Here is my meal plan for this week (complete with links -in case you want to try them):

Green Jade Soup and Stirfried Egg Noodles with Chicken, Mushrooms and Corn

http://www.theanon.com/recbokchoi.htm

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/5917/stir+fried+chicken+with+egg+noodles

Caribbean Fish in a Packet
http://www.recipezaar.com/Caribbean-Fish-in-a-Packet-50237

I served this with Spanish Rice, roasted asparagus and sauteed broccoli rabe.

Beef Stew and Mushroom

http://southernfood.about.com/od/crockpotbeefstew/r/bl110c1.htm

I served this with Japanese rice.

Leftover Lentil and Sweet Potato Stew

http://www.wholeliving.com/recipe/lentil-and-sweet-potato-stew?autonomy_kw=lentil%20and%20sweet%20potato%20stew&rsc=header_1

I will serve with leftover vegetables and rice.

Frugal Themed Websites/Frugal Ideas!

Frugal Themed Websites/Frugal Ideas!

I realize how boring this sounds but I really like reading frugal themed websites and have done so for about 4 years! And with the current tumultuous financial climate here in the USA, it is even more relevant to be extremely frugal. If you are interested, here are some websites that I have perused over the years.

http://www.stretcher.com/index.cfm

http://frugalvillage.com/

http://www.bankrate.com/ 

http://betterbudgeting.com/

http://frugalliving.about.com/

http://www.daveramsey.com/

http://livingonadime.com/

http://moneyclubs.com/

http://moneycentral.msn.com/home.asp

http://www.thesimpledollar.com/

And here are some ideas that I have gleaned from some of these sites:

. Plan 2-3 no spend days
. Plan 1 no spend weekend once a month
. I don't clip coupons because usually they are for junk food and for brand names -buy generic. I find generic brands are just as good and inexpensive.
. Meal plan every week. I usually only cook 3 -4 nights and eat leftovers for the rest of the week. I base all my meals around a protein, starch and vegetable. And I serve fruit with every meal.
. Cut back on eating beef and lamb. Buy cheaper cuts of meat.
. Cook with a slowcooker-great way to use up cheaper cuts of meats.
. Cook vegetarian at least 1-2 times a week.
. Have a soup and bread night once a week.
. Cut back on eating out and take out. If you meal plan, you will feel less inclined to order take out or eat out.
. Create a budget and stick to it- plan all your purchases, bills and expenses -do this for each month and make sure you put savings in there even if it is a small amount.
. Find free events close to home. Walk there if possible.
. We only use one car on the weekend.
. Combine errands and try to do it in 1 or 2 days.
. Reduce, recycle, reuse, repair!
. Make do with what you have in the home-think outside of the box.
. Wait 24 hours before deciding to buy something and make sure it has to be a true "need" and not a "want"
. Line dry clothes. In the warmer months, I hang laundry outside. In the cooler months, I hang laundry in our basement. Wash most clothes in cold water wash.
. Replace all the bulbs with Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (CFL).
. If you really need clothes or shoes -consider buying from thrift stores, Craigslist, Ebay or Freecycle.org -cheaper and eco-friendly. Or ask friends or family for hand me downs.
. There are very cheap magazine subscriptions from Ebay.com. Better yet, read it online or swap with friends.
. Cut down on catalogs in the mail. go to catalogchoice.org and start getting off mailing lists.