Family slammed for spending £300 per month beauty splurge on How to save a grand in 24 hours 

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Viewers of How to Save a Grand in 24 Hours have slammed a mother who spent £300 per month on beauty products but claimed she couldn’t afford to fix black mould growing in her son’s bedroom.

Anna Wallace, from Worcester, and her husband Mark appeared on the Channel 4 documentary last night and confessed they were routine overspenders, splashing out £1,000 on food and hundreds on beauty products each month. 

But despite their routine overspends, the couple, who were in £9,000 of debt, said they hadn’t got the cash to fix black mould which had been growing in their eldest son’s bedroom for years.

With the help of Channel 4’s team of chef Gary Usher, DIY expert Eve Humphreys and cleaning wonder Peachy Clean,  they discovered they could be saving £1,141 a month by cutting down their food bills and excessive shopping sprees.

However many of those watching the show were left flabbergasted over the couple’s spending habits, with one writing: ‘So the mum happily spends £300 a month  on beauty products but lets her son sleep in a mouldy bedroom for 2 years?’

Anna Wallace, from Worcester, and her husband Mark appeared on the Channel 4 documentary How to Save a Grand in 24 Hours last night and confessed they were routine overspenders

Viewers hit out at Anna after she said she spent £300 per month on beauty products but claimed she couldn't afford to rid her son's bedroom of black mould (pictured, the mould)

Viewers hit out at Anna after she said she spent £300 per month on beauty products but claimed she couldn’t afford to rid her son’s bedroom of black mould (pictured, the mould) 

‘£300 a month on beauty products, nearly a grand a month on the food shop and yet they claim to have no money to sort the black mould in their child’s room.

‘What is wrong with some people, seriously!’  

Appearing on the programme, Anna confessed the pair both had debt from previous divorces.

She explained: ‘When I split from my ex husband, I actually went through repossession of my house and I went bankrupt.’  

Many of those watching the show were left flabbergasted over the couple's spending habits, with some calling it 'astonishing'

Many of those watching the show were left flabbergasted over the couple’s spending habits, with some calling it ‘astonishing’ 

Meanwhile the mother-of-three, who works for a high street homeware company, said she had always had a bad attitude towards spending.

She said: ‘My dad was terrible with money, he always lived for the moment. Dad was really ill, he had a brain tumor.  

‘That planted in my head that you don’t know what is around the corner and life is for living.’

Meanwhile host Anna Richardson revealed the couple ‘liked to look after themselves’, saying: ‘Anna is teaching her 13-year-old daughter Heidi to be really into beauty, but they have got an unreal amount of cosmetics and beauty products.’ 

After hearing she was spending £300 on beauty products each month, Anna broke down in giggles while Mark put his head in his hands

After hearing she was spending £300 on beauty products each month, Anna broke down in giggles while Mark put his head in his hands 

With the help of Channel 4's team of experts, Anna Richardson told the pair they could be saving £1,141 a month by cutting down their food bills and excessive shopping sprees

With the help of Channel 4’s team of experts, Anna Richardson told the pair they could be saving £1,141 a month by cutting down their food bills and excessive shopping sprees

The couple explained they cook three different meals each night because their children were ‘really fussy eaters’.

HOW CAN BLACK MOULD CAUSE HEALTH PROBLEMS?

Moulds produce allergens (substances that can cause an allergic reaction), irritants and, sometimes, toxic substances.

Inhaling or touching mould spores may cause an allergic reaction, such as sneezing, a runny nose, red eyes and skin rash. Moulds can also cause asthma attacks.

Black mould often thrives in humid areas, such as bathrooms, laundry rooms, and shower cubicles.

Although not recognised by official health bodies, black mould poisoning could be a form of mycotoxicosis, which may occur if a person breathes in too many mycotoxins over a long time.

Mycotoxins are fungal metabolites which when ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin could cause toxic disease in human and animals.

The adverse health effects of range from acute poisoning to long-term effects such as immune deficiency and cancer, according to the World Health Organisation.

Although there have been little large studies into mycotoxins, and its significance is only fairly recently recognised, researchers have noted that mycotoxicosis was ‘the neglected disease’ which can be overlooked.

Mycotoxins are typically found in food due to infected crops. The moulds grow cereals, nuts, spices, dried fruits, apples and coffee beans, often under warm and humid conditions.

Exposure to mycotoxins can happen either directly by eating infected food or indirectly from animals that are fed contaminated feed, in particular from milk.

Mark said he spent his ‘life in a supermarket’, saying: ‘Our six-year-old Harley’s staple diet consists of pizza, hot dogs…so we always have to cook a separate meal for him. ‘

There were also a mass of issues with the couple’s home, with problems piling up to the point where it was becoming overwhelming.

Teenager Dylan’s bedroom had a leak from the roof which left a hole in his ceiling.

The problem had been left to worsen for years, meaning black mould was growing on the ceiling and in the corner of the room.   

To help change their habits, chef Gary offered his advice on how to save money while cooking at home.

He suggested cooking one meal which could be suitable for the whole family, instead of splashing out on three options.

They also decided to swap supermarket trips for an online shop to help the family to plan meals and avoid buying unnecessary items.

And Peachy helped the family tackle their addiction to beauty products, calculating their stash of items mounted up to £2,575.

Peachy explained: ‘The whole family could have gone to Disneyland for that.’

She set the family a challenge not to buy any beauty products for the next week and encouraged them to save the cash instead.

Meanwhile DIY expert Eve arrived to help the couple with their ‘never-ending circle’ of problems with their home, starting with Dylan’s bedroom.

She was able to rid the room of black mould, before refreshing the space with funky new wallpaper and furniture. 

Using the lessons they learned in 24 hours, Anna revealed they had saved £610 on supermarket bills, and £175 on shopping for beauty products. 

In total, the savings would leave them with an extra £1,141  in their pockets at the end of the month.  

However many of those watching were left stunned by the couple, with one person asking: ‘Where does Channel 4 find all the thick people that appear on such shows? It’s astonishing!’

Another wrote: ‘£300 a month on beauty products? For £300 a month, I get food for 3 people, gas/electric/internet and petrol for my car.

‘Some people have so much money they waste it and complain they are struggling while others genuinely have little but make it go a long way.’  

A third added: ‘The family should be reported to social services. Black mould in their son’s bedroom but yet they spend £300 a month on makeup.’ 

Peachy calculated how much the stash of beauty products in Anna's home was worth and revealed she had spent £2,575 on the items

Peachy calculated how much the stash of beauty products in Anna’s home was worth and revealed she had spent £2,575 on the items 

Meanwhile DIY expert Eve gave Dylan's bedroom a refresh and rid the space of the dangerous black mould

Meanwhile DIY expert Eve gave Dylan’s bedroom a refresh and rid the space of the dangerous black mould