If you time your food shopping just right you can get some real bargains. We've been a bit skint recently (like that's anything new) and have been taking full advantage of calling into the local little supermarket an hour or so before closing and buying up the reduced stuff.

In the last few days we've had two whole chickens, about four packs of Aberdeen Angus steaks, a few microwave ready meals, apple pies and lots of sausages and lots of packets of chicken breasts. Most of this stuff has been sold for between 10p and 50p just because it goes out of date on the day of purchase (it goes straight into the freezer when it gets home).

There is something very satisfying about paying 50p for some steaks that were on sale for £4.59 2 minutes before you purchased them (it's all down to the timing, you can follow the lady round with the "reduced" stickers!).

The amount of cash coming into the house should be greatly improved from this month but I think the frugal shopping practices will remain as there are some big savings to be made.