A money-saving mum has explained how you can get free food from chains like Pret a Manger.
Laura Bailey, an NHS PA from Leeds and mum of one, says she uses the food-waste app Olio to find food that is being given away.
Olio works with companies such as Pret and Tesco to send out volunteers to collect surplus food that would otherwise be thrown away.
These volunteers then list the free grub on Olio so people who live nearby can come and collect it without spending a penny.
Olio is free to download via the App Store or Google Play and also allows people to list used toys, clothing and other household goods.
Speaking to LatestDeals.co.uk, Laura said she recently picked up two loaves of sourdough bread, three bread rolls, two bags of mixed pastries, three cranberry cookies, a box of flapjacks and six sandwiches through Olio.
She said: "I am a big fan of the Olio app. No payments and no swaps. It's great if you live far away from a charity shop or don’t drive.
"Everyday there is free bread going. Sometimes pastries and sandwiches. Also plenty of fruit and vegetables too.
"You simply request what you would like and go to the person’s house to collect it. Sometimes you can pick up fancy sandwiches or tasty salads from places like Pret A Manger."
Laura also shared her tips for finding yellow sticker bargains and reduced groceries.
She says the best time for reductions in her local Tesco are between 7pm and 7.30pm, Monday to Saturday, and around 3pm on Sundays.
But not all Tesco stores will start reducing at this time.
It is important to get familiar with your local store's routine in order to maximise your chances of finding a bargain.
Laura said: "When I go to any supermarket I go to the reduced section first. It is important to have good knowledge of food so you know what you can make with it.
"One summer I picked up several cucumbers at 3p each and lots of tomatoes. I made gazpacho and froze it in containers which I then took to work, and had the perfect chilled soup.
"Sometimes I just cook any vegetable I have to hand, chuck in some herbs with homemade stock and blend for a quick cheap hot soup in winter."
Laura says she sometimes uses the Too Good to Go app as well, which is where you can buy "magic bags" of food from shops like Costa and Greggs.
The only slight downfall is you can’t choose what you get in your bag, as it depends on what stock the store has that day.
Prices do vary between stores, depending on your location, but a “magic bag” will typically cost between £2 and £5.
Laura added: "I sometimes use Too Good To Go but only for buying from The Junk Food Project (a charity that redistributes food past its sell by date).
"You get a huge bag of fruit and vegetables plus eggs, drinks, sweets and other groceries for just £4.25 for a single person, or £9 for a family bag.
"It is important that you plan what you will do with the food before it goes off, like make some jams or chutneys or even batch cook meals in advance.
"I don’t let anything go to waste. I boil up chicken carcasses and make stock for soups, gravy, paella and risotto. I even fry potato peelings to make snacks."
We've recently reported on other Too Good To Go successes, including how one woman got £60 worth of M&S and Costa food shop for just £9.
And a Greggs fan hit the jackpot after bagging a massive £50 haul of goods for just £2.50 through the same app.
