I ditched loo roll to cut costs and pay off my mortgage in just 7 years

Metro

24-07-2025

A mum-of-two has revealed how she cut costs to pay off her mortgage in just seven years, including cutting her own hair and ditching toilet roll.
Christine Lan, 40, may have gone to extreme lengths, but she's now reaping the rewards — now mortgage free, she's got more disposable income, and has recently come back from a family holiday in the Carribbean.
'We're enjoying life,' Christine says. 'We're very fortunate.'
Christine is originally from Mauritius, and moved to Montreal, Canada, with her parents in the 1970s.
She says her mum and did didn't have much money, so had to make their budget stretch.
Christine said: 'My parents are from a tiny island where resources are limited.
'When they came to Canada to start a life for themselves, they were forced to pinch a few pennies.'
Her mum and dad would use clever hacks, like using citrus peels as natural air freshners, or popping spring onions in water so they'd sprout new shoots.
She adds her 'mum doesn't waste anything', including cutting open toothpaste to get out every last drop.
And, her parents' attitude to money rubbed off on Christine, who embarked on a career in acting.
'I started with making my own skincare,' she says. 'I would get oils from the kitchen and buy things like shampoo bars for $10 (£4) for my hair.
'I even cut my own hair because it was costing so much to have someone else do it.
'My frugal life started with skincare and beauty, and then it just trickled down to other aspects of my life.
'I would use menstrual cups instead of disposable tampons, go thrift shopping or charity shopping for clothes, take public transport and walk instead of driving, or have picnics instead of going to a restaurant.'
When Christine and her husband got married, they bought a flat together, before buying their four-bedroom townhouse in 2008 for $217,000 (£117,700).
With a 25-year mortgage $150,000 (£81,400), they were keen not to have the debt hanging over their heads, and continued to live on a tight budget.
It meant they were able to pay it off in the space of just seven years, which split evenly per month, works out at paying roughly $1,786 (£970) per month.
'I continued to cook my own foods, and go charity shopping,' says Christine.
'I also noticed we were spending lots of money on toilet paper, so we purchased a bidet, which has really helped with savings.
'Those are the kinds of things that I will spend money on upfront to save in the long run.'
Christine also says that she and her husband routinely audit their monthly expenses, where they make tough decisions about outgoings.
She says: 'If you pay for Netflix, can you live without it? Or is there a cheaper alternative?
'Then, also look to see if there are jobs you pay people to do that you can do yourself.
'For example, we do lots of our own DIY.'
Christine insists making these changes allowed her to pay off her mortgage in seven years, and take her children — aged 15 and 17 — on expensive vacations to Mexico, Cuba, and the Caribbean.
'When we got married, we didn't really have a lot of money, so in the beginning, we didn't really travel as a family a lot.
'It wasn't until last year that we brought our kids on the plane for the first time.'
Now, while they're still not willing to splash the cash, the purse strings have loosened slightly.
'We have started travelling more, and we spend money on electronics as they will last a while.
'We also spend money on our home, like security and motion sensor lights.
'I don't want a fancy purse. I want a nice home.'
But Christine, who is also a content creator, says that ultimately, she lives a frugal life not because she's struggling for money, but because it makes her happier.
'Frugality is about being grateful,' she says.
'I find that a lot of people feel like they need the newest shirt or product to feel happy.
'But being grateful for everything you have has brought a lot more fulfilment to my life — and a lot more happiness.'
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