Moustache Owner Living Off $5 a Day to Save the Cookies

The first #SaveMoustache petition campaign has failed. After the landlord said in May 2014 that he would increase rent for the tiny shop space by around 40%, Moustache retaliated with a 7,847-strong petition to have him stand down from enforcing the ridiculous rent hike. Although outcries were heard across the city, the petition still failed - the milk and cookie bar recently announcing that it will have to close down before the end of 2015.

But not one to give up easily, Deanna Yang, the brilliant owner of the cookie and milk bar, is saving face (and Moustache) by now fundraising to get a cookie bus instead. That's right, portable cookies y'all.

In fact, she's so determined to save Moustache, that's she's living on a shoestring budget for the duration of her Pledge Me campaign to raise the $80,000 needed to turn Moustache into a cookie bus. "I will stop eating out, I will work out at home instead of paying for gym, I will cut my own hair instead of paying to get it cut, I will do a puzzle at home instead of going out for fun. I will strip my life back & live on $5 per day to cover breakfast, lunch, dinner & all my activities. $5 a day, $35 a week. For every day that my crowdfund runs for and we save Moustache." (The $5 daily limit not including rent, obviously.)

Starting a milk and cookie bar was on Yang's bucket list since she was eight years old, the dream becoming a reality at the age of 21 when she first opened Moustache's doors.

If successful, Moustache will be housed in a renovated 1978 Bedford bus, which will be able to tour New Zealand - serving Oreo marshmellow cookies and lemon meringue pie cookies to all. Those pledging may be rewarded with either Team Mo Tees, Mo Stickers, cookies (including their ever-exclusive Cookie of the Week), milkshakes & private Milk & Cookie Bus Parties depending on their level of contribution.