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Who said religion is dead? Each day millions of us flock to our modern day equivalent cathedrals of light and dazzling colour, where emboldened messages of hope, visual and verbal, call us to our salvation. The rallying call of this consumer based religion is all pervasive, enticing us to part with our well-earned, or not so well-earned, coinage. It is for the greater good after all - isn't it?

Our supermarkets offer us variety, freshness, democracy, excitement and above all else, convenience. Arranging a funeral, not a problem, why not order one in between stuffing the trolley with the weekly shop. Buying a house? Just drop those kids off at the free crèche at your local supermarket and do the deal. Worried about your savings in the current economic climate? Banking with a supermarket could be a safer bet; well, we all need to eat!

Here are ten straight forward and curved ways to lighten the load.

1. Timing is Everything

The people who decide which products are stocked on supermarket shelves are called buyers. Well paid, lots of power and lots of pressure. One of their key targets is called stock loss. Stock loss is where a product on shelf goes out of date and has to be thrown away. Money down the drain and a rollicking for the buyer. So in order to minimize the cost of stock loss stores are authorised to reduce prices on products nearing their best before date (BBD) at various times during the day. Surveys have shown that on average products in danger of going out of date will be reduced by 25% at mid day, 50% at 5pm and up to 75% from 8pm onwards.

2. Xmas Shopping Strategy

Here's a tip from those in the know. Many supermarket product ranges make or break over the four weeks of December. Xmas crackers and cards, turkeys and gammon joints, tangerines, nuts and dates to name but a few. We are talking millions of pounds worth of stock, often ordered and finalised as early as August by the buyers. Suppliers order the raw material, send it down the production line, pack it and store it. And wait. As does the buyer who committed to the stock. When these Xmas products are first launched in store they will be priced as high as the supermarket thinks they can charge. However, the less sales they get, especially over the first two and a half weeks of December the more likely they are to panic and slash prices, to shift their product and reduce their stock loss. Most supermarkets will over order certain Xmas ranges, as the number one cardinal sin for any store is to run out of stock prior to Xmas. The longer you leave your Xmas shop the more likely you are to take advantage of reduced prices. Let the waiting game commence.

3. Doppelgangers - Taste the Difference

On many branded lines throughout the store you will find nestled against it a supermarket own brand equivalent, often at a significantly reduced price. In many instances both products will have been made by the same supplier, using very similar ingredients. Supermarkets are all powerful and suppliers will often go out of business if de-listed by a chain. Unless they are a massive brand like Coca Cola, Andrex or Heinz, suppliers will be 'encouraged' by the buyers to make the own brand as close to the brand as possible. Why? Because if the supermarket can convince you to buy their own brand they will usually make substantially more money. It's a win-win practice.

4. Loyalty Cards - Loyalty Doesn't Pay

Loyalty cards are another clever way supermarkets seduce us into returning to their stores. Often they will lead us to shop in one particular chain as opposed to seeking out the best product. Remember that points accrued on your loyalty card, like those of credit card reward schemes, are not as good as real money. Your choice of where you use your points will be limited, and by encouraging you to collect points supermarkets are locking you into a cycle of repeat visits to their stores where you are likely to spend more money to earn more points.

5. Stockpile!

Buy one get one free(BOGOF), buy one and get the second half price, vouchers, price promotions, multi buys, cross over offers, i.e. buy a pack of cheddar and get a packet of crackers free. Sound familiar? All these are promotional mechanics used by supermarkets to reward and ensure our loyalty. Take advantage. Supermarket researchers are aware of our shopping habits when planning promotions, especially BOGOFs. If your favourite brands are on BOGOF, ones which you purchase on a regular basis then get the largest trolley you can find and fill it up.

6. Pile it high and sell it cheap!

Have you noticed Tesco's recent TV advertising campaign? 'Britain's biggest discounter,' which after the marketing blurb cuts to a host of unknown brand names at heavily-discounted prices. Why is the nation's largest retailer, earning circa £1 billion pounds profit per year, introducing yet another tier of products to sit alongside its basic, own brand, mainstream brand and premium brand? 'Cos they are paranoid about losing you to the Discounters (Aldi, Lidl, Netto). These guys have been around for about 15 years, nibbling at the edges of The Big Four's (Tesco, ASDA, Sainsbury, Morrisons) market share. Yep, the economy is nose diving, pennies are being pinched and the Discounters are experiencing their biggest ever growth since they launched, as we Brits search and find good quality, reasonably priced alternatives to the supermarket monoliths. Give these guys a go - you will be surprised at what they have to offer.

Also, if you have a pound shop nearby, check it out. Especially for well known non-food items such as deodorant, razors, pens, washing-up liquid etc.

7. Negotiate!

We don't like to complain, we queue in an orderly fashion, always saying sorry when someone bumps into us! Well, its part of our charm isn't it? Our American friends love us for our quirky nature.

Many supermarkets, as part of their marketing campaign, design certain sections of their stores to look like a market stall. The produce, flower and fresh fish aisles spring to mind. Markets gradually formed through our old bartering system, where ordinary people freely negotiated. It's an art form which seems long forgotten.

Never forget the customer is King or Queen. The supermarkets are in fear of losing your custom. They will do almost anything to keep you loyal. So, if you wish to purchase tins of fruit which are dented, meat which is bruised, fruit which is discoloured, then negotiate a reduced price. If you don't ask, you don't get, as they say.

8. Psychology

Supermarkets spend millions of pounds researching how to make you spend more in their stores. From product placement, products at eye level sell the most, to those wonderful overflowing multi coloured produce displays, price promotions, restaurants and the smell of bread wafting through the store. Nothing is left to chance. Every decision is based on data which will help to shape your psychology whilst in store.

Write and keep to a list of what you are going to buy. If it is a small shopping trip, then do not use a large trolley, take a smaller version. Seek out the offers and stock up on those which catch your eye. If possible, shop without children, supermarkets and manufacturers are highly skilled at enticing the toddler pound. Estimate how long your shopping should take you and try to stick to it. Supermarkets love it if you browse. Bring on those impulse purchases!

9. The Back Yarders

Our ancestors, back in the day, and we are only talking up to the 1950's here, grew fruit, veg, herbs and raised small livestock in their back yards.

Increasingly, people across the land, from all walks of life, are trying out these old ways. Cheap, organic, instantly available and highly satisfying. Why not give it a go?

10. Freeganism

From sandwiches, bananas, chickens to non food stuffs, supermarkets chuck away thousands of pounds worth of edible food a day! Why? Due to their exacting standards, items which are deemed to be less than perfect or beyond their sell by date are usually thrown out. A trend which originated in the States, freeganism is becoming increasingly popular in the UK as the credit crunch bites deeper.

Beware though, some supermarkets now have cameras trained on their bins, security guards watching out for freegans and the police may charge you with theft through finding!

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