Mother left homeless with no savings after landlord sold rented home now shares budgeting tips as ‘Mrs Frugal’ on TikTok

A mother who was “made homeless” after her landlord sold her rented home and had no savings is now helping others survive on a shoestring budget on TikTok, where she shares tips under the pseudonym Mrs Frugal.

Alison Crawford, 34, her husband, Scott, 32, and their two children, Holly, five, and Olivia, four, were forced to leave their rented family home in Falkirk, Scotland, after their landlords decided to sell the property in September 2022.

At the time, Alison, a social care officer, and Scott, a clinical support worker and student, did not have enough savings for another house deposit, so were declared homeless and moved into council temporary accommodation in February 2023.

By June the same year, they secured a council house in Falkirk, paying monthly rent, and Alison began cutting costs and tracking all expenses, saving money by buying second hand clothes and cooking budget meals.

She now shares her top tips on TikTok, including how to feed yourself for £10-a-week, to help others feel less alone.

Alison told PA Real Life: “Having to declare ourselves as homeless was horrible – it kind of makes you feel like you’re less than other people, admitting that you’re not able to afford certain luxuries in life.

“I will be teaching my kids how to handle their money as they grow up, because it’s not something that I was taught when I was younger, which is probably one of the reasons as to why I ended up in the position that I was in.”

In September 2022, Alison said she was told her landlord was selling the first floor three bedroom flat she and her husband had been renting for six years.

At the time, they did not have enough savings for either a house deposit for a mortgage or a deposit for another rented home.

So Alison said she and her husband “had to admit defeat and had no other option” but to go to the council and declare themselves homeless in order to secure temporary accommodation.

“I suppose it’s our fault that we weren’t responsible enough with money to have a safety net, but it just happened so quickly,” Alison explained.

They were able to move straight into temporary accommodation – a first floor three bedroom flat – in February 2023.

She added: “I ended up distancing myself from a lot of people because I didn’t want them to know that I lived in homeless accommodation.”

Alison was not working at the time, having decided to stay at home after her children were born a year apart, while her husband was in a temporary job through the NHS staff bank.

“Literally every penny was being stretched as far as it could go,” she said.

“We sacrificed a lot and we had to rely on food banks.”

Alison and her family later received support through the council’s social housing scheme and moved into a two bedroom terraced house in June 2023, where Alison and her husband continue to pay monthly rent.

When securing the house, Alison was determined never to end up in the same situation again.

She began managing her and her husband’s finances “more effectively”, understanding exactly where “every penny went”.

Alison started working as a full-time social care officer in April 2024, and Scott as a part-time clinical support worker in July 2023 while also studying mental health nursing at the University of Stirling.

Since then, they have allocated £500-a-month for food shopping, including toiletries and cleaning products.

Alison also began feeding herself and her family for just £10-a-week, with meals including overnight oats, soup for lunch and spaghetti bolognese for dinner.

She explained: “I get a big bag of supermarket own brand oats for less than £1, add yoghurt and frozen fruit.

“Then I make carrot and coriander soup which is literally made from boiled carrots and coriander – portions for the week cost less than a pound.

“I can make a bolognese to feed our family for about £4, hiding carrots in there, and buying a 37p garlic bread on the side.

“I always go to the bottom of the shelves to get the cheaper things.”

Alison uses Olio, an app where neighbours give away leftover food for free, to save even more money on groceries.

Their gas and electricity are pay-as-you-go, costing around £225-a-month during the winter months.

They also pay around £40-a-month for Wi-Fi and a basic Sky TV package, £350 for their car on finance, £30 on petrol, and £70 to look after their three pet cats.

From Monday to Friday, she does not spend money on anything other than essentials and she refuses to buy coffees or lunches out and avoids buying branded items at full price.

She buys the majority of her family’s clothes second-hand, not throwing them away until they have holes in them and are beyond repair.

One of her best Vinted finds was a pair of £15 Dr Martens for her two children, and all of her eldest daughter’s clothes are passed down to her youngest.

Alison also relies on free and low-cost activities for her children, such as going to the park and doing baking and crafts at home.

Alison began posting her money-saving hacks on TikTok under the handle @mrsfrugal in summer 2025, with one post about a £10-a-week food shop gaining more than 225,000 views.

She said: “There were some people out there that were saying ‘Thank you so much’ but some people were commenting horrible things and asking why I would live like this.

“I wanted to take away the overwhelm when you only have £10 left to spend on food – I’ve been there and know how it feels.”

She has currently set herself the challenge of increasing her monthly income by 5% each month and is posting her results on TikTok.

So far, she has been successful by selling old items on Vinted and using cashback rewards.

Up until January 2026, she did not show her face on the app as she wished to remain anonymous online.

“People I know, or know of, followed me, and I have no idea if they knew it was me or recognised my voice on there,” Alison explained.

“But I thought I wanted to take control and not be ashamed so I decided to show people who I am and make it more real for people.”

She is yet to earn any money from her videos but is “aiming to one day” while focusing on “helping others”.

To others looking to save money and be more financially mindful, she said: “If you watch the pennies, the pounds will save themselves.

“It all adds up!”