I love this website, there are so many things I can relate to.

I started cooking from scratch out of necessity. I was poor and on a fixed income and food dollars had to stretch an entire month. I started buying basics, i.e., flour, sugar, baking powder and soda, shortening, eggs, etc. in large amounts. I figured it's better that way because then I can make lots of things. With the basics you can always make cakes, cookies, pancakes, breads, biscuits, etc. If you keep things like potatoes, eggs, pasta and cheeses, you can make mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, omelettes, potato salad, etc. I always stock the basics and wait for discounts on meats and fruits. I usually don't buy mixes or processed foods, I cook everything from scratch, just reach into my cabinets. Also, a good cookbook helps until you get use to proportions and combinations.