Planning weekly menus allows you to take advantage of sales, saving you money and makes shopping quicker and easier. How many times have you come home and scanned the frig for dinner ideas? Chances are, you'll end up wasting food in the end. You can also go out for pizza, but your budget is for the moment. You'll pay for it next week. Or you can also buy ground beef is on sale, buy all that you need to make four batches of each. When you get home, divide the beef immediately. Make burger patties, sandwich them between sheets of waxed paper and freeze. While you're doing that, fry the meat for the spaghetti, enchiladas or tacos in a large skillet, in batches as necessary in order to save money and time.