I came across this blog called $5 Dinners.  She aims to make dinners for a family of 4 that cost a total of $5 or less. And believe it or not, she actually manages to venture beyond beans and rice.  She's all about meal planning, shopping the sales, clipping coupons, and making things from scratch.  I'm not sure I can be as gung-ho about saving money as she is, but she's definitely inspiring, and I've managed to take away some good ideas.