Keep an eye out for bargains to stock a freezer

My slow cooker is my secret weapon when it comes to festive hot drinks writes Caitríona Redmond

"The beginning of the month of December is actually the perfect time to declutter, unlike January when sometimes you can feel more sluggish after the Festive season."

"Having a mindset that I am making a change and have the potential to save money is radically different to feeling hard-done by."

...and the joy of doing a kitchen stocktake, as well as buying the essentials in bulk

Plus money saving tips as we see rising prices in our weekly basket

Instagram dinners don’t always wind up on my plates

Instead of tackling a new way of spending money like a diet evangelist with two weeks to a sun holiday, it’s about spending the money we have on the items we need when we need them

Plus a recipe for a vanilla cake that you can pile high with icing, sprinkles or whatever decoration you desire

"My fallback when there’s not enough money in the budget to allow for a full shop is that bag of potatoes and eggs because I will always find something to cook with them"