WHEN single mum Steph applied for Rich House Poor House, little did she know her life would be totally transformed by the experience.
Like millions across , the mum found the relentless of living very challenging and was left with just £98 a week after forking out for rent and bills.
The mum broke down in tears when she finally met Joe Credit: Channel 5
Steph couldn’t believe how much money she had to splash during the swap Credit: Channel 5
Joe swapped homes and lives with Steph for the week Credit: Channel 5
The tight budget had to cover food, as well as other things Steph and her daughter’s may need, meaning there was almost never anything left over for fun and treats.
The mum said she hoped by taking part in the series her kids, Amelia, 12, and Darcy, seven, would see they “don’t have to graft like mum 50 hours a week to just about get by.”
Also taking part in the swap was businessman Joe, who enjoys the finer things in life in his £3.5million mansion.
Despite there only being 30 miles between the two , Steph and Joe’s lifestyles couldn’t be more different.
Joe’s sprawling mansion had several chandeliers, a gym, a cinema room and even an indoor pool and sauna.
Meanwhile, Steph’s terraced home was falling apart at the seems, and Amelia’s bedroom even had some concerning mould.
And whilst the mum was used to sticking to her tight budget of less than £100 for the week, for the duration of the swap she got to splurge on Joe’s weekly £2,000 budget.
“How anybody could have £2,000 for a week is just madness, it makes me feel sick,” Steph said.
In the programme, Steph was tasked with taking over Joe’s role and pitching a product to a popular desert chain, putting her sales skills to the test.
At home, the mum revealed she would usually work gruelling 12 hour days in her role selling she could only dream of going on.
“I’ve always lived in a bubble that’s safe and secure and familiar, and I’m learning that maybe I don’t always have to play it safe and stay in that bubble, I can come out of it and try something new like I’ve just done,” the mum beamed after her big pitch.
As well as boosting her confidence in the world of work, Steph’s new budget meant she could also gain some confidence via a posh salon visit.
It was out with the old and in with the new as she transformed her look with a brand new colour and style, followed by a shopping spree for new clothes for both Steph and her daughters.
Not only that, but the mum bagged a second hand phone for her youngest, and an apple watch for her eldest, all for under £500 – something that would have previously been impossible to do.
After discovering that that girls are fans of all things theatre, Joe decided to treat Steph, Amelia and Darcy to a night out to watch a musical, complete with a fancy limo ride.
He also hired a decorator to give Steph’s rundown pad a much needed facelift.
A few licks of paint and some new furniture later, Amelia and Dracy’s bedrooms looked almost unrecognisable.
When the week came to and end Steph and Joe finally met and both reflected on their time spent in each other’s worlds.
Joe was quick to praise Steph’s incredible work ethic after learning about her long hours for little pay.
However, he was shocked by how little time the mum was left with after her long work day, which would often drag out until 10pm, “money does buy you time,” he said.
That’s why he decided to treat her to a stay in one of his favourite posh hotels in the Lake District.
“I want you to go to that hotel, have some meals, have a walk, use the spa, because you need to be a person as well,” Joe told Steph.
But the surprises for the mum didn’t end there, Joe also organised a huge Mediterranean holiday for Steph’s whole family.
And when it came down to the results of Steph’s sales pitch, which she gave on behalf of Joe’s company, he was pleased to share how impressed everyone was with her hard work.
“It looks like they’re going to buy the product,” he revealed.
“What we’ve decided is when that order is completed we’re going to give you the first £20,000 of the profits and I want you to clear your debts and put some money in the bank,” he added.
Steph was even offered a job in Joe’s company on his sales team, where the starting salary is £60,000.
Reflecting on the whole experience, Steph said: “My life isn’t over yet, it just might be beginning to be honest.
“There is a life out there for me now, I just needed to be brave and do something like this. I’m walking back into my house today a new person with a new life right in front of me.”
Steph and her daughter’s Amelia and Darcy enjoyed a posh meal during the swap Credit: Channel 5
Steph was able to get a makeover with her new big budget Credit: Channel 5 Five savvy mum hacks to save you a fortune
ANY parent knows just how pricey it can be to feed the kids - especially if they're a fan of branded, expensive products. But there are a few hacks that can help save you money, as mum-of-two and Fabulous Digital Senior Reporter Sarah Bull explained:
Batch cook
This is a hack that lots of mums, including myself, swear by. One thing I like to do is batch cook a tomato sauce – hiding a load of vegetables inside, including carrots, peppers and onion. Once it’s cooled, pop it into an ice cube tray to freeze. Then you can pop out the portions and bag up – ready to use for anything from a pasta sauce to a pizza base.
Home Happy meal
You’d be hard pushed to find a kid who doesn’t like McDonald’s. But with Happy Meals now priced at £3.89 each, it can be pricey getting them for your children – especially if you’ve got more than two. But why not try making your own home? Keep the packaging from your last trip to McDonald’s and cook up some chicken nuggets and fries in the air fryer. Pop a budget toy in a little bag and serve with a Fruit Shoot for a budget-friendly at home Happy Meal.
Make use of leftovers
If you’re savvy enough to plan things in advance, you can make use of leftovers to keep your kids sustained for another day. If you make something like pizza, for example, why not make enough for lunch the next day too? Lots of kids actually prefer cold pizza, and it’s especially useful if you make packed lunches for yours.
Get the kids involved
Not specifically a budget hack, but one that I’ve found always helps encourage kids to eat things they haven’t tried before. I’ve cooked things like fajitas, and put the ingredients all in different bowls, before getting the kids to make their own. While I’ve put out their favourites – like chicken, cheese and cucumber – I’ve also popped pepper and lettuce in a bowl. And, much to my delight, they both sampled that in their fajitas. What a score!
Ditch the brands
One thing that can make shopping much more expensive than it needs to be is going for branded products. We always used to be a family that swore by Heinz ketchup, refusing to go for anything else, but with the price of that shooting up, we’ve swapped for supermarket own brand ketchup and saved loads – especially considering how much of it we get through. If your kids are less than willing to make that swap, why not put the unbranded product in the branded product’s packaging and see if they notice the difference?
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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