Nabbing supermarket bargains is a key student skill for money savers and here’s our guide to doing it right.

Know when shops reduce their food

First of all, do some research: Get to know just when your local shops and supermarkets reduce most of their food: This is generally in the evening between 6PM-7PM but will vary store to store. Also make sure you know just where they sell it as a lot of shops will have specific counters or areas for reduced stock.

Remember that all supermarkets reduce their stock: That includes Tesco, Asda, Sainsburys, the Co-Op, Waitrose and M&S food and the discounts at the more expensive stores actually tend to be more. (There’s a theory that regular shoppers are ‘too proud’ to buy such stickered stock…)

Use the freezer

Reduced food will almost be close to going out of date but that doesn’t mean you have to eat it there and then: Freeze it on day of purchase and save it for another day. Even fresh fruit and veg can be frozen.

Understand sell by dates

The sell by date is the date that the product must be sold before, as set out by that shop’s own policy. It’s not that the date you have you have to eat it by, which is the use by date. Use by dates themselves are often very conservative and can often by ignored by a few days or even weeks and months for non-fresh products. Use your nose and if in doubt, play it safe and avoid it.

If you can, shop daily

If you’ve got a local shop then be sure to pop in regularly (e.g. on your way home from University or in the evening) to go deal hunting. Make sure you’ve go in with a focused mind for cheap and reduced food rather than getting distracted by things you don’t need: Going home empty handed is fine!

Be flexible

If you’re buying reduced goods you don’t usually get much choice in what you get so buy whatever and try something new. Look up some good easy student recipes and get cooking!