We all do it; buy too much of things we don't want or really need, and then at the end of the week we throw it all away. But with food prices soaring and the threat of global food shortage looming can we really afford to do this anymore?

Here's some tips to help you save money and waste!

Make a shopping list, and stick to it!

Don't be drawn in by the old 'buy on get one free' ploy. Very often it's things you don't need, won't use and is purely the supermarket's way of getting you to spend more money.

Plan your recipes ahead. That way when you shop you know what you need for the week.

Look for foods that at coming to their sell by date, especially if they can be frozen. But don't just buy for the sake of it; make sure you will actually use it first.

Make the most of what you've got. Don't throw food away if it can be made into another meal. Our problem is that we've all got too lazy. In my family a chicken would have been Sunday lunch for the six of us, sandwiches and even a meal the following day. Old fashioned recipes like bubble and squeak, bread and butter pudding (or bread pudding), stews soups and casseroles are all old favourites for using up leftover food.

So next time you have a meal have a think before you bin the rest. Could you make it into a tasty meal? Could you feed it to the birds (such as bread and pastries). You may be pleasantly surprised at how much you can save by making the most of what you have.

I've been putting some recipes together on my hub pages that make the most of leftovers. If you've got any more you can think of I'd love to hear them.