Comments on: 7 Ways to Stop Eating Out From Killing Your Budget http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/2009/04/7-ways-to-stop-eating-out-from-killing-your-budget/ Spicy Thoughts on Personal Finance Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:48:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Wojciech Kulicki http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/2009/04/7-ways-to-stop-eating-out-from-killing-your-budget/#comment-15106 Wojciech Kulicki Fri, 12 Feb 2010 11:20:08 +0000 http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/?p=913#comment-15106 Absolutely! I think it's not only a habit, but a frame of mind that says "this is easier...let's do it regardless of cost." It's very destructive. You can also draw the conclusion that since many people see over-eating as an addiction, eating out definitely contributes to it. Absolutely! I think it’s not only a habit, but a frame of mind that says “this is easier…let’s do it regardless of cost.” It’s very destructive.

You can also draw the conclusion that since many people see over-eating as an addiction, eating out definitely contributes to it.

]]> By: ParisGirl111 http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/2009/04/7-ways-to-stop-eating-out-from-killing-your-budget/#comment-15097 ParisGirl111 Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:59:32 +0000 http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/?p=913#comment-15097 I like the tip on taking a lesson from people who have quit smoking. I have never thought about eating out as an addiction, but I guess this is the case for most people who eat out all the time. It is a habit you have formed that you must stop and replace with a new habit..which takes time. :) Thanks for this tip! I like the tip on taking a lesson from people who have quit smoking. I have never thought about eating out as an addiction, but I guess this is the case for most people who eat out all the time. It is a habit you have formed that you must stop and replace with a new habit..which takes time. :) Thanks for this tip!

]]> By: Wojciech Kulicki http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/2009/04/7-ways-to-stop-eating-out-from-killing-your-budget/#comment-11265 Wojciech Kulicki Mon, 21 Dec 2009 04:27:52 +0000 http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/?p=913#comment-11265 LOL! That's a good thing, most of the girls I know (not dating anymore, obviously) find it romantic when you take them out to an expensive restaurant. Definitely not frugal. LOL! That’s a good thing, most of the girls I know (not dating anymore, obviously) find it romantic when you take them out to an expensive restaurant. Definitely not frugal.

]]> By: Ryan @ Planting Dollars http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/2009/04/7-ways-to-stop-eating-out-from-killing-your-budget/#comment-11259 Ryan @ Planting Dollars Mon, 21 Dec 2009 02:52:10 +0000 http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/?p=913#comment-11259 My strategy - avoid having friends so you don't have anyone to go out to eat with! haha. But seriously, I find that when I'm dating girls they find it romantic if you cook for them, so my frugality comes off as being romantic and at the same time I'm teaching myself a new skill. Kind of a win, win, win... Now if only I could find more girls to date... .-= Ryan @ Planting Dollars´s last post: <a href="http://www.plantingdollars.com/2009/12/19/free-balance-sheet/" rel="nofollow">Free Balance Sheet</a> =-. My strategy – avoid having friends so you don’t have anyone to go out to eat with! haha.

But seriously, I find that when I’m dating girls they find it romantic if you cook for them, so my frugality comes off as being romantic and at the same time I’m teaching myself a new skill. Kind of a win, win, win… Now if only I could find more girls to date…
Ryan @ Planting Dollars´s last post: Free Balance Sheet My ComLuv Profile

]]> By: Wojciech Kulicki http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/2009/04/7-ways-to-stop-eating-out-from-killing-your-budget/#comment-8747 Wojciech Kulicki Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:52:08 +0000 http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/?p=913#comment-8747 We struggle with the same thing, since we have a few "go-to" ingredients that we'll always get at the store, and they can get old quick. My favorite things to try out are FoodNetwork.com's "quick recipes" that usually feature only a handful of ingredients and are fairly easy to make. Tasty, too! We struggle with the same thing, since we have a few “go-to” ingredients that we’ll always get at the store, and they can get old quick. My favorite things to try out are FoodNetwork.com’s “quick recipes” that usually feature only a handful of ingredients and are fairly easy to make. Tasty, too!

]]> By: Wojciech Kulicki http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/2009/04/7-ways-to-stop-eating-out-from-killing-your-budget/#comment-8746 Wojciech Kulicki Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:50:16 +0000 http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/?p=913#comment-8746 I am on the fence about dinner parties. On the one hand--you're absolutely right--it's definitely much cheaper than going out to a restaurant. On other other hand, my own personal experience has shown that when we do dinner parties, we will typically cook unusual items with ingredients that we often don't have or regularly use. It ends up being more expensive than just your typical dinner, but for spending time with friends, I think it's definitely worth it. Maybe just not all the time... I am on the fence about dinner parties. On the one hand–you’re absolutely right–it’s definitely much cheaper than going out to a restaurant. On other other hand, my own personal experience has shown that when we do dinner parties, we will typically cook unusual items with ingredients that we often don’t have or regularly use.

