FREE Printable Menu Plans

free menu plansAre you ready for the $25/wk food budget to start in 2011 tomorrow? I am!

I printed some of Simple Organized Living’s FREE printable menu plans to help me plan frugal meals.  There are 7 styles to choose from, so you can find what works best for you.  I like the bi-weekly horizontal version so I can plan this week with what’s on sale and “pencil in” some ideas I might have for next week. Then, simply make a grocery shopping list of the items you need.

Need some new recipes?  I suggested some frugal cook books here.  Print FREE recipe cards here.  Follow along with the $25/wk Food Budget Challenge.

Are your most frugal meals born of great planning or just good luck?

Schuler Books: Frugal Cooking & FREE Shipping

Since we’ve been talking about food budgets, I’m going to need some new recipes.  Here are a couple of recommended frugal cookbooks that might give you (me) a place to start.  Since we’re supporting LOCAL business and we want FREE standard shipping (media mail), order from Schulerbooks.com by 1/31/11.

Simply in Season — Recommended by our own #WMiBlogs The Local Cook as she cooks through it on her blog. She also recommends More-With-Less Cookbook.

The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook: 200 Recipes for Quick, Delicious, and Nourishing Meals That Are Easy on the Budget — I haven’t flipped through this book, but the concept astounds me.

Jamie’s Food Revolution: Rediscover How to Cook Simple, Delicious, Affordable MealsLisa recommends starting with Jamie Oliver.  (Seriously, am I the only person in the world that didn’t know about him? Is it because I don’t have tv? Say “yes”.) Anyway, you can visit his FREE recipe bank here if you prefer.   I’ve been inspired by Lisa’s blog, too. Though I don’t always know what I’m looking at, I can still appreciate the beauty of what she does!

Any others you recommend? I’m going to need all the help I can get with #1 cooking competency and #2 my $25/week food budget challenge!

Coupon Insert Preview 1/2 (HUGE!)

There will be FIVE inserts this weekend!!! Stock up on coupons!

Here’s a coupon preview of the 5 inserts in this Sunday’s paper. (2 SmartSource, 2 Red Plum, 1 Proctor & Gamble.) *As always, coupons and values vary by region, so please use this as a guide only.

To get more coupons:

Want a look ahead? Check out the 2011 Coupon Insert Schedule.

2011 Coupon Insert Schedule

Here’s the 2011 Coupon Insert Schedule.  Use it to determine your strategy and how many papers you want to purchase.

January
2 (2) Smart Source (2) Red Plum and General Mill
9 Smart Source and Red Plum
16 Smart Source, Red Plum and Proctor & Gamble
23 Smart Source and Red Plum
30 Smart Source and Red Plum

February
6 Smart Source
13 No Inserts
20 Smart Source, General Mills and Procter & Gamble
27 Smart Source and Red Plum

March
6 Smart Source, Red Plum and Procter & Gamble
13 Smart Source and Red Plum
20 Smart Source and Red Plum
27 (2) Smart Source, Red Plum and Procter & Gamble

April
3 No Inserts
10 Smart Source and Red Plum
17 Smart Source and Red Plum
24 Smart Source and Red Plum

May
1 Smart Source, Red Plum and Procter & Gamble
8 Smart Source and Red Plum
15 (2) Smart Source and Red Plum
22 Smart Source and Red Plum
29 No Inserts

June
5 Smart Source, Red Plum and Procter & Gamble
12 Smart Source
19 Smart Source and Red Plum
26 Smart Source and Red Plum

July
3 No Inserts
10 Smart Source and Red Plum
17 Smart Source
24 Smart Source and Red Plum
31 Smart Source, Red Plum and Procter & Gamble

August
7 Smart Source and Red Plum
14 Smart Source and Red Plum
21 Smart Source and Red Plum
28 Smart Source, Red Plum and Procter & Gamble

September
4 No Inserts
11 Smart Source and (2) Red Plum
18 Smart Source and Red Plum
25 Smart Source and Red Plum

October
2 Smart Source, Red Plum and Procter & Gamble
9 Smart Source and Red Plum
16 Smart Source and Red Plum
23 Smart Source and Red Plum
30 Smart Source and Red Plum

November
6 Smart Source, Red Plum and Procter & Gamble
13 Smart Source and Red Plum
20 Smart Source and Red Plum
27 No Inserts

December
4 Smart Source, Red Plum and Procter & Gamble
11 Smart Source and Red Plum
18 No Inserts
25 Procter & Gamble