Just the FAQs, ma'am.

Please read the frequently asked questions and their answers below to learn more about this service! You are invited to add your own pressing questions in the comments below.

1. What if I don't like one of the meals?

Well, this is the beauty of five meals. You pick the ones you like! I will try to give as much variety among the five meals as I can, but this service cannot - regrettably - change your palate. It may, however, allow you to try some new things and get out of that dinner rut you've been in for years! If you decide not to use a meal, it is easy to use the color coded menus to remove the matching colored items from your grocery list.

2. What's a stockpile? Are you one of those Hoarders people?

A stockpile according to my personal definition means having enough of an item your family uses regularly (PopTarts, Goldfish, Froot Loops - you didn't know I could see in your pantry, did you?) to last until the item goes on sale the next time, generally 4-6 weeks. This will not require that you invest in a warehouse or turn your guest room into shelving units for your 1500 boxes of pasta that you got for free at Publix. Unless you're into that. Then, whatever floats your boat, my friend.

Am I a Hoarder? Of course not! But, um....if anyone needs any Vitamin D, emory boards or first aid kits, I may or may not be able to hook you up.

3. Why should I pay for this? Why can't I just do it myself?

Sure! You can. Go ahead! But you'll have 3-4 more hours of your life to enjoy each week if you just let me do it. Do you know what you can do with 3-4 hours a week? You can learn a language! Read a book! Get that set of abs you've always wanted! Work on your resume. Spend quality time with your children! Enjoy the outdoors! So, really, you could credit this service with broadened horizons, a stellar physique, and strong family bonds.*

4. How much money do you think I can save, REALLY?

People will have to let me know as they start using the service, but based on the estimates of $150-$200/week grocery bills, I'm going to guess between $30-$75 is what you would save just by cooking more and meal planning by the sales. If you are someone who eats out a lot on the go, you'll be able to factor in those savings as well. You do the math: Spend $5, save $50. WINNING!

5. Do you wear your money saving cape all the time, or just when you're on duty?

Well, I try to save my dress cape for really spectacular savings days, and I wear my everyday cape anytime I'm working - within the privacy of my home, of course. But in my mind? I'm always wearing my savings cape.

6. But my kids won't eat that.

Yeah, mine won't either. I happen to live with Senor Picky Pants II, also known as my three year old son. In case you're curious, Senor Picky Pants the First, is my adorable husband who doesn't believe in vegetables. When I see a recipe that lends itself to a kid friendly option that does not require you to create a separate meal (my personal goal in life), I will be sure to include it.

7. During the school year, my kids' sports schedule is too chaotic to cook this many meals! What do I do?

Let's talk about that. While I do not love the idea of frozen processed food, I recognize that they might have to be a way of life occasionally. Beneath the five meals, I will list any "convenience meals" that happen to be on special for your ease of life. After all, I'd rather see you buy a frozen chicken pot pie that's on a buy one get one free special for $3.49 than spend $18 at McDonald's. There you are. My gift to you. (But try to cook if you can! There's always one or two that are quicker and easier than the other meals!)

8. How many people do these meals serve?

Generally, 4-6 because most will be based on buying a package of chicken breasts or ground turkey/beef. If a product is in a box, I'm counting on you to count the heads in your familiy and judge how many you will need.

9. Can I try it first to see what all the fuss is about?

Sure! Your first week is only $1. Try using the grocery list and cooking from the menus. If you like it, you can continue for $14.99/month for as long as you wish.

10. Do you do any other tricks to save money?

Sadly, yes. I am a bottomless pit of savings, I am. Follow me on Twitter (@commoncentsmeal) or on Facebook for tips and tricks!

Why Should I Do This?

Well, I'm glad you asked. Having spent most of my years as a not-so-closeted cheapskate (frugal is the gentler term I would prefer) I've taken a lot of good-natured ribbing for what some refer to as my "ways". I tell myself that clearly these folks are just jealous.

I mean, what sort of fun-loving people wouldn't want to spend a few good quality hours each week with their stacks of coupons, calculators, cookbooks and sales ads?

*crickets chirping*

Yes, well. Upon posing this riveting question to many an acquaintance, I discovered that despite my most persuasive talks, trainings and gifts of couponing knowledge, it really is just me who is interested in this path. It was a troubling and somewhat jarring reality check for my fantastically frugal soul. My soul, which - by the way - has been accused several times of having a Depression Era previous life which did not go well. I digress.

So, there I am....talking up strangers, trying to get people on the Rip Roarin' Ride of Coupons and no dice. People just don't have time. There are kids, their sports, these pesky things called jobs and voila! There is simply not enough time to plan and shop for healthy meals. However, it's rare that I meet someone who doesn't want to save money. Enter me:

(Okay, that's not really me, but I could totally rock that cape if anyone is looking for any last minute Christmas gift ideas.)

