Saving money on groceries is so easy. All it takes is a few extra minutes of checking your local markets' sales ads.

Recession Mama: I am constantly surprised when I find out my friends do not check the supermarket ads before figuring out what they'll be cooking for the next few days. Unless I absolutely have to have a rack of lamb this week, I don't get it.

It just requires a couple of extra minutes of prep work to save a bunch each and every week. First, I make sure I have my staples in the kitchen. This varies for everyone, but for me, I like to have pasta and a few grains (rice, couscous, barley) in the pantry, along with canned tomatoes and several kinds of beans. I also like to have some chicken and frozen vegetables in the freezer for a quick meal if necessary. What I need to shop for on a regular basis are fresh fruits, vegetables, and fish or meat to make dinners. Also, I need bread, cereal, yogurt, eggs, and deli meat for breakfasts and lunches. Rather than hunt around for my ads, I can find most of them at sundaysaver.com. A couple of the ethnic markets near me are not on the list, so I try to remember to put their ads aside when I get them in the mail. A peek at just one store's ad this week showed fresh chicken breasts at $0.97 per pound, London broil at only $1.77 per pound, and a 10-pound bag of Russet potatoes for $1.99. If I add some fresh vegetables, I can get four dinner entrees out of that and what's in the pantry.

I'm planning on broiling the chicken breasts with lime and honey, and making about one and a half times what I need. The extra will go into a pasta dish later in the week. The London broil I'll probably grill or broil, seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic. The extra I'll use in a stir-fry with ginger and maybe a little teriyaki sauce. The price on that was so good, I'll probably buy extra for the freezer, too. The potatoes I'll use to make mashed potatoes, or maybe a potato salad, or I might just keep them for another time.

Just a little planning goes a loooong way!

A former state deputy attorney general and current stay-at-home mom, Recession Mama Michele Ashamalla has three kids and ten years of experience stretching one salary to cover the necessities and more. She's all about saving money whenever you can, so you have it to spend on whatever you want!