When making bolognese sauce this time of year I make it in bulk and freeze it in family-sized portions. I add shredded carrots and finely chopped (or shredded) rutabaga to pad out the meat and make it go further. Lots of mushrooms, too, and extra cans of chopped tomatoes.
A cheaper version of bolognese can be made by replacing the meat with lentils. I tend to use the green ones and a small amount of red. The green ones have a better texture, imo
Root vegetables bought at their cheapest can be chopped small and frozen, to use later when the prices at the store have shot up
Check out end-of-day bargains at the store. Meat and bread can usually be bought pretty reasonably at a knock-down price at the end of the working day. Freeze these for use at a later date
Watch portion sizes. Try to find a guide of portion sizes and measure everything for a week or so, re-learning what a 'normal' portion looks like. This will save calories as well as cash
Buy veggies in season
If you find you have bananas starting to overripen, peel them and freeze them to use later in smoothies
Make soup or stew in bulk and freeze. You could add pearl barley to either of these to make them go further
Take a packed lunch instead of eating out
Make cookies instead of buying them and if you make a large amount, freeze some then take out a few each time you need some. Same for cupcakes
Make your own surface cleaners, there are countless recipes on the internet for homemade cleaners, or for speed, buy a large multi purpose cleaner, put a small amount in a spray bottle and fill with water to get a surface cleaner at a fraction of the cost of buying a ready-mixed one
Wash dishcloths at 140F to kill germs and reuse several times
Spend a small amount of time planning your weekly or monthly meals and shop accordingly. Know what's in your freezer and cupboards and take this into account when planning. Leftovers from the evening before make perfect 'free' food to take with you for lunch the following day
Eggs are cheap and healthy. Make omelette/frittata using various leftovers from throughout the week, meat/veg/potatoes and serve with salad for a quick, easy and light evening meal
If you have fruit or veggies looking past their best, they're probably still ok to eat cooked up to a certain point so even if they're a little wrinkly, chop them and add them to soups or stews, or bake fruit in the oven and serve with yoghurt for a low-fat dessert. Apples that have gone slightly wrinkly are great for this - add sultanas/raisins and a little cinnamon too
I'll post more if I think of anymore
ah, well. cestpool la vie.
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