True Budgeting

So I was reading an article on CNN today which was absolute RUBBISH.  It purports to tell you how to save $500 by Christmas and then suggests things like "eat in at least once a week" ... ::cricket cricket:: what, that's not a mind-blowingly awesome suggestion? Oh, you mean you already do that and more? I think this comment speaks for pretty much everyone reading that article, "unkatharos: This was no help at all. *disappointed"




It's no secret, food is a big expense because you gotta eat.  How to save money?  One of the first sites I found that helped me learn menu planning and budgeting was:

Hillbilly Housewife

They are great.  Not only do they provide recipes and menu plans, they often provide step-by-step instructions for everything along the way....ex:

Sunday Night: Mix up the dough for Overnight Bread.  Set it aside to rise.  Mix up a gallon of milk and a gallon of Tea. Put both into the fridge to chill.  Clean the kitchen.  Go to bed.

It may seem silly, or a little outdated to some...but sometimes, when you are panicked and scared, straight-forward instructions like "clean the kitchen" "go to bed" are very handy.

If you are hungry and desperate, please check these links out:

$45 Emergency Menu (for 4-6)
$70 Low-Cost Menu (for 4-6)

They used to offer menus planned around the Angel Food Ministries Boxes.  Those menus are still archived there but are no longer updated (as of Feb. 2010) but please let me recommend them anyway as a great start to budget meal planning.

How to REALLY save for the holidays without increasing your revenue...
So, if you are currently spending more than $25/week for a singleton or $50/week for a couple or $100/week for a family of 4...use one of these menus for a few weeks and use the savings for Christmas (or a holiday of your choosing, or your looming debt).

Credits
Image: Empty Plate a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from Conway L.'s photostream