Let's face it - the economic outlook is bleak.  But it does not have to prevent you from providing a good meal for your family.  The best thing you can do is to educate yourself on making meals at home, and cutting down on going out.

Here are my tips:

    1) Make meals on weekends, and freeze them to be used during the week.  You don't know how many times my husband and I have enjoyed a made-at-home pizza with home-made sauce we froze the month prior.

    2) Buy prepared chicken or beef stock, and whip up a quick soup at home.  You can add frozen vegetables and pasta, and beans, and make a rich hearty soup in no time.

    3) If you have a particular wine that you enjoy, check your local stores for discounts.  Or better yet, experiment with lesser known and less expensive wines.  You may be very pleasantly suprised to find that a reduction in cost does not necessarily mean a reduction in taste.

    4) And please - make your coffee at home, and use whatever free coffee is provided at work.  It's fine to buy coffee at a shop as a treat, but when times are tough the extra cost will add up.