco.amical \/ SWNS)<\/p>\n
\t\t
\n\t\tChristine and her husband have learnt how to stretch her budget (Picture: @eco.amical \/ SWNS)<\/p>\n
A mum-of-two has revealed how she cut costs<\/a> to pay off her mortgage<\/a> in just seven years, including cutting her own hair and ditching toilet roll.<\/p>\n Christine Lan, 40, may have gone to extreme lengths, but she\u2019s now reaping the rewards \u2014 now mortgage free<\/a>, she\u2019s got more disposable income, and has recently come back from a family holiday in the Carribbean<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re enjoying life,\u2019 Christine says. \u2018We\u2019re very fortunate.\u2019<\/p>\n Christine is originally from Mauritius<\/a>, and moved to Montreal, Canada<\/a>, with her parents in the 1970s.<\/p>\n She says her mum and did didn\u2019t have much money, so had to make their budget stretch.<\/p>\n Christine said: \u2018My parents are from a tiny island where resources are limited.<\/p>\n \t\t \u2018When they came to Canada to start a life for themselves, they were forced to pinch a few pennies.\u2019<\/p>\n Her mum and dad would use clever hacks, like using citrus peels as natural air freshners, or popping spring onions in water so they\u2019d sprout new shoots.<\/p>\n She adds her \u2018mum doesn\u2019t waste anything\u2019, including cutting open toothpaste to get out every last drop.<\/p>\n And, her parents\u2019 attitude to money rubbed off on Christine, who embarked on a career in acting.<\/p>\n \u2018I started with making my own skincare,\u2019 she says. \u2018I would get oils from the kitchen and buy things like shampoo bars for $10 (\u00a34) for my hair.<\/p>\n \u2018I even cut my own hair because it was costing so much to have someone else do it.<\/p>\n \u2018My frugal life started with skincare and beauty, and then it just trickled down to other aspects of my life.<\/p>\n \u2018I would use menstrual cups instead of disposable tampons, go thrift shopping or charity shopping for clothes, take public transport and walk instead of driving, or have picnics instead of going to a restaurant.\u2019<\/p>\n When Christine and her husband got married, they bought a flat together, before buying their four-bedroom townhouse in 2008 for $217,000 (\u00a3117,700).<\/p>\n \t\t With a 25-year mortgage $150,000 (\u00a381,400), they were keen not to have the debt hanging over their heads, and continued to live on a tight budget.<\/p>\n It meant they were able to pay it off in the space of just seven years, which split evenly per month, works out at paying roughly $1,786 (\u00a3970) per month.<\/p>\n \u2018I continued to cook my own foods, and go charity shopping,\u2019 says Christine.<\/p>\n \u2018I also noticed we were spending lots of money on toilet paper, so we purchased a bidet, which has really helped with savings.<\/p>\n \u2018Those are the kinds of things that I will spend money on upfront to save in the long run.\u2019<\/p>\n Christine also says that she and her husband routinely audit their monthly expenses, where they make tough decisions about outgoings.<\/p>\n She says: \u2018If you pay for Netflix, can you live without it? Or is there a cheaper alternative?<\/p>\n \u2018Then, also look to see if there are jobs you pay people to do that you can do yourself.<\/p>\n \u2018For example, we do lots of our own DIY.\u2019<\/p>\n Christine insists making these changes allowed her to pay off her mortgage in seven years, and take her children \u2014 aged 15 and 17 \u2014 on expensive vacations to Mexico, Cuba, and the Caribbean.<\/p>\n \t\t \u2018When we got married, we didn\u2019t really have a lot of money, so in the beginning, we didn\u2019t really travel as a family a lot.<\/p>\n \u2018It wasn\u2019t until last year that we brought our kids on the plane for the first time.\u2019<\/p>\n Now, while they\u2019re still not willing to splash the cash, the purse strings have loosened slightly.<\/p>\n \u2018We have started travelling more, and we spend money on electronics as they will last a while.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2018We also spend money on our home, like security and motion sensor lights.<\/p>\n \u2018I don\u2019t want a fancy purse. I want a nice home.\u2019<\/p>\n But Christine, who is also a content creator, says that ultimately, she lives a frugal life not because she\u2019s struggling for money, but because it makes her happier.<\/p>\n \u2018Frugality is about being grateful,\u2019 she says.<\/p>\n \u2018I find that a lot of people feel like they need the newest shirt or product to feel happy.<\/p>\n \u2018But being grateful for everything you have has brought a lot more fulfilment to my life \u2014 and a lot more happiness.\u2019<\/p>\n Do you have a story to share?<\/strong><\/p>\n Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n \t\t\tComments Arrow Arrow![\"Frugal](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SEI_259831683-a7bb-e1753346911566.jpg\")
\n\t\tChristine\u2019s parents taught her how to live on a shoestring (Picture: @eco.amical \/ SWNS)<\/p>\n![\"Frugal](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SEI_259831772-94b3.jpg\")
\n\t\tChristine and her family just got back from the Carribbean (Picture: @eco.amical \/ SWNS)<\/p>\n![\"Frugal](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SEI_259831810-e1753347309668.jpg\")
\n\t\tAbove all, living this way makes her happy (Picture: @eco.amical \/ SWNS)<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\tComment now<\/p>\n
\n\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
\nMORE: Little-known way to get half-price food from Sainsbury\u2019s, Asda, Morrisons and more <\/a><\/p>\n
\nMORE: Should I take a mortgage holiday? The pros and cons if you need a financial break<\/a><\/p>\n