Weekly or fortnightly you should stock up on all those important pantry staples that you rely on everyday. The number-one rule is to make a list of what you need, checking your fridge and pantry before you go. Most of us are like rabbits caught in the headlights when faced with the rows of brightly coloured boxes at the supermarket - we tend to wander the aisles in a daze, having no idea what we came in for, and end up filling our trolley with things we'll never use. A list helps us stay focused and in control, and means we are less likely to be swayed by the marketing ploys that would see the ruin of our budgets and waistlines.

Some of us are trying really hard to save money. If you find you're having to pull in the purse strings a bit, don't be a snob about discounts. The discount bins in supermarkets can be an excellent source of bargains, but most people pass them by, thinking they are full of lower-quality items. This is not always the case. Check the use-by date and only buy what you will use, but by all means snap up those bargains!

Look for weekly specials at the supermarket, but don't go stockpiling five boxes of cheese-and-onion biscuits just because they're on sale (you'll soon be cursing when you discover the kids prefer the plain ones anyway!), and be wary of the two-for-one deals if the item is not something you usually eat a lot of it. Use these specials to your advantage - don't be a sucker for an offer if the product is not appropriate for your household.

Remember that your kitchen is not a mini-supermarket, and you shouldn't have things just because they look appealing, or in the vague hope they might come in handy. Even those spacious walk-in pantries can soon get cluttered with too many boxes of fancy cereal and flavoured olive oils that will never be used. When you're reaching for that jar of exotic marinade, ask yourself: will you be using it today, or tomorrow? Can you actually imagine the meal it is going to be used in? If not, don't buy it. Running a home is a bit like running a business. We want you to start shopping smarter; to try and avoid waste and recognise that a product is not necessarily better than the version you could make at home just because it has a fancy gold label on it.

Information kindly provided by Suzanne Gibbs and Kate Gibbs from The Thrifty Kitchen.