£35,000 for enjoying yourself

Growing your own vegetables has been touted as a way of saving thousands of pounds throughout a lifetime by a top financial company.

According to National Savings & Investments (NSI), growing your own staple foods can be a cheap and easy way to save money.

The company cited evidence suggesting that doing so could save around £1,000 per year or the equivalent of £35,000 throughout a working lifetime.

NSI head of communications said the benefits are not just financial, but also recreational.

"A meal of freshly harvested vegetables from your plot is very rewarding; somehow the produce seems to taste even better than usual. Not only that but by growing your own you can save on your grocery shopping, leaving a little extra money to set aside," he said.

"Even small amounts of money saved regularly can add up, allowing you to enjoy the bounty of your savings efforts, using the funds for a holiday, a family day out, a new gadget, or to simply ensure you have enough set aside to cope in an emergency."

With the new Retail Price Index showing that food prices have grown by 13.7 per cent over the past month alone, many will soon be turning their hands to the garden and greenhouse as a way of cutting down on outgoings.