With less than a month to go before Christmas many families will be looking forward to indulging over the festive period.

But, as rising inflation hits the price of food and drink, shoppers may be feeling glum at the prospect of having to cut back during a time of celebration.

However, armed with a savvy mindset and a keen eye for a bargain it is still possible to have a blow out feast at Christmas without breaking the bank.

Here are our 12 tips of Christmas when it comes to keeping the festive period within budget:

1. Work out how many people you’re feeding, how big an appetite they have and for how many meals. A 5kg turkey will feed between seven to nine people - avoid paying over the odds for a turkey you won't be able to finish.

2. Avoid throwing every item of food you see in the supermarket aisle into your trolley. Find delicious recipes and stick to them. If no one likes Stilton or Brie then why bother buying that expensive cheese board?

3. Find out everyone’s favourite tipple and how much they may drink to create a boozy battle plan. If a few bottles of wine and Prosecco will do you can avoid buying 20 bottles of lager.

4. Create a shopping list. This should include everything you need to keep everyone fed and watered over Christmas. If you stick to your limits you won't be left with a mountain of uneaten food come Boxing Day.

5. Look at your Christmas budget. Set how much you want to spend and make sure you keep to it.

6. Short on time? Use comparison websites to find the best deals across a range of supermarkets then simply use click and collect to get your shopping. This can help busy mums and dads get the hard work done with minimal effort.

7. Be strategic. Search websites and magazines on where to find the best deals. In the run up to Christmas lots of publications will compare and contrast where to get the best turkeys, vegetables and alcohol. Swot up before you shop to get the best food for the least amount of money.

8. Staples from budget supermarkets taste just as good as their higher-end counterparts. Going local at a greengrocer or a butcher can be cheaper and help your local economy as well.

9. If you’re hitting the supermarkets in person then never shop hungry. Go at a quiet time of the day and try to time it for when they run their discounts.

10. BOGOF may sound like a rude word but 'buy one get one free' is the shopper's best friend at Christmas time. Scour the aisles for festive favourites that are on offer guaranteeing you more bang for your buck.

11. Voucher codes sent out from supermarkets or offers found online can be an easy way to get maximum value during your Christmas shop.

12. Waste as little as possible. Left overs can be refrigerated or frozen to make them last well beyond December 25.