I use a stainless steel pressure cooker a lot. You can get one for about $50, and they will last for many years and save their initial cost many many times over if you use it regularly. They cook food using 1/3 the energy and time that a regular pot takes. That adds up to huge savings. Also, it is way cheaper to buy dried beans and rice in bulk. I buy dried organic nettles and parsley by the lb online for about $10 a lb., and a lb goes a long way. ( i fed my kids a lot of dried nettles. I would even make green eggs, by adding powder to scrambled eggs, and this was actually a big hit. I would add it to all sorts of soups and casseroles etc ) Quinoa is a lot more expensive than rice, but not when you factor in that it is complete protein all alone, in addition to being very high in iron and calcium. Combining beans and corn for protein is a lot cheaper than covering that requirement with dairy or meat.
Here is where i get nettles and parsley now. I used to dry my own.

www.pacificbotanicals.com/store...ch.php

This is what i do and have done. Anyone else have suggestions?