Also, but boneless meats when you can. Buy a pork loin in a chunk and butterfly it yourself. . .I cook a roast and use the leftovers for hash
or bbq later in the week. I cook boneless chicken breasts and throw in some legs and thighs and debone what needs to be, (crockpot) and then grind it up for chicken salad. . .if I don't think we will eat it all, I freeze it after its ground, and save it for later.
When I make tacos, I use 1# of ground beef (better grade gives you more meat, the cheaper brands are watery and full of fat and not very tasty to be honest), add 1 cup minute rice just before its done cooking, add the seasonings and water then put in a can of refried beans. Most people use them as a side, but you will be amazed how many people you can feed from that one pound of hamburger doing this. It freezes well too.
Check the dollar stores for food bargains too. I have found hashbrowns there for 1/3 of what they are at the store, and cannot tell the difference. . .can even find chicken strips and stuff, but they are really finely cut for strips so decided not to deal with them, as I felt like I wasn't getting agood deal for $5.
Coupon, coupon, coupon. Watch the store specials and go from there. Watch CVS pharmacy is you have one in the area, because you get money back from them for all your shopping and prescriptions, plus they have coupon specials, and your tag they scan gives you even more savings. I have $6.50 to spend on anything in the store because of my shopping there and DH's meds.
Little things, but it all helps.
Try making your own laundry detergent too; I use the dry recipe, because just don't have room for the big 5 gallon bucket, and LOVE it. Costs about $12 to get started, but that is 3 batches for me, and doing laundry at least 4 times a week, it still lasts me over a month. (per batch). I made 3 batches at a time, just to save time.
Good luck!!!
Yummy Garlic, is this why DH and I don't french kiss anymore 
