My mother-in-law gave me this tip when my husband and I first got married and moved into our first home. I tried it and it's true, and it's also healthier and earth friendly.
The tip is to cook starting from scratch. For example, if you want corn bread, cakes, etc., don't go buy the "just add milk and eggs" varieties. With those, you're buying their time to assemble the ingredients, and you're paying double.
Whereas, if you buy the ingredients yourself and use your own recipes, you can buy the items on sale and with coupons, and it really doesn't take long to make the recipe. Plus, the "just add" mixes often add preservatives to extend the shelf life, which are horrible for you, and use extra packaging, you can leave that part out and we all win.
I tried this with corn bread and did the math. The money that I was spending on a popular corn bread recipe was equal to the amount of money that I was spending to buy three times the yield in the actual ingredients. (One meals' worth with the mix vs. three meals' worth with my own ingredients.)
I enjoy cooking from scratch and it is economical and you know what ingredients are going into the recipe. I have learned from trial and error to make biscuits, breads, pasta, sauces, soups, meats and other recipes.
If you really need the convenience of a mix, try making your own. There are a lot of mix recipes available that are just as good or better than the store bought!
This was my Mother-in-laws advice too. She said to me one time, a wf can throw more away with a teaspoon than her husband can carry home on his back. Somehow that was always in the back of my mind when I was clearing the table. Save most everthing. It will come in handy. I collect left over veg in a quart jar in the freezer. Just add the new to what is already there. Make soup or casserole
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