In these days of our credit being crunched, we all have to make little sacrifices. I, for example, am committed to making sure that we consume all of the food in the house before we shop for more.

When I announced my plan to the female members of the family, it was treated with a high degree of derision.

I don’t know what they are complaining about, we did this every year when we went camping; it’s amazing how breakfast cereal can bulk out a curry on the last night of a holiday.

I searched through the kitchen and found several tins that seemed to have been in the cupboard for years; mackerel fillets, pears, luncheon meat, sweetcorn and kidney beans. I can’t remember the last time I bought sweetcorn, and yet there always seems to be a tin in the cupboard. I have to admit that I couldn’t find a suitable recipe to include them all so we had an omelette made with the eggs that were seconds from their sell-by date.

For dessert, I offered them crushed ginger snap biscuits heated with butter, topped with ice cream and toffee sauce, which everyone agreed proved a great success.

During my search I discovered a new taste sensation that the rest of the family were quick to turn their noses up at. It was a combination of two of my favourite tastes that, coincidentally, the rest of the family cannot abide. Liquorice pieces dipped in Marmite.

I accept that some of you will be immediately disgusted by such a thought. But there will be some, just a few, who will find the whole idea intriguing and will be rushing to the kitchen to test it out. My wife, ever the wit, patted me on my extra-sized tummy and questioned whether it was pregnancy cravings.

I have a friend who has admitted to also being conscious of the need to make savings in the family’s weekly grocery bill. He has, however, upset his wife in the process.

Being a keen fisherman, he knows the intricacies of finding the best bait for successful angling. He slipped up by admitting that although he has made the sacrifice of buying the cheapest sweetcorn for the family cupboard, he has continued to buy the premium brand for his favourite hobby.

It seems that saving money is important but we all need the opportunity of making a luxury decision now and again. In light of this, I suggested that each family member had the chance to nominate a couple of things that would not be sacrificed as part of our economy drive.

The list included such minor luxuries as coffee and breakfast cereal, but there were a few items that the female members of clan Molineaux were agreed on: tomato sauce, shampoo, and tea bags.

As for me; I was happy to concede that although most value options were worth trying, I was adamant that neither Marmite nor liquorice would be sacrificed. I have my standards!