Chop Chop Chop!

One great modern convenience - especially for those of us who like to cook -- is the abundance of grated, chopped, sliced and cubed cheese, fruits and vegetables available at the grocery store.

I'm all about saving time, but at this point in my life, saving money is even more important! The truth is, the more "processed" the food is, the more expensive it is. You can save at least $2 per pound buying block cheese vs. grated. Involve the kids and have them use their math skills by bagging up 1- or 2-cup portions into freezer bags.

Dig out that vegetable peeler and peel your own carrots. Buy "whole" celery stalks, wash, trim. Cut vegetables up into slices and divide them into single servings in zipper bags so the kids can help themselves to a healthy snack. Chop up 1-cup portions to have handy for salads and other uses.

You'll save a couple of bucks a week buying vegetables that haven't already been "cleaned up" and "cut up."

Of course, reuse those zipper bags over and over again! You can use plastic containers , but they take up a lot of space and can be quite expensive.

Think about this: saving just $7-$8 a week equals over $400 a year!