But it doesn't have to be as bleak as this picture. Get creative and think out the box to make sure that you still get a little bit of luxury before pay day.

Here are some fool-proof ways to enjoy the rest of January on a budget and still impress the Jones.

Coupons

Food coupons for stores like Pick n Pay are a sneaky penny-saver. Get your hands on a copy of Pick n Pay's Fresh Living Magazine and watch out for good bargains at Checkers and Woolworths.

Buy food in season

Avocados, watermelons, mangos, grapes: they're all super fruits that will spruce up the dullest of meals, yet out of season, you're talking high prices for these babies. Luckily in January, they're all in season which means that you can enjoy them at more realistic prices.

Back to school

This week is going to change the dynamics of households from a laidback and lazy dinner routine, to something resembling The Amazing Race: the Family Edition. Screaming mania and rushed dinners are a foreseeable reality.

To help you out, here's an easy and inspiring meal for four that won't take long to prepare:

Egg-fried rice, sweet corn and fish

This recipe can easily serve a family of four.

Ingredients

Tinned sweetcorn (or four fresh corn cobs, boiled and sliced off the cob)

White rice

Three eggs

Salt

Fish for four (about 500g for generous portions): Cape salmon or hake fillet

Method

Cook rice and set aside.

Put the eggs, a dash of oil and salt in a small jug or bowl, mix with a fork and set aside.

Heat a wok or large non-stick pan over a high heat. Add oil and, when it is very hot and slightly smoking, add the cold cooked rice. Stir-fry for three minutes, or until it is thoroughly heated through.

Next drizzle in the egg and oil mixture and continue to stir-fry for two to three minutes or until the eggs have set and the mixture is dry.

Add the sweetcorn and cook for another two minutes.

Lastly, bake your fish with a bit of salt and seasoning until the meat flakes away and is opaque.

Entertaining

You can still entertain and no doubt you will, so here is an easy and cost-effective meal that will ensure your guests come back for more and make sure you don't spend every last cent of your already depleted bank account.

Get creative

Creative entertaining can save you from spending oodles on ingredients. Pack a cooler box full of cooldrinks (drinking in public is illegal) and take your guests for sundowners to a good location near you. Here are some places that we've suggested in the past:

? Beta Beach, Bakoven, Cape Town. When the southeaster is howling and all the other beaches look like deserts in the midst of a mighty sandstorm, you'll always find a sheltered spot between the rocks here.

? Lions Head, Cape Town. The next best thing to going up Table Mountain, except a little more effort is required... Fill a backpack with beers and a good torch, and hike up Lions Head at full moon. (Sundowners atop Signal Hill is a somewhat gentler option, with the only necessary extra a blanket to sit on.)

? The Park Bench, top of Kloof Road, Fresnaye, Cape Town. Take a bottle of bubbly, two flutes and a couple of cushions, and hope that another couple hasn't bagged this famous sunset viewing hotspot first! There's only one bench but, hey, you can still camp out on the grassy verge and take in the spectacular sunset display.

? Franschhoek Pass, Franschhoek. Drive along this winding pass and pick a spot to gaze down at the spectacular sight of the Franschhoek Valley - just the place to test some of those wines you picked up on estate visits earlier in the day.

? Northcliff Hill, Johannesburg. Pack a bag with a bottle or two and head for the top (right next to the water tower) to enjoy panoramic views of the city. On clear days you'll be able to see as far afield as Hartbeespoort Dam.

Click here to read on about a delicious, yet cost-effective meal for eight as well as suggested spots to visit on family outings.