Shopping

Finding the best offer or price for our daily shop can be exhausting. From 'Two for one' to 'Extra Points' and 'BOGOF's', where can the best deal be found? Here are some tips you can use:

Get to know your 'Use by' & 'Best Before 

The 'use by' date means that you should use that item before the date printed. After that, you should throw it away. With 'Best Before', this is the manufacturer's view of when the item has reached its best quality. You can still use it after this date, but it may lose its taste or quality.

Try value brands

Supermarkets will have their own brands and value ranges at a cheaper cost. Why not try a value or own-brand item on your next shop and compare it to the brand you used to buy?

Bulk up

Buy in bulk if you can. Save on repeated purchases on the same product. You may find you can do this on a BOGOF offer.

Beware of marketing tactics.

Supermarkets can tend to place higher-priced stuff at eye level. So make sure you have a good look around before making your choice.

Draw up a meal plan

Planning out the meals you're going to make means you can make your ingredients go further, and you'll only buy what you need.

Reductions

Items are usually reduced throughout the day. The reductions increase as the day is about to come to an end. Look to shop in the late evening and look out for reductions.

Get some money back! - Websites such as Quidco and TopCashBack offer money back when purchasing products online through their website. Before you buy online, see whether you can earn some cashback.

Try a charity shop - Charity Shops can offer bargains on children's toys, clothing and home goods.

Power of the Pound - There are lots of £1 or '99p' shops on the high street. Many of these sell a huge range of everyday items such as toiletries, food, cleaning and household goods. Some of which could be cheaper than a supermarket. Make sure you shop around, though, as some items can be cheaper than a pound elsewhere.

Try the market - Market traders can offer goods at a cheaper price compared to supermarkets.

You can find more helpful tips and information from Money Saving Expert and from the Money advice service.

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