- ‘Bulk buy’ products which are the staples of your diet (pasta, porridge, rice etc.) from outlets such as Costco or Makro
- Never buy pre-packaged fruit and vegetables, it is much cheaper to buy loose [a whole lettuce costs around 90p; chopped lettuce can cost £2]
- Don’t buy fresh produce that isn’t in season (e.g: strawberries in winter), as it will be more expensive [eattheseasons.com lets you know what’s in season];
- Only buy something deemed to be a bargain (or greatly reduced) if you will actually use it
- Always make a shopping a list. Price the cost of your shopping on mysupermarket.com and take £10 more than the stated amount;
- Use a basket when shopping - it reduces your temptation to buy things you don’t need
- Don’t always buy ready-made. Food such as pasta sauce can be made cheaply and easily with lower salt, sugar and fat than the ready-made version
- Freeze as much as possible, especially if you are cooking in bulk, so you can eat well even when you are running low on money
- Read the packaging for information about salt, sugar and fat – the low cost own brand ranges can often be better for you than the premium alternatives;
- If you don’t have enough time for breakfast, don’t go to Starbucks or a coffeeshop. Go to a supermarket and buy a pack of muffins or rolls
- Learn the cost of your everyday products. This will allow you to know when something is cheap or expensive even when you are not shopping at your usual store
