‘I HOLD OUT FOR THE RIGHT DEAL’
Countdown maths whizz and former Strictly star Rachel Riley, 32, shares her cash-saving secrets, and reveals…
MY FIRST-EVER JOB PROVIDED ME WITH FREE CAKE!
I was 15 and I’d earn £25 for the day, working 9am-6pm in a small independent sandwich shop in Southend. I got free sandwiches for my lunch and I could take home the leftover cakes at the end of the day, so I thought it was brilliant.
I’M ONLY LOYAL TO SOME BRANDS, INCLUDING MY VEGAN CHICKEN NUGGETS!
Being vegan, I find I have to shop around to find products I like and sometimes that rules out own-brand foods, which are cheaper. Waitrose does a vegan-friendly pizza, which is delicious, and there’s a brand called the Vegetarian Butcher that does vegan chicken nuggets, so I’m loyal to them. And I always buy Coyo coconut milk – there are about 400 different dairy-free milks these days and they taste so different, but I like that one.
I DON’T TEND TO IMPULSE BUY UNLESS I CAN JUSTIFY IT
I was leaving a shop when I noticed a pair of earrings, and I had to have them! They cost £30 and were silver and black, with dangly bits. I wear a lot of black, so I felt I needed them!
I’M ALWAYS TRYING TO BAG THE BEST BARGAINS
One year, I booked and then rebooked the same holiday to Antigua about four times. I originally booked it with a free cancellation policy, then kept cancelling and rebooking whenever the price came down. My boyfriend [Strictly dancer Pasha Kovalev, 38] thought I was mad, but we got the holiday we wanted for 20 per cent less in the end. I also like a luxury holiday, but I don’t want it to cost the earth, so I book through Topcashback (www. topcashback.co.uk), where you get money back for every buy.
I SPEND MOST OF MY SPARE CASH ON TRAVEL
I love going abroad, and Pasha and I go away as much as we can – that’s why I’m always looking for the best deals! Pasha gets the summer off and a break over Christmas, so we use that time to get away from it all and see as much wildlife as possible. We’ve been all over the place in the past few years – Galapagos Islands, the Amazon basin in South America and Sri Lanka. We like to try something different and experience new things. I organise everything and have constant spreadsheets on the go!
I PREFER TO BIDE MY TIME WHEN BUYING
I always think carefully before purchasing anything. I bought my flat a few years ago and then renovated it, but I’ve only just bought bedside tables and it took me years to find the right lamps! I tend to hold out for the right thing, rather than get something for a quick fix.