I always buy a decent sausage. Nothing under 75% meat and ideally over 85%. Richmonds are 42% 
and not bloomin' cheap either
We're not loaded so I buy everything per kilo, my own chicken so I'm not being ripped off for breast meat and buy mid-range minced beef and/or pork.
I have dry spices, in seed form where possible (buy from East End Spices online if there's nowhere local) as they last longer and they're so versatile for rubs on drummers, pulled pork, bbq sauces etc etc etc
I also bulk out with pulses, so in a korma I'd add 2 cans chick peas not 1 and I make my own paste (I've used all of these..they're good-and fast!). And online!
Chilli I make in bulk using cayenne, smoked paprika, sweet paprika, pepper, salt, cumin, coriander and tsp or two of chilli in a jar (lasts longer). You can just whack in chilli powder but if you have the individual spices..
500g of minced beef, two chopped onions, 5 cans of tomatoes, 4 cans kidney beans, three cans sweetcorn, two optional cans of mixed pulses & splash of balsamic (using a 7l pot). Add a little extra beef stock/water if using all the pulses as they suck up moisture. Makes a mahooosive chilli which you can freeze or use for chilli lasagne the next day (yum).
I usually add a baked spud or brown rice. (worth a try if you're new to it-thought we'd have backlash but the biters now won't eat white!)
Pulled pork is easy too with a dry rub and a few hours cooking time. Add coleslaw, spuds and a bbq beans mix (mixed pulses, haricot beans, kidney beans, chopped onion with homemade bbq sauce from passata, spices and dark brown sugar whacked in the oven along with the pork).
With the basic herbs and spices in place it's easy peasy to make exciting food that's healthy-and a LOT cheaper long term than buying jars of nastiness to add to pre-portioned meats 