People are saving up to £200 a year thanks to their neighbours helping them

People say the generosity of their neighbours through the cost of living crisis has helped them save as much as £200 a year.

More than a third of Brits say they have saved money through help from their local community, according to social media app Nextdoor.

For example retired teacher Howard Bretman, from Horley in Surrey, reckons he has helped more than 100 people save cash by fixing their computer tech issues.

The 80-year-old noticed lots of his neighbours were posting on the app asking for computer advice.

Having worked as an electrician he knew he had the skills to sort them out – and instead of a repair bill potentially reaching three figures, he simply asked for a slice of cheesecake in return.

Howard said: ‘No-one was surprised when I became an electrician!

‘I can build a desktop if I’ve got all the parts and can take laptops apart and put them together again.

‘A lot of people simply have slow computers which I can fix.

‘One young lady had her own cleaning business, and all her details were on this broken laptop.

‘Companies were quoting her £100, I helped her for free – that was a lot of money she couldn’t risk.

‘I will post messages to Nextdoor with IT support, upcoming updates and things, which is the main way people find me.’

But people aren’t just offering IT support and laptop repairs through social media – also regularly requested is helping with groceries, household odd jobs, gardening and dog walking.

According to the survey 69% of Brits have no problem giving away unwanted items to their neighbours, and more than a third (35%) say they have borrowed something from a neighbour in the past year – a saving of up to £50 for a quarter of people.

Finance expert Jasmine Birtles said: ‘Not only does it make you feel happier and safer to have regular contact with neighbours, but it can also save hundreds of pounds a year.

‘The more we can share with each other the richer all of our lives can be.

‘From borrowing a ladder or a drill to handing over a bag of food from the fridge before going on holiday to watching each other’s kids for an hour or so, sharing goods and services with neighbours is a fantastic way of saving money.

‘I am fascinated by the amount of freebies people pick up within their communities and the way neighbours can help each other with everyday services to bring the cost down.

‘Community groups are a wonderful way to find great value and fantastic service, whether that’s a decorator or a dog-sitter.

‘I found my personal assistant through Nextdoor. I put an ad on it because I wanted someone local and I found her within hours.’

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