I found this on the AOL home page this morning and after this weeks check, felt some of may find this handy.......

Cheapskate that I am, I shop one of two discount chains for staples every couple of weeks. On my latest trip, using off-label brands, I put together the following shopping list and menus. It's no-frills cuisine, and I use that term loosely, to be sure, but that's besides the point. It's a survival diet for someone on a constrained budget.
So hold your nose, cruise the aisles with me and away we go... (Note: Prices will vary depending upon where you live and shop.)

The shopping list

1 gallon of milk: $1.89
2 boxes store-brand cereal: $3.98
2 loaves of bread: $1.98
1 package hot dog buns: 89 cents
1 package hamburger buns: 89 cents
2 pounds spaghetti: $1.98
2 jars spaghetti sauce: $1.98
1 pound bologna: 99 cents
1 pound chopped ham: $1.99
2 pounds noodles: $1.98
1 pound butter: $1.89
1 bottle mustard: 69 cents
1 bottle ketchup: 89 cents
3 cans condensed soup : $1.77
1 pound ground beef: $1.99
1 pound hot dogs: 99 cents
6 pack of microwave popcorn: $1.69
2 1-pound bags frozen vegetables: $1.98
5 pound bag of potatoes: $1.98

Total before tax and coupons: $32.42

Now, let's see what our menu looks like.

Day One
Breakfast: 2 bowls of milk and cereal
Lunch: 1/2 pound buttered noodles and 2 sandwiches (your choice)
Dinner: 2 hot dogs, 2 potatoes 4 ounces vegetables
Snack: popcorn

Day Two
Breakfast: 2 bowls of milk and cereal
Lunch: 2 sandwiches and soup
Dinner: spaghetti
Snack: popcorn

Day Three
Breakfast: 2 bowls milk and cereal
Lunch: 1/2 pound buttered noodles, 2 sandwiches
Dinner: 2 quarter-pound burgers, potatoes and 4 ounces vegetables
Snack: popcorn

Day Four
Breakfast: 2 bowls milk and cereal
Lunch: 2 sandwiches and soup
Dinner: 2 hot dogs, potatoes and 4 ounces vegetables
Snack: popcorn

Day Five
Breakfast: 2 bowls milk and cereal
Lunch: 1/2 pound buttered noodles and 2 sandwiches
Dinner: 2 quarter pound burgers, 2 potatoes and 4 ounces vegetables
Snack: popcorn

Day Six
Breakfast: 2 bowls milk and cereal
Lunch: soup and 2 sandwiches
Dinner: spaghetti
Snack: popcorn

Day Seven
Breakfast: 2 bowls milk and cereal
Lunch: 1/2 pound buttered noodles and 2 sandwiches
Dinner: 2 hot dogs 2 potatoes and 4 ounces vegetables.
Snacks: tonight we fast... or eat leftovers

One week of meals and snacks, done on under $35. The good news is that, yes, we have some leftovers as well. We should have half of a loaf of bread (at 20 slices per loaf), mustard, ketchup, two hot dogs, 3/4 of a bag of vegetables, two hot dog buns and four hamburger buns.

The bread items, refrigerated, should remain good for at least a week or more. That should cut our next food bill by approximately $4.40. Add that to the $2 we saved this week and the $2 we would have if we exactly duplicated our purchases in Week Two and we have an extra $8-$9 or so we can use to splurge.