It may not be obvious, but your local grocery store is laid out similar to a mine field, with items cleverly placed around each corner designed to tempt you to buy and blow your budget. A whole industry has evolved that is devoted to parting you with your money at the store on impulse buys that are usually displayed at the end of each aisle, where you will more than likely notice them.

Stay with a plan and you will not be tempted into buying these items. Always write your shopping list in advance before you get to the store, and stick to it religiously.

Never go out food shopping when you are feeling hungry. You will usually blow off about another quarter of your budget on impulse buys, which tend to consist of unhealthy foods.

Try to follow the outer circuit of the supermarket where all the fruit, vegetables, meat, bread and fish are on display, and try to avoid the inner aisles except for any necessities. The reason for this is that the inner aisles are usually full of items that are linked to impulse buying.

If possible, try to do the food shopping alone, the reason being that if your bring your partner or your children with you, that is more pairs of eyes who will spot any impulse-type items to buy, leading you to overspend. The general rule is that items bought impulsively usually are of the less healthy variety. Try to do the shopping free of distractions.

When you return from the store with all your fresh food that you will need for the week, you should find that you have made plenty of savings as you have bought in bulk, so you should have been able to take advantage of any special offers that were available.

Make sure that all your newly acquired food is put away in its proper place. The reason for this is to minimise any food getting lost or forgotten about, therefore minimising any food wastage.