Destitute gourmet’s top 10 money-saving tips

Draw your grocery money in cash: Learn how much you usually spend on groceries and take out that amount in cash.

Save the leftover grocery money: Try to spend less than what you've drawn, and put the extra cash in an envelope labelled "grocery surplus". Try to add to it each week to put towards debt elimination, upcoming expenses or a savings account.

Save some money for ‘grocery surplus': Buying items like flour and sugar in bulk will save you plenty of money in the long-run.

Only shop once a week: Since supermarkets are designed to entice you to buy more, schedule a once-weekly shop to avoid being the victim of clever marketing.

Avoid semi-prepared products and ready-meals: With a well-stocked pantry - and seasonal produce - it's far cheaper and more nutritious to make meals at home. Homemade food tastes better and is better for you. 

Always choose homemade over store-bought: Homemade food is also more flexible than ready-made; leftovers can be frozen and ingredients substituted to accommodate unique dietary needs.

Keep a price book: Keep a notebook with your usual grocery items and with their prices. Having a price comparison will make it easier to take advantage of store specials.

Write a shopping list: If it's not on the list then you don't need it - even if it's on special.

Shop around: Buy generic brands; they're usually the same quality as more expensive brands, but far cheaper. You may need to experiment a bit - Sophie is still not converted to house-brand baked beans, but she hasn't bought a bag of branded flour in years!

Visit ethnic food shops: Check out the Indian and Asian grocery suppliers in your area. Many items will be substantially cheaper than those found in mainstream supermarkets.