In these 'credit-crunch' times when we're all looking for ways to cut our expenditure, good savings can be made on food shopping, without compromising on quality, nutrition and interest, if we learn how to take control. There are several ways we can help cut food shopping costs.

Buy another fridge/freezer....or at least a freezer. Second hand ones can be bought quite cheaply if you scour private ads in the local paper, or cards in newsagents' windows. If you don't want to keep your new acquisition in the kitchen, or there's insufficient room, consider putting it in the garage, utility room or conservatory. With a second freezer you can take advantage of bulk buying perishable goods when they are on offer.

Try not to go shopping several times a week...I know I always spend more that way. It's better if you can do one big shop. Start writing a list several days before you need to go shopping, refer to the list 2 or 3 times a day, adding things as you think of them/use them up. Make sure you go through your cupboards/fridge/freezer when writing the list, so you don't end up buying things you already have in stock. (How many times have you rushed into the supermarket for a couple of things for dinner, seen a jar of mustard, e.g., and grabbed it on the way round, only to find when you got home that you'd already got 2 types in the cupboard that you'd forgotten about?).

Don't go shopping without that all-important list.....you'll only end up buying on impulse if you haven't got a clear idea of what you need. This is probably one of the biggest money-savers.

Have a look at the supermarkets' online shopping websites, they list all their current special offers on there. Even if you're not doing an online shop but visiting the store instead, it gives you an idea of what to look out for when you're writing your list. Doing an online shop is one way of avoiding the impulse buys, but you must factor in the delivery charge – will it cost you less/more than petrol driving to the supermarket?

Supermarkets make reductions on perishable goods several times a day. If you time your visit right, you could pick up some good bargains. The first reductions tend to be mid-morning, with just a small amount taken off; further reductions come mid-afternoon. Early evening is generally the time when the biggest price reductions come on bread, meat and fish....if the food is on its sell-by date, anything unsold by the end of the day's trading will be thrown out by the store. Clearly they don't want to lose money on unsold food, so they will be looking to offload the food even at a vastly reduced price. This is the time when you can pick up several packs of perfectly good meat and fish at a fraction of the usual price, take it home and put it in your newly-acquired second freezer. It's worth asking a friendly shop assistant what time they make the last price reductions – forewarned is forearmed!

Only take advantage of Buy One Get One Frees or other special offers if it's on something you would use anyway – no point in having a cupboard/fridge full of stuff nobody likes!

It's worth having some good, sturdy shopping bags – most supermarkets sell eco-friendly ones now quite cheaply which will last for ages. Don't forget to take them with you....you don't want to keep paying out 10 pence each for new bags when you've got loads at home. Keep some in the car, so you've always got a supply.

With a bit of thought, planning (and self control!) you can cut down quite significantly on your shopping expenditure.

This content was provided by one of our users, Sooliz