We all love food! Who doesn’t like going to the supermarket at the beginning of the month and filling up their trolley with snacks and shiny new toiletries? That is until you get to the end of the week and you have eaten all the treats as well as half of your weekly budget for next week...

We noticed that a lot of Emma users spend their monthly budget very quickly towards the beginning and often tend to go over the amount they set themselves.

Supermarket discounts and offers were designed to draw you in and get you to buy more, but this means you end up with a load of stuff in your basket that you wouldn't normally buy! So how do we avoid this?

There are so many amazing tips out there for saving money, but here are some of our favourites to help you get back on budget:

1. Buy yellow sticker products

If you have the flexibility to shop more than once a week, we recommend checking out the yellow sticker section in the evenings. Most supermarkets have this section and you can pick up a real bargain. Check out @reductionraider1 who has a blog dedicated to this!

2. You don't need lots of ingredients

Sometimes we get carried away with ingredients because we think more ingredients means a tastier dish. The truth is some of the most delicious meals around the world use very little ingredients. Check out books like '5 Ingredients - Quick & Easy Food' or 'Simplissime' for inspiration and ideas.

3. Don't dismiss supermarket own brands

Supermarket own brands usually taste exactly the same as other products but at a fraction of the cost. Sometimes the own brands taste even better!

4. Grow your own food

Even if you only have a balcony or a window box, growing your own fruit & veg can be a great idea when living on a tight budget. If you want to grow larger amounts then you could always look into getting an allotment. These can cost as little as £40 for the year, which we think is definitely an investment. There is also no better feeling than eating your own homegrown food so why not give it a go?

5. Eat what you have in the house

Don't go to the supermarket if you have got food in the cupboards. Why not try challenging yourself to eat what you have? This way you might only need to buy 1 or 2 things and could cut your shopping bill in half.

6. Loyalty Cards

Some loyalty cards are brilliant and will give you points when you purchase groceries and fuel. Top tip: Save all of your points throughout the year and save some money at Christmas.

7 Make a shopping list

Seems like an obvious one, but how many times have you gone to the supermarket to buy food and ended up with 10 things you didn't need? Make a list and stay strong because you will thank yourself at the end of the month.

Are you young and freelance? Why not check out: '5 financial tips I've learnt along my journey' by Josh Akapo.

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