Skinners' tips on thrift

LIVING with a large family has helped Linda Skinner become something of a budget expert. She gave some tips which could help anyone struggling in these tough times:

Richard often waits until 9.30pm or 10pm to go shopping and gets lots of good offers on bread etc, which can go straight in the freezer.

I sell a lot of things I no longer need, either on the internet or to people I know.

I save a little part of the kids' child benefit each month so I have some spare cash for Christmas.

I go to charity shops all the time – my best buy recently was a lovely Designers for Debenhams coat which cost me £2. Katie will wear that, then Evie.

I don't buy ready-meals, I cook from scratch – apart from the odd sauce mix or something.

It helps that I am one of six too and so is Richard, so we have lots of family who help us and pass things on. The TV used to be my sister's and we get lots of baby clothes from other family.

I always scour newspapers for bargains – we got our dining table cheap doing that.

We never buy anything unless we can actually afford it at the time. We save up the cash and then buy it. No credit cards.

Sure Start is a great resource if you are lucky to have one near you. We get free play sessions with lots of lovely activities for the little ones and you make lots of friends. Plus there is a breastfeeding support group at mine and a regular baby clinic with health visitors.

We go on cheap days out thanks to Sure Start too. They've organised a trip to Gulliver's Kingdom just before Christmas and it will only cost £25 for all of us, including coach and entry.