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GEMMA Bird, also known as Money Mum, can proudly say she is “debt free at 42”.
The frugal mother of two has turned her money-saving tips into a career and is now a popular influencer.
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Gemma Bird, born August 3, 1981, is a financial influencer, columnist and bestselling author.
After working herself out of debt, She used her tricks to save money to build a career while helping others.
After initially working as a real estate agent, she realized she had a talent when it came to making the most of her money and became a content creator.
In 2019, she shared her tips on earning and saving money via her Instagram page @Moneymumofficial.
Gemma said it took a year for the account, which had more than 450,000 followers by September 2024, to become a success.
In 2020, she started her “Gemma’s No Spend Days” on social media, which was a huge success.
Following this success, she secured a book deal and her Sunday Times bestseller, Money Mum Official: Save Yourself Happy, was published in January 2022.
Shortly afterwards, Gemma was spotted by ITV’s Lorraine, where she regularly gives money-saving tips.
Earn money
Now that Gemma is debt free herself, she has decided to make social media her full-time career.
Thanks to her, she was able to pay off her mortgage at the age of 42.
She also earns money from the sales of her book.
Gemma is also a sought-after columnist for The Sun, where readers flock to her top tips on how to save money.
Speaking about her knack for money, she told The Sun: “I’ve always been financially astute, mainly thanks to my parents Jayne, who was a housewife when I was growing up in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, and Steve, who worked in the bus industry.
“When I was 16-18 I got £50 pocket money a month and once that was gone it was over.
“It put me in a great mindset and made me determined to become independent and earn my own money.
Even though we are financially independent and have no mortgage, I am determined to follow in my parents’ footsteps and teach my children the value of money.
Gemma Vogel
“When I was 14, I got paid to pick mushrooms before going to school, and by 18 I was working full-time as a real estate agent.
“I saved 80% of my salary every month when I lived at home with my parents, and spent the rest.”
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Happy family
Gemma met her second husband Adam through a dating app in 2011, just before she turned 30.
A month after meeting him, they moved in together and a year later their son Brody was born.
They got married in 2014 and five years later their daughter Bronte was born.
She said: “Although we are financially independent and have no mortgage, I am determined to follow in my parents’ footsteps and teach my children the value of money.”
Gemma also shared that she teaches her children about the value of money.
She said: “Brody gets £2 a week, and if he spends it he doesn’t get any more.
“Recently he went to the kiosk and bought a bottle of Prime.
“Afterwards he was stressed because he had spent his pocket money, which was a valuable lesson.
“As a society, we need to talk more openly and honestly about money – we need to understand it.
Gemma’s top five money saving tips
1. Put an odd amount of money into a savings account every day. So if you have £203 in your current account, transfer the £3.
2. When shopping online, put everything in your cart, but don’t buy it. Come back two days later – you’ll find yourself deleting things you don’t really want or need.
3. To save around £300 a year on your energy bills, boil your kettle once a day. Fill it with six cups of water, boil it and pour it into a thermos flask. You will then have water to use all day instead of having to boil it multiple times.
4. Make money from your old clothes in minutes by taking a bag of clothes of any size to an H&M store. Simply drop it off and they will recycle the items and give you a £5 voucher to use in store. You have to download the app, which is free, and you collect points to get discounts.
5. The heavier your car, the more fuel it uses, so remove the roof rack and empty the boot. Google petrol prices in your area and plan your trip to the cheapest garage when you are nearby so you don’t waste fuel filling up.
