Reduced foods FTW

Being frugal and cutting on a budget doesn't have to be all chicken or supermarket own meats. If you are not fussy about what you eat it is easy to save by hunting through your supermarket's reduced sections.

In more recent years, the good old reduced section has had more people around them looking for bargains, and why not. The problem Mr ATL found (especially looking at how much we spent in Sainsbury's in June and July), is there is such a thing as too much of a good thing.
Our best haul to date was getting nearly £150 of meat (we're talking joints and bits from the butchers) for less than £30 - obviously that was pre budget challenge, but you can still get reduced items. Our budget is about £5 for reduced foods a week if we feel we need them - as the budget for the two of us is a maximum of £25 a week. For example the fact that last week we picked up 8 packets of sausages at 55-59p each, means we don't have to buy fish or bacon this week and we still have a glut of them in the freezer.

Now, most supermarkets will have more than one reduced section. In my local Sainsbury's we have the following:

1. Reduced raw meats and fish - usually in the meat aisle where you find your joints
2. Reduced chilled produce - ours is under the quiches in the dairy aisle
3. Reduced fruit and veggies
4. Reduce 'food cupboard' staples - usually at the end of aisles
5.Reduced freezer goods - look in individual cabinets
6. Reduced bread goods - in the bakery area

Tricks of the reduced section

1. Timing is everything
While you may get a trickle of reduced goods through the day, the main bulk of reduced goods will tend to be put out between 4pm and 8pm. Usually, they will be reduced further in the evening if they were put out between 4 and 6, as there is still the opportunity to sell the goods. I've picked up things reduced to as low as a penny (spring onion bunches), and find that the fruit and veg will usually have a few more days on them in the fridge.
Obviously meat and fish will need to be frozen ASAP.
2. Do you really need it?
This one is key. Do you really need a reduced sandwich? Are you going to eat 6 yogurts before they go off the next day? There is the temptation to buy what is there because it seems like a good deal. Remember, things you can keep in the freezer are much more worthwhile than things that have a limited fridge life.
3. Can you use a voucher with it? 
If it is a branded item or you have vouchers, you can still use your coupons against them. This can be the difference between paying pounds and pennies between some more expensive items.
4. Ask
Now this depends how blazon you are, I have seen people go up to the people in charge of the yellow stickers and asking if they are planning on reducing it further later in the either and getting them to do that price then. I'm not quite that blazon, nor am I a sweet elderly lady so I don't think I'll get away with it. You can try though!