- 1). Create a menu in advance. You can plan the menu for each week, but make sure it adds up for the entire month. For example, a box of oatmeal might last you more than a single week. Set aside a few dollars for when you run out of items midweek or for times when unexpected things happen like if food goes bad. Do a complete Monday through Sunday plan for every week of the month, with a detailed description for breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day.
- 2). Include snacks and drinks. Any food menu you come up with for the week should include at least one snack every day. And don't forget to budget for milk, juice, soda, and other beverages -- especially if your kids pack their lunches for school. Extras such as snacks and drinks add up fast if you don't plan for them.
- 3). Peruse your grocery stores for the best deals. If you're really ambitious, you may even want to write down how much certain items cost at each store so you can compare. Lunch meat, bread, microwave dinners, fruit, vegetables, and various other items differ in cost just based on the store you go to. Also, most grocery stores offer free membership cards where you sign up and earn additional savings just for using the card.
- 4). Use coupons. Newspapers, magazines, and many stores' websites offer a variety of coupons every week, and your grocery store may even have coupons that print on your receipts.
- 5). Cook meals that share the same ingredients. If you buy a pound of hamburger, you can use half for dinner one night and the other half on a different night. Pasta is another example of an ingredient where one box can make several meals.