These days, everyone wants to save money and the fact is that we usually spend a huge chunk of our money on food. Many people use this excuse to justify their skipping breakfast, but it`s still the most important meal of the day. If you want to save money, don`t avoid eating . . . just learn to eat for less.

Breakfast in many households means cereal, but if you look at the price of cereal, you might be tempted to just have a cup of coffee instead. The premade cereals are expensive, sugar-packed and don`t fill you up until lunch. They are pretty much a waste of money!

While homemade food is going to be more cost effective in the long run, most of us just don`t have the time to cook up a hot meal every morning. That`s fine. If you can spare an hour one evening a week, you can make your own breakfasts . . . just make a batch of muffins. If you make 24 and freeze half, you can eat a healthy, cheap and tasty breakfast each morning and still have some ready to go. Try making a different batch each week and you`ll have a nice variety in the freezer after a month.

You can also freeze pancakes and homemade waffles (just layer tinfoil or wax paper between them) and reheat in the toaster . . . your very own Eggo waffles for a fraction of the price.

Even if you aren`t up to making your own homemade breakfasts, that doesn`t mean you have to resort to expensive foods like toaster pastries and sugary cereals. Instead, look for foods that pack a punch. Granola, for example, is similar in price to regular cereals, but will fill you up and give long lasting energy to keep you going until lunch time. You will eat less during the morning and save money.

Saving money is something that we can do in just about every aspect of our lives. If you want to stay healthy while keeping costs down, make better food choices and plan ahead.