In December alone, Bradley, 32, earned a staggering £16,067. He has enough money to live lavishly, buying the latest tech, designer clothes and enjoying Michelin meals.
But instead, he opts for a rather more frugal lifestyle. In the same month, he spent just £1,026.
Bradley’s biggest expense was £600 rent for his ‘cute’ and ‘cosy’ studio in Connecticut, USA. He spent £147 on groceries and cooked all of his meals at home as he thinks going out to eat is ‘expensive and stupid’.
He unplugs all of his appliances when he leaves the house, eats the same meal every day (on the one plate he owns) and never, ever turns the heating on.
But for Bradley, who has chosen not share his last name, keeping tight control over his purse strings is important. At just 21, he found himself in more than £100,000 worth of debt, and says his ‘life was over.’
After studying at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in New York, Bradley learnt he had a £104,150 debt bill. Unlike in the UK, student loans in the USA come with high interest rates and require repayment regardless of income.
‘They were showing me the numbers, and they were telling me I was gonna owe £1,120 ($1,400) a month,’ Bradley tells Metro. ‘It was at that moment when everything changed for me. That was the birth of the frugal lifestyle.’
His loan payments, while lower than initially estimated, were still a hefty £640 ($800) a month, forcing him to cut back on ‘fun’, groceries, buying new clothes for himself and other everyday expenses that most people wouldn’t think twice about.
Now, at 32, Bradley earns at least £8,000 ($10,000) per month through several jobs including TikTok content creation, working as a financial coach for a nonprofit, dog sitting, answering calls on a crisis hotline, cleaning houses, and mowing lawns.
10 extreme ways Bradley saves money
Opting out of health insurance. Bradley admits this is ‘controversial’, but has not paid for health insurance in six years after he turned 26 and no longer qualified for his parents health insurance plan.
Saves on electricity by not turning the heat on (even in winter). Instead Bradley wears multiple layers of clothing, uses the heat from the hob to heat his fingers while he’s cooking and lets the natural light heat his apartment.
Avoiding eating out at all costs. If he has to, he’ll get a starter or the cheapest thing on the menu.
Rarely buys new clothes/items for himself. He’s had the same two bath towels since moving into his apartment two years ago and his curtains are bed sheets.
Only has one plate. He has used the same plate for all of his meals since he was in University.
Cuts his sponges in half. ‘Why ruin a whole sponge’, he says.
Eats the same £1.50 ($2) dinner every day. Sweet potatoes (20p/29c each) and chicken (£1/$1.28 each) with barbecue sauce.
Never buys bin bags. Bradley uses paper bags as bin bags. He says he has ‘never once bought trash bags’ and asks coworkers/friends for their old bags.
‘Nothing goes to waste’. Every time Bradley buys something he will ‘squeeze out every last bit’ – from toothpaste to washing up liquid.
Doesn’t have any subscriptions. Bradley doesn’t ‘waste money’ on subscriptions like Netflix or TV. He relaxes by watching YouTube instead.
He’s amassed £200,830 ($250,000) in savings, and could easily pay off his student loan – which has now risen to £136,500 ($170,000) due to interest. Yet despite his more-than-comfortable earnings, he still lives the simple life.
When it comes to the food shop, he keeps costs low. ‘I rarely buy anything name brand as store brand is cheaper and gets the job done.
‘I also use my parents’ membership at a wholesale store so I buy my eggs and chicken in bulk, which is typically a bit cheaper.’
His bills are also fairly cheap: £67 ($84) for car insurance, £47 ($59) on gas, and £41 ($52) on electric – which he keeps low by ‘doing everything he can’ to save energy. This includes unplugging his fridge when he’s away and unplugging everything while he’s out (including the microwave).
He also rarely turns the lights on and spends his time at home ‘living in the dark’.
