About a year into our marriage I looked at our budget and quickly came to the conclusion that I was spending WAY too much money on groceries. I knew something had to change. Since then almost every week I make a menu. This way I know what to buy at the store, an hour before dinner I am not trying to scrounge up something, I get to try new recipes and most of all I know how much money I am going to spend. (Can you tell I am a type A person?) This is a menu I made for a couple weeks ago. I only plan out six days because at least one day out of the week we either grab something out or have leftovers. Below is my list for the week and the recipes I used. 

Day 1: Spaghetti
1 lb hamburger, 2 cans of sauce, spaghetti noodles, garlic bread and salad
Day 2: Hamburgers
1/2 lb of hamburger, buns, tomato, lettuce, cheese, onion, french fries
Day 3: Tacos
1 lb hamburger, tomato, onion, lettuce, cheese, chips
Day 4: Frozen Pizza
No particular brand just cheapest
Day 5: Cheeseburger Soup
1/2 lb hamburger, onion, carrots, celery, basil, parsley, butter, chicken broth, potatoes, flour, velveeta, milk, salt, peper, sour cream
Day 6: Spinach Casserole
1 package frozen spinach, egg, sour cream, milk, parmesan cheese, onion, monery jack cheese and spaghetti

List:
3 lbs hamburger meat
2 can spaghetti sauce
2 boxes of spaghetti noodles
Garlic bread
Hamburger buns
Tomato
Lettuce
Cheese- cheddar, moneray, parmeson
2 onions
Bag of potatoes
Chips
Frozen pizza whatever is cheapest
Carrots
Celery
Basil
Parsley
Butter
Chicken broth
Flour
Velveeta
Milk
Sour cream
Spinach
Egg

Cheeseburger Soup 
1/2 pound ground beef
3/4 c chopped onion
3/4 c shredded carrots
3/4 c diced celery
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
5 Tablespoons butter, divided
2 cans chicken broth
4 cups peeled, diced potatoes (I used unpeeled red potatoes)
1/4 cup flour
2 cups (8oz) Velveeta, cubed
1 1/2 cup milk
3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup sour cream

In a 6-quart saucepan, brown beef; drain and set aside beef. In the same saucepan, sate onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 2 Tablespoons butter until vegetables are tender (about 10 minutes). Add broth, potatoes and beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, in a small pan, melt remaining 3 Tablespoons of butter. Add flour; cook and stir for 3 minutes or until bubbly. Whisk into soup; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add Velveeta, milk, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream. Makes 8 servings.