Almost 1/3 of Americans admit eating food that has gone off to save money

31% of Americans have admitted to eating food that is past its sell by date to make money go further, brand new research has revealed.

A surveyed analysing the spending and saving habits of over 1000 US citizens found that 42% have bought and worn used clothes to save money, while a quarter have risked their lives by driving a faulty car to save money on repairs.

360couponcodes.com, who commissioned the research, also revealed that Americans frequently take freebies just to cut costs.

When asked what items they take, American’s said the most common items were napkins, ketchup sachets and pens, followed by plastic cutlery, toiletries and packets of sugar. These acts were considered a moral grey area by those surveyed, with less than a quarter of Americans agreeing that taking the above items for hotels or food chains is stealing.

Mike Meade CEO from 360couponcodes.com said “The study results we’ve received are interesting as it seems Americans, like most people, enjoy getting a good deal, even when making the simplest of purchases.”

Almost a third of thrifty Americans stated they review their budget several times a week to stay on top of things, while more than 80% claimed they shop at dollar stores to avoid going over their budget.

The survey also revealed that penny pinching has a negative effect on people’s family lives, with one in four couples surveyed admitting they’ve had arguments caused by a partner’s attempts to save money.

A third of those surveys also admitted to sacrificing their social life to make ends meet.

Meade added: “Making our money go as far as possible is important to everyone. It’s important to keep things in perspective and find the right balance between finding easy ways to seek out the best deals and enjoying spending the money that Americans work very hard to earn.”

In March, it was revealed that nearly half of American children are currently living near the poverty line according to research by the National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP) at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.