The supermarkets are busy this week with festive shoppers getting everything they need for Christmas, which is just a few days away. But this year the pressure on households budgets is bigger than ever, as the cost of living crisis continues to bite.
That means many people are looking to save wherever they can. Reduced items are a good way of doing that at any time of year, but it could make a big difference right now.
We've all taken pleasure in bagging a 'yellow sticker' bargain. These are, of course, the items nearing their sell-by dates that supermarkets need to get rid of.
Items can often be frozen too, which means savvy bargain hunters can stock up their freezers for pennies, reports the LiverpoolECHO.
Supermarkets will commonly reduce items if they have a short shelf life and are about to go out of date. Food that is superficially damaged can also be reduced, as well as products that will soon be no longer sold - for example seasonal items.
The times that supermarkets add yellow stickers to items can vary. Some add them during the day, whereas others will stick to certain times.
It can be difficult to get an exact time, as this can even vary between branches of the same supermarket chain. However, many bloggers and shopping experts have shared some of their recommended times which can act as a rough guide to the best times to bag a yellow sticker bargain.
- Aldi - 8am, which is when the stores open. Many shoppers have reported that the best bargains are to be found early and that the reductions tend to go fast.
- Lidl - 8am. Just like Aldi, Lidl usually reduces products in the morning. If there are any leftovers after lunch, both Aldi and Lidl will often reduce the prices further.
- Asda - 7pm onwards.
- M&S - 30 minutes before stores close.
- Morrisons - 6pm onwards.
- Tesco - 6pm onwards.
- Sainsbury's 6pm onwards.
