So much to share, I'm not sure where to start!

For me, living frugally is just business as usual. I don't even think about it anymore, it just comes naturally. I just instinctively know how to be a frugal, thrifty shopper and homemaker. Actually, I suppose it's not that I always knew how to live this way, as much as I have enjoyed the journey and the process of learning.
I suppose everyone has something that they do well naturally.
What is your area of expertise?
Do you sew? quilt?
Are you a great organizer of your home and/or life?
Do you cook? bake?
Craft? Scrapbook?
Do what you can to live "green"?
Maybe you are what I call a "Disneyland Mom" - that great mom that always doing fun kid stuff with your kids. Always playing, making playdoh, or crafts, or going to the pool or park.
My point is, we all excel at something........living frugally is my "something".

I thought I'd start with this simple question.

"Do you know what's for dinner tonight?"

This simple little question can be considered a cornerstone to battling the food budget.
Too many people wait too long to even consider what they are making for dinner, and by the time that they need to start dinner, they are looking at a bunch of frozen blocks of hamburger or frozen chicken. So when they are asked "What's for dinner?", it's just way to easy to say "Let's order pizza", or "Let's go out". Neither of those are very frugal options, and while neither one is wrong occastionally, relying regularly on pizza delivery or eating out will kill your food budget and prevent you from being able to get seriously frugal in the kitchen.
So the thing to do is, plan ahead. I'll talk later about menu planning, and how that really begins to help control how much you are spending for food, but for now, just plan ahead. If it's still early in the day, decide what's for dinner. Take out that hamburger or that chicken that you are planning on for dinner. Don't fall victim of the dreaded "What's for dinner?" question. Be ready for them, know what you are making before they ask!!

Tomorrow I'll talk more about menu planning. A (loosely) planned menu really is key to becomming frugal in the kitchen. I can't wait to share it with you!