It ends up being more expensive than just your typical dinner, but for spending time with friends, I think it’s definitely worth it. Maybe just not all the time…

]]> By: Wojciech Kulicki http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/2009/04/7-ways-to-stop-eating-out-from-killing-your-budget/#comment-8745 Wojciech Kulicki Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:47:20 +0000 http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/?p=913#comment-8745 Howard--I hear you on the wrapping strategy. Most restaurants serve so much food these days that I'm having trouble even finishing a lunch portion. Combine that with my efforts to lose weight, and I end up eating about 1/3 of what's on my plate. Makes for a great meal the next day, and definitely spreads out the cost of the occasional restaurant trip. Howard–I hear you on the wrapping strategy. Most restaurants serve so much food these days that I’m having trouble even finishing a lunch portion. Combine that with my efforts to lose weight, and I end up eating about 1/3 of what’s on my plate. Makes for a great meal the next day, and definitely spreads out the cost of the occasional restaurant trip.

]]> By: Francine http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/2009/04/7-ways-to-stop-eating-out-from-killing-your-budget/#comment-8704 Francine Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:44:26 +0000 http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/?p=913#comment-8704 I recently got a couple of new cookbooks to look for some fun, new recipes to try. My husband and I both cook but it's easy to get in a food rut and make the same old recipes. I think that makes it more tempting to reach for the takeout menus or go out to eat. I recently got a couple of new cookbooks to look for some fun, new recipes to try. My husband and I both cook but it’s easy to get in a food rut and make the same old recipes. I think that makes it more tempting to reach for the takeout menus or go out to eat.

]]> By: WellHeeled http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/2009/04/7-ways-to-stop-eating-out-from-killing-your-budget/#comment-8703 WellHeeled Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:35:17 +0000 http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/?p=913#comment-8703 #2 Learn to cook well is huge! I've recently gotten into cooking, and as a picky eater, making food that I enjoy are the best thing I've ever done for my cooking budget. The best part is, once you start learning how to cook well you can host your own dinner parties, and that is much cheaper than going out to eat with friends. #2 Learn to cook well is huge! I’ve recently gotten into cooking, and as a picky eater, making food that I enjoy are the best thing I’ve ever done for my cooking budget. The best part is, once you start learning how to cook well you can host your own dinner parties, and that is much cheaper than going out to eat with friends.

]]> By: Howard http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/2009/04/7-ways-to-stop-eating-out-from-killing-your-budget/#comment-7464 Howard Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:19:15 +0000 http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/?p=913#comment-7464 We've cut back drastically on dining out over the past few years. We may go out 2 or 3 times a month at most. Even then there are ways we save. We have some restaurants we enjoy which include a full salad buffet with the meal - and the buffet has plenty of non-salad foods. We'll order one of the least expensive items on the menu, primarily dine from the buffet and have the entree wrapped to go. That's a second meal, whether for lunch or dinner the next night. In general, we will get our leftovers wrapped to go - we paid for it, we'll eat it - no sense letting it go to waste. Since we predominantly eat at home, and as others have found the costs are significantly lower, you can easily have that expensive dinner periodically in your dining room...at lower cost. For example, when the supermarket has live lobsters on sale, no question - it's on our table that night. Dining out maybe you get a lobster tail for $20 a plate. Our market routinely has lobster on sale for $4.99 a pound in season. That's a whole lobster for each person in our family . Add a salad (25 cents/person), baked potatoe (maybe 25 cents and 15 minutes in the microwave) and/or vegetable (25 cents/person) and a halfway decent bottle of white wine for $10 and you've got yourself a fabulous dinner that will rival most expensive seafood restaurants. With the recession, I'm certain most folks, like myself, are very aware of what restaurants have done - smaller portions, higher prices, cheaper ingredients...and they expect bigger tips. Why put up with that? Make it at home, enjoy it, and know you saved big bucks! We’ve cut back drastically on dining out over the past few years. We may go out 2 or 3 times a month at most. Even then there are ways we save. We have some restaurants we enjoy which include a full salad buffet with the meal – and the buffet has plenty of non-salad foods. We’ll order one of the least expensive items on the menu, primarily dine from the buffet and have the entree wrapped to go. That’s a second meal, whether for lunch or dinner the next night. In general, we will get our leftovers wrapped to go – we paid for it, we’ll eat it – no sense letting it go to waste.

Since we predominantly eat at home, and as others have found the costs are significantly lower, you can easily have that expensive dinner periodically in your dining room…at lower cost. For example, when the supermarket has live lobsters on sale, no question – it’s on our table that night. Dining out maybe you get a lobster tail for $20 a plate. Our market routinely has lobster on sale for $4.99 a pound in season. That’s a whole lobster for each person in our family . Add a salad (25 cents/person), baked potatoe (maybe 25 cents and 15 minutes in the microwave) and/or vegetable (25 cents/person) and a halfway decent bottle of white wine for $10 and you’ve got yourself a fabulous dinner that will rival most expensive seafood restaurants.

With the recession, I’m certain most folks, like myself, are very aware of what restaurants have done – smaller portions, higher prices, cheaper ingredients…and they expect bigger tips. Why put up with that? Make it at home, enjoy it, and know you saved big bucks!

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