Many shops cut prices on perishable goods such as food towards the end of the day as the "sell by" date approaches. Thirty-two per cent of shoppers time their visits to stores when they expect these discounts to be made, a survey by Poundland found.
As many as one in five shoppers spent up to half an hour on each shopping trip trawling the aisles checking prices and looking for special offers, the survey said, with 71pc admitting that they walked slowly up and down every aisle in search of a deal.
As a result, it was estimated that shoppers were spending up to 130 days of their lives searching for bargains when doing their weekly shop.
Other money-savings tactics included haggling, which 13pc of shoppers said they had tried, and even damaging goods to get a better price (5pc).
Three quarters of shoppers had stopped buying non-essentials such as clothes, while 44pc had cut out air fresheners and a similar number had decided to leave alcohol out of their baskets. Nine per cent said they took a calculator with them on each shopping trip to ensure that the final amount did not go over the weekly budget.

I do the opposite. I always look for the latest use by date possible on fresh stuff. I need it to last as long as possible as I only do a big shop once a week.

I do the opposite. I always look for the latest use by date possible on fresh stuff. I need it to last as long as possible as I only do a big shop once a week.

The only problem is that my freezer is now filled with deeply discounted bread and other items.

I do this too but with dairy.

We're thinking of buying an extra chest freezer to get round that problem.

I definitely buy some goods in "bulk". My shower gel is normally around £3 or so but they'll do offers a few times a year when it is the equivalent of £1 a bottle at which point I'll buy ten or so which last me until the next sale. Ditto with toothpaste and bogroll.

+1, I have a box full of shower gel and shaving supplies.