I am here to save the day! Er....the week. Who wouldn't like to cook for their family more? Who wouldn't like to stop going to Publix every day at 5:00 looking for something for dinner? Who would like to spend less money - and ingest less calories, am I right? - eating out so frequently? That's right, I'm looking at you. And in case you're wondering, my eyebrow is raised in a slightly thoughtful, though not judgmental, manner.

For $5 a week, you could easily save $50 a week from your family's grocery bill. According to a Highly Scientific Survey for which I collected data at the neighborhood swimming pool, the average family's grocery bill is $150-$200 a week. Mine is $50-$75, but that's another story for another day. I'm not asking you to be me because according to a similar poll conducted at the aforementioned swimming pool, I am not in my right mind. I am simply asking you to try this service, allow me to plan your meals for you, create your grocery list and in general make you a happier, less frantic and healthier person*.

So, give it a try! Come join me for free for the next two weeks and tell me what you think! Shoot me an email at commoncentsmeals [at] yahoo [dot] com to let me know you want in. Or join me on Facebook or Twitter! You don't want to miss out. All of this witty repartee comes free with purchase! How can you go wrong? Please leave me any questions you may have in the comments below. And if you are kind enough to ask them more than one time, I can dub them "frequently asked" and create one of those coveted FAQ selections.

*$5 a week cannot buy happiness, serenity, or improved health. The writer of this post has dangerously optimistic qualities which may be contagious if you subscribe to this service.

Welcome to Common Cents Meals!

Thank you for visiting the website! I am excited to start offering this service officially on August 17, 2011.

Most people spend far more money than is necessary on their weekly grocery bill. Full scale couponing is not realistic for many when it comes to time spent on the process. The purpose of this service is to reduce your grocery bill through meal planning which is coordinated with sales and seasonal produce, as well as stockpiling items worth buying multiples to last until a future sale.

This weekly service will include:

• Five meals with necessary recipes
• A grocery list for each recipe
• Grocery suggestions based on sales on breakfast and lunch items
• Suggested stockpile items (2-3 to last you until next sale)
• Hyperlinks to printable coupons or dates of coupons from newspaper
• A comprehensive list at the end color coded by meal
• Blank lines to add to your list for your household this week

At this point, I’m not aiming to create meals on either end of the healthy spectrum. These are recipes that make sense with the foods that are on sale or in season this week. You may, of course, adjust and change as needed, or skip all together. If there are several options that make sense, such as types of meats or vegetables to choose, I will try to include all options. It’s not expected that you would buy everything listed in red, just choose what makes sense for your family’s tastes.

You will save money simply by shopping and eating meals by the sales, even if you opt not to use the coupons listed. I would recommend that you subscribe to the AJC Sunday paper (about $6/month, look online for prices) and date and save each week’s coupon sections to be able to go back and find coupons mentioned here. Using coupons in conjunction with a sale is the best way to get the most savings.

When there are multiple coupons listed, you can use any or all. Sometimes coupons will not be available any longer for printing, which is why I list several if there are options. Most coupons you can click the Back button and print another if you need two. Two is generally the max.

The deals I find are based broadly on Metro Atlanta. If for some reason your Publix does not have the sale item marked, you can check with manager. Occasionally there are some variations and I’m not able to know these until I’m in the store. I apologize in advance if that happens.

Thank you for your interest in Common Cents Meals!

Sample Week of Common Cents Meals

Sample Menu

Pantry Basics

The following list contains basic ingredients that I am assuming your kitchen contains when creating recipes.

·         Olive oil

·         Italian seasoning

·         Minced garlic (jarred)

·         Garlic powder

·         Flour

·         Sugar

·         Eggs

·         Milk

·         Cooking spray

·         Seasoning salt

·         Butter or margarine

·         Parmesan cheese

·         Basic condiments

Publix Coupon Rules:

1. When a sale item is BOGO, you do not have to buy two items, each item is half price.
2. Publix accepts one manufacturer’s coupon and one store coupon per item. A store coupon can be for Publix or one of their competitors: check the front of your store to see which stores your Publix considers as competitors. My Publix takes Target and Kroger.
3. Publix doubles manufacturer’s coupons that are valued at 50 cents or less.

 Coupon Appreviations:

 SS = Smart Source newspaper insert

 RP = Red Plum newspaper insert (and sometimes mail)

 PG = Proctor and Gamble newspaper insert

.75/1 = 75 cents off of one item

.75/3 = 75 cents off of three items

 EXP = date coupon expires