Other costs include £36 ($46) for internet, £33 ($42) on gifts, £33 on ‘fun’,(a category he describes as being ‘all about having self-control’) £23 ($29) for a haircut, £14 ($18) on miscellaneous items, and just £8 ($10) for a no-frills gym membership.
When going out to eat with friends, he’ll examine the menu beforehand for the ‘cheapest option’, often opting for a starter. He adds that on nights out, he ‘skips drinks, just getting water or sometimes a Shirley Temple.’
He adds: ‘For me, going out with friends is not about the money I’m spending, it’s about connection and being with them.
‘Every now and then if there’s something fun to do I’ll do it in moderation,’ For example he scored tickets for Avril Lavigne last year for £16 ($20) for ‘lawn’ tickets at the back of the venue on a piece of grass, which required he bring his own chair.
And as for relationships, he’s been focusing on himself for the past seven years. ‘I’ve been single for so long I don’t get far enough along with these guys to see what my life is like,’ he admits.
Last month alone, Bradley managed to save over £15,000 ($19,763 in total) but it comes at a cost. With so many jobs, he describes himself as a ‘hustler’ and often works 60 to 70 hour weeks, juggling several jobs and multiple streams of income.
While Bradley says he surprisingly never experiences burnout, he admits: ‘Maybe we all shouldn’t be working a 70-hour week like I am. But I see the power of increasing your financial streams.’
Bradley documents his frugal lifestyle, monthly outgoings and savings on his TikTok account @baddie.brad – another stream of income – where he has earned over 600,000 followers. He also shares money advice on his podcast, The Frugal Freak Podcast.
The response to his videos, he says, has been ‘fascinating.’ ‘People are kind of shocked that I live this way,’ he says. ‘And I’m like, “Oh, is this weird? Is this really weird?” Because I’ve lived this way for over 10 years – this is all I know.’
Bradley admits he’s also received a fair share of criticism for what he chooses not to buy. For example, he’s had the same two bath towels since moving into his apartment two years ago. ‘I just wipe my hands with it. Why does it need to be a fresh, brand-new towel?,’ he says.
Followers also question why he doesn’t have health insurance and why he hasn’t paid off his student loan debt yet. However, Bradley recently discovered that his loan, which is in his mother’s name under a Parent PLUS loan, will be forgiven in two years under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Programme since she works as a nurse.
‘I think I would rather make the payments for two more years and have it forgiven through the program than hand over $147,000 (£118,000) because that’s the amount I owe now,’ Bradley says.
But, he’ll continue his frugal lifestyle after his debt disappears. ‘I have everything that I need and learned to be grateful for it which doesn’t make me desire wanting more,’ he explains.
And, while he doesn’t spend on himself, Bradley is generous with his money: ‘My past financial nightmare has helped me see how nice it is to be kind to others in terms of finances.
‘Two years ago my sister got married, and I surprised her by buying her wedding dress.
‘Even though I’m so cheap, and I hate to spend money, this is why I live a frugal life, this is why I make the sacrifice.’
Travel is another way Bradley can enjoy his money. He says: ‘If I’m ever gonna spend money, it better be on something memorable and an experience. As opposed to having a stupid car or just clothes in your closet that you barely touch.’
As for the future, Bradley isn’t certain what he wants to invest his money in. While many of his followers think he’s saving to buy a house, he says he has ‘no desire’ to make the purchase. ‘I could see myself in a tiny house because of the minimal lifestyle,’ he explains. ‘But I don’t really have any big financial goal at the moment.’
What Bradley is certain of, however, is the importance of starting to save. For him, the most crucial step in his money-saving journey was simply taking the first step.
‘The biggest message I try to give other people who are financially struggling, or when money is really tight, or they think it’ll never get better is: don’t let another day go by,’ he says. ‘Because I literally see the proof of making all those little steps every single day.
‘I’m not an overnight success, but I am proof that if you stay focused, if you stay disciplined and dedicated to a plan, it can really add up to a big result.’
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