During the Second World War we were encouraged to 'Dig For Victory' - a government drive to promote growing our own fruit and vegetables due to food shortages as a result of the conflict.
All around the country there were influxes of allotments, where the general public could become farmers, cultivating their fruit and vegetable crops, ready to be brought straight to the dinner table during difficult times.
When the war ended, the idea seemed to lose its appeal for the next generation. Allotments around the country became derelict, abandoned in favour of big brand supermarkets who could offer crops in mass quantities.
However, as we sit in the grasp of a credit crunch - with more and more of us seeking debt management advice, many of us are now turning to growing our own food in order to save on our food bills.
Celebrity chefs are now working to promote healthy eating and self-sustenance when it comes to fruit and vegetables. Many have television shows to help demonstrate how easy it can be to keep a small plot on your property - for fruit, vegetables, herbs and even small amounts of poultry.
There are even a number of cities around the country which are making use of open spaces within urban environments in order to set up plots of land specifically for growing fruit and vegetables.
Indeed, as more of us seek ways of reducing our debt levels, these campaigns have lead to an increase in sales of the necessary equipment. Everything from plant pots and compost to little packs of seeds can be purchased from garden centres.
With more of us seeking help with debt, taking some time and a small amount of money in order to grow yourself some vegetables in a small part of your property could help you save on your food bills.
Whilst some would worry about the space available, there are a wide range of starter kits for the wannabe gardener - from window boxes to kits that can be mounted on roof gardens - and there are plans to turn large areas of urban space into plots to help sustain local communities.
