Spaghetti noodles $.99

1 big can of sauce $2.50

1 small can of sauce $1.49

Sausage $3.50

Total Cost:  $8.48

The left overs last for 3 days – so that is equal to $2.83 per dinner per day.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3-5 hours on low
Meal Preparation Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
• 1 16oz. can stewed tomatoes
• 1 large and 1 small can of chili beans ( I prefer the Hunt’s Chili Beans)
• Dash of salt, pepper and chili powder to taste

Meal Preparation Directions:

1. Brown ground beef, drain
2. Add ground beef, stewed tomatoes and chili beans to crockpot
3. Add spices to your taste

Meal Assembly:
Cook on low for 3 -5 hours. The longer you simmer, the thicker and better it is. Add some hot cornbread muffins and you have got an inexpensive family meal with little effort.

5 lbs of beef for $7.45  – divided into 3  parts for $2.48

2 cans of diced tomatoes with green chilis peppers for $.49 each = $1.00 (replaced stewed tomatoes with diced because they were $.20 cheaper then the stewed tomatoes)

3 can of kidney beans for $.69 each =$ 2.07

1 box of rotoni style noodles for $.99

box of cornbread for $.39

Total price appox. $6.93 (not including cost of eggs, salt, pepper, or chili powder- but the 24 eggs cost $2.48, pepper/salt/ chili powder will be used to flavor other meals)

I will post later how many meals this lasted for.

I am married and a mother of 5 year old with Autism. I was laid off from my job in Jan 2009 and am still jobless. I have been looking for work – but my schedule is strained. I can work from 9-3:30 pm Mon – Fri. This do to my daughter’s school and my husband being on call every 4 weeks. No, he is not a doctor or any high paying job. He works maintenance for an apartment complex. Which is on way we are lucky, because with his job, we have a place to live, but still have to pay rent. I clean 2 vacant apartments a month to pay our rent.

I need to find free or cheap entertainment for the family and tasty, inexpensive meal ideas.

So I started yesterday, buy trying to food shop for a family of 3 for under $40 a week. Well that did not go as thought, and I spent more like $80.

My dinner menu for the week consists of:

-tomato soup and grill cheese sandwiches
-chicken, broccoli, and cheese casserole
-ground beef chili w/ salad and corn bread
-tuna casserole
-spaghetti
-chicken and rice

Now, all left overs will service as lunch and dinner until used up.

Yesterday, Taddy (for daughter) and I had for dinner:

-Juice/Milk (milk was $2.89 for a gallon, juice was a cheap version of Kool-Aid $.99 for a pack of 10)

-Bread (which was $.80 at wal-mart, but already had on hand)
-Velveeta cheese (already on hand)
-3 cans of geriatric tomato soup ($.69 each)

Taddy and I ate 1 bowl of soup each and had 3 grilled cheese sandwiches

Husband ate 1 bowl of soup and left over steak.

Today I will make the chili.