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Being a single parent is rewarding and fun, but often stressful when the budget just won't stretch far enough. Small changes make a big difference in saving money, and here are a few suggestions that will help.

FOOD

The best way to save money on food is to plan ahead. My mother-in-law taught me her method and it's worked for me for years.

Shop once a week. This is possible with just a little planning. The fewer times you shop, the less impulse buys you'll make and you'll save gas and time too.

To accomplish this, write out a list of seven dinners; a main dish, vegetable, salad and desert. Then make your shopping list from these menus. This will insure that you have whatever you need for each meal and eliminate extra trips to the grocery store.

Read the weekly sale ads and use them to make up your shopping list. This is something you can do with your children and will educate them as well as mean less complaining at meal time because they will feel more engaged in the process of making healthy choices.

Cook in batches. Focus on sale items and cook enough for two or three meals then freeze the extras for those days when you're short of time or energy. This will also help you avoid the trap of take-out meals that are expensive and often unhealthy. For instance, if chuck roast is on sale, buy two and cook them at the same time. Make pot roast, slice some for sandwiches and also make a stew. Turkey's are very cheap after the holidays, or even sold at a loss to draw in customers in during the holidays. If you have the freezer space, purchase a couple to enjoy February and March. Make two meat loaves or pans of lasagna at a time. Save on your energy bills by baking several items together. Roast your spuds and carrots in foil while you bake the chicken or fish.

Fresh, unprocessed food is better for you and your children and often less expensive. Consider serving fresh green beans, broccoli carrots, squash and home made apple sauce instead of buying canned or frozen. The nutritional values of fresh are much higher and often a little prep time saves a lot of money. Brown rice and other healthy grains are easy to prepare, nutritious and inexpensive.

We're all tempted to over-spend when using a credit card so shop with cash. It will mean youll have to stay focused on what you buy. Take a calculator and add the cost of each item as you put it into your cart. Youll be amazed at the number of non-essential items youll avoid buying this way. Eventually you'll be able to add purchases

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