Everyday Cheapskate: Let someone else plan your dinner tonight

If the question "What's for dinner?" ever fills you with a sense of dread, do what I did — let someone else plan your dinner menus. No, I haven't hired a domestic staff, I'm using the eMeals menu-planning service. We love it, and I wanted to share this great money-saving resource with you.

Not only does eMeals hand me my weekly dinner menu, I get a shopping list (based on sales at my supermarket of choice) plus all the dinner recipes I'll need for a week. I don't know how eMeals founders Jane and Judy and their staff do this for so many stores in so many areas, but they do!

If you're not familiar with eMeals, listen in on a conversation I had with Abby, a DPL and eMeals member. I'm betting that after reading Abby's responses, you'll want to become a member, too. And eMeals has a special offer for Everyday Cheapskate readers: 15 percent off your eMeals membership.

Enter the coupon code DebtProofLiving when checking out at eMeals.com.

Q: What is eMeals, and how did you hear about it?

A: eMeals is an online service that provides a weekly menu and shopping list for nightly meals. A friend was raving about it and directed me to eMeals.com.

Q: How does it work?

A: eMeals offers meal plans that are created based according to dietary needs and desire. I spend significantly less money shopping this way than I used to when I planned meals myself.

Q: Is there a cost?

A: The subscription charge is $5 per month, which works out to less than $1.25 per week.

Q: This seems to be working for you. Why?

A: eMeals saves time both at home and at the store. Thanks to eMeals, I am much more organized, too.

I love that eMeals has plans that work for any size family. We only need recipes that feed two adults. I hate wasting food, but I also dislike eating the same meal several nights in a row. With eMeals, we get so much variety without the waste.

Q: Do coupons come with the shopping list, or do you really need coupons with eMeals?

A: eMeals doesn't require coupons, which I like.

The menus consist of items that are on sale this week (most plans are linked to a specific store), and you might need your club card to get the sale prices.

Q: How closely do you follow the eMeals menu plan and shopping list?

A: I follow it as closely as possible. I make substitutions on occasion, depending on taste preferences, but so far everything on their lists have turned out really well.

Don't just listen to Abby or me, check out eMeals on your own. These menu-planning services are getting families eating home-cooked meals at the table — and together! In these busy times, it's possible you've forgotten that you have a dining table somewhere in your house.Maybe it's time to find it, clean it off and put it back into service.