A bargain-hunting nan has saved hundreds of pounds on clothes and gifts for her growing grandchildren.
Thrifty Nicola Clark, 61, has filled an entire cupboard with brand-new sale items after hitting supermarket discount racks and planning months in advance.
The grandmother, who even knows when certain stores are reducing their prices, says she stashes her finds in “nanny’s secret wardrobe” and has already saved £150 this year.
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“I have three birthday presents sorted, a winter coat bought and Easter gifts, chocolate bars, planned for next year,” Nicola, from Portsmouth, Hampshire, told What’s The Jam.
“Boots usually have 75% off in January and supermarkets tend to have the better sales.”
Savvy Nicola says she brought up two children as a single mother and is used to looking for ways to make her money stretch until payday.
She said: “Once they had grown, left home and got married, I no longer had such pressure, but still went to boot sales to find a bargain or two.
“I enjoyed the thrill of maybe finding a hidden treasure.”
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Nicola became a grandmother for the first time in 2019 when her son, Michael, and daughter-in-law, Ella, welcomed twin girls, Millie and Gracie.
She said: “During the summer months of 2020 I noticed a baby sale rail in Asda selling the exact same baby vests that I had paid full price for only a few months before.
“I took them home and put them in a canvas wardrobe I was not using at the time. Nanny’s secret wardrobe was born.
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“My grandchildren are young so I don’t have to worry too much about locking it up, but this might have to change.
“No peeking!”
Nicola says she frequently adds bargain buys to the collection, often selecting items in larger sizes so her grandchildren always have something to grow into.
She said: “In 2022, my daughter Kim and her husband, Jamie, welcomed the arrival of Roxanne.
“The wardrobe slowly grew.
“I realised it made total sense to buy not only clothing, but gifts for birthdays and Christmas in advance too.”
The proud nan says she loves spending her spare time shopping but is still choosy about what she buys.
She said: “When goods go out of season, they are often sold at amazingly cheap prices.
“For example, I bought Easter goods reduced from £5 to 50p each, now tucked away for next year.
“I also have toys reduced from £15 to only £5, and I recently bought two car booster seats from Asda for only £2.50 each. They will be perfect for the twins within the year.
“Primark can also be good for soft furnishings and presents.
“This year I’ve spent around £50 and I have over £200 of brand new goods.”
Nicola shared a picture of her haul on Facebook with the caption: “Am I the only nan that has a ‘secret wardrobe’ filled with things in the sale in next years’ sizes, ready for my grandchildren?”
The post received over 1,000 likes and hundreds of comments from canny consumers who relate to Nicola’s spending skills.
One person wrote: “I’ve always done this for the seven grandchildren.”
Another said: “I do this too. My daughter and I swap outgrown clothes which I then list on Vinted.”
“Deffo a grandma thing…just had some fab bargains from Asda,” a fellow nan posted.
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