Coupon queen gives out toilet roll to people struggling due to stockpiling
Jennifer Drew, 36, is a coupon queen, saving £6,000 a year by hunting out bargains and deals online.
The mum-of-three, from Ashby-de-la-Zouch in Leicestershire, has accumulated so many discounted products over the last few years that she’s had to store them in a garden shed and spare room in her home.
But as coronavirus prompts stockpiling and panic-buying – leaving many people unable to access essentials in the lockdown – Jennifer has opened the doors to her store cupboards to give out her stash to those in need.
The mum has been putting together care packages for friends and family, as well as donating them to food banks and other vulnerable people who can’t just pop to the shops.
She said: ‘I’ve been giving stuff out to my friends and family as well as the local foodbank.
‘We all shop responsibly and my brother went into a shop recently and couldn’t even find toothpaste, the shelves were stripped completely bare.
‘My supplies have taken quite a hit but of course it’s all been worth it.
‘I’ve got to balance the situation out between not giving stuff away because I might need it or I’ve got stuff that people need.
‘I’m probably having to go the shop eventually and just hope that this mass hysteria panic buying will abate otherwise I’ll be in the same situation as everyone else.
‘Hopefully people will come to their senses before then.’
Each care package Jennifer has put together contains six precious toilet rolls, a toothbrush, toothpaste, razors, shaving gel, shampoo, conditioner, hand wash, body spray, shaving gel and hand moisturiser.
She’s also been keeping her local foodbank stocked up with washing up liquid, deodorant and baby wash.
In two weeks Jennifer estimates that 20% of her stocks are already gone and predicts that most of the remainder will be whittled away in the next three weeks as people continue to struggle to find essentials.
She said: ‘I’ve already got requests for the next few weeks.
‘I’m thinking my entire supply will disappear in the next three weeks depending on how silly people are in the supermarket.
‘There’s always a way of keeping yourself clean and fed that doesn’t require you to buy 60 bottles of handwash or all the baby wipes on the shelf.’
Jennifer has criticised people for hoarding items amid all the pandemic panic.
She said: ‘I’ve got three children, two of whom are in nappies and I’ve used what I’ve got here at home rather than go out and buy them because they’re not around.
‘People need to think more about each other rather than be selfish.
‘It’s shortsightedness. The more people who panic buy the more panic it will create.
‘If everyone calmed down and shopped for what they just needed then the panic would die down.
‘People need to break the vicious cycle.
‘I’ve always had an open door policy if anybody really needs anything and is on hard times.
‘I’m not going to change that because everyone else is being silly. We all need to pull together and do our best to help each other out.’
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