Saving money on groceries is not something I have always been good at. In the past I have always by habit gone and bought the most expensive food possible in the unconscious belief that it is, in fact, better. In truth, and hindsight, this was born out of my laziness.

We spend a tremendous amount of money on food over the span of our lifetimes. Lets say you spend $300 a month from the age of 18-75. That would total $205,200. Let's say, by introducing 'good buying behaviour' you can, on average, shave a third of this bill off. That would be a saving of $68,400. This is nothing to be sniffed at, especially when you consider that fact that you can get the exact same quality food for less, and in many cases people will be spending much more on their shopping bill and be able to make even greater savings. Put this saved money into a savings account each month and you will build up interest on it also!

Now, to let you know a little bit about myself; I am not a stay at home mum, I am a young single man who, until the recession hit, had a very well paying job. When tough times hit I had to look very closely at what I was spending in order to stretch what money I had left out as far as possible. I could no longer be a 'lazy shopper'. So how did I do it? Well, here are a few tips I picked up.

Don't buy pre-packaged fruit/vegetables - Pre-packaged items like apples, potatoes etc.. can cost over 300% more than their loose counterparts. I know they look more appealing, but by spending a few seconds to glance through the loose trays you will find good quality produce. The important thing to remember is that the quality of the offerings will depend on when the delivery arrives. Different times of the week/day will provide different results. I usually ask a friendly assistant when the best time to shop is and they are always happy to oblige with some good information on cheap groceries.

Use local market - Local markets can sell very cheap fruit an vegetables and are always open to haggling. They do usually have a shorter shelf life than store bought items so you need to shop frequently to make best use of them. However, if you have one locally, make sure you go there frequently to save money.

Use coupons - Most stores have a coupon book that they send out monthly. Get your favourite stores coupons and use them to save money. Many stores also put coupons in local newspapers and at the checkouts.

Look at the special offers - Most supermarkets arrange their layouts so that you spend more. Be mindful of this and put back items if you see a better offer later on.

Eat less convenience food - Home cooking is cheaper and ultimately better for you. Search online for easy to make recipes and make a weekly meal plan. This will help you get all the ingredients you need without any wastage.