Savvy woman, 21, saving up £5 notes from age of 16 buys herself a Range Rover

02 July 2023 , 11:29
647     0
Grace in the Range Rover she bought after five years of saving £5 notes (Image: @GNB.X/ CATERS NEWS)
Grace in the Range Rover she bought after five years of saving £5 notes (Image: @GNB.X/ CATERS NEWS)

A savvy 21-year-old who has been saving up her £5 notes since she was 16 has now bought herself a "dream car" for £21,000.

Grace Blake, from The Wirral, even paid for the vehicle, a Range Rover Evoque, with the notes, which she had been storing under her bed in a box.

The car dealer looked unimpressed, Grace admitted, and had to spend hours counting the money.

But for the office admin worker handing over the actual notes was an important moment after all the hard work of saving up.

Grace's mission started five years ago, when she set up her own dog walking business at 16.

Martin Lewis issues 8-week warning to phone users ahead of huge price hikes qhiukiqriuqinvMartin Lewis issues 8-week warning to phone users ahead of huge price hikes

She charged people £5 an hour to walk their dogs during her GCSE summer holidays, as well as saving any notes she got for her birthdays and Christmas.

Grace explains: "I never got tempted to spend them. I had my goal and knew what I wanted, so I kept saving and saving.

Savvy woman, 21, saving up £5 notes from age of 16 buys herself a Range RoverGrace Blake has been saving £5 notes since she was 16 (@GNB.X/ CATERS NEWS)
Savvy woman, 21, saving up £5 notes from age of 16 buys herself a Range RoverShe says her late father drove a Range Rover (@GNB.X/ CATERS NEWS)

"I always said I would never spend them until I had enough to buy a car, and now I've managed to buy my dream car, which is a black Range Rover Evoque.

"The poor car dealer had to count them out to make sure there was enough and it took him hours. I originally kept them in a clear sealed bag but then I had to put them in a box under my bed as the bag wasn’t big enough.

"The car was £21,000. I also had sold my old Vauxhall for £5,000 and put that towards it too, as well as having some savings.

Savvy woman, 21, saving up £5 notes from age of 16 buys herself a Range RoverA Range Rover Evoque like Grace's (HANDOUT MOTOR PR)

"I knew the car dealer, and he asked me to cash them into the bank before I came, but I didn't want to. He couldn’t believe I gave them to him in a box.

Grace said she became "a little obsessed" with her £5 saving plan.

"Even when my boyfriend had a £5 note, I would take it. I wouldn’t even let him leave a £5 note tip - I would make him get it in coins.

Not everyone, however, believes she bought the luxury car with her own money.

Savvy woman, 21, saving up £5 notes from age of 16 buys herself a Range RoverGrace kept the £5 notes under her bed in a box (@GNB.X/ CATERS NEWS)
Savvy woman, 21, saving up £5 notes from age of 16 buys herself a Range RoverShe wrote about her saving journey on TikTok (@GNB.X/ CATERS NEWS)

"Everyone on TikTok has been saying that my parents gave me the money, but my dad died when I was 15, and he drove a Range Rover. I vowed to myself that I would buy myself one after he died - that's what motivated me.

Boots annual 70% off sale is returning with some deals already availableBoots annual 70% off sale is returning with some deals already available

"When people say it was my parents, I laugh it off. I chose what I wanted to put my money towards, but I've also had comments from people saying I'm a drug dealer or stripper and I couldn't be further from that.

"I don't care about the comments. People can think what they want. I'm the one driving around in a nice car.

"I have had girls telling me that they have just turned 16 and want to do it too."

Niamh Kirk

Print page

Comments:

comments powered by Disqus