Sun, Sea and Supersavers

Across Britain, there’s a community of people who’ve turned extreme penny pinching into a way of life. Some have made their passion their career and are celebrities in their own right. For others, it’s a private passion which is saving their families serious money. Now, for the first time, they’ll go head to head to see who can get the best value from one of our most costly spends - the holiday.  

First up are the professional money savers. Ashleigh Swan is known in the cost-cutting world as Ashleigh Money Saver and claims to have more Facebook followers than The Queen. Keen to steal her crown is Jenny Drew, the Coupon Detective. They’re locking horns over who can bag themselves the cheapest weekend break in British seaside favourite, Great Yarmouth. But it’s not just about having a cheap time - it’s about having a great time, and both women and their partners, Aaron and Neil, will have to eat out and take part in activities while away. With a trip to the greyhound racing planned, will the Coupon Detective’s chances of winning the competition go to the dogs?

Meanwhile, the amateur money savers are battling it out in Majorca, where a five night stay in May half term could set you back £2500 for a family of four. The Dingwalls from Glasgow, and the Squire family from Shropshire, are hoping that their very different money saving tactics will slash a significant chunk off that price. Andrea Dingwall always haggles - even at the charity shop. Julie Squire has a far more forensic approach and gets off to a good start by choosing indirect flights and saving herself £500 from the off. But will the Dingwalls’ shameless haggling and squirreling away sausages from breakfast whilst in Majorca allow them to steal the win and have the cheapest holiday?

Mum Holly Smith, 29, is Britain’s best-known couponer. She got £1164.39 of shopping for absolutely nothing by using coupons - discount vouchers that you can use to save money on groceries, toys, holidays and more. Having saved herself and her family £70,000 so far, Holly wants to pass on her expertise. Her first pupil is Mum of three Ingrid, who spends a whopping £185 a week on groceries - more than twice the national average. Holly’s keen for Ingrid to start wombling – a technique that involves picking up other peoples discarded receipts from the floor to try to claim  back the coupon they were due if their shopping would have been cheaper elsewhere. Holly also wants to involve Ingrid’s children in her moneysaving campaign by getting them to draw pictures and send letters to manufacturers. Will her extreme tactics inspire Ingrid and her family?