We consider (never home)maker a healthy living blog. And financial health is so very important to keeping the mind and body stress free. That's why we've been focusing on things like grocery receipts and other bills. Money's the stuff that keeps us up at night. Today's topic is one we continually struggle with: Weekend Spending.
For us, weekend spending comes in many forms. Eating out. Catching or renting a movie. Hosting parties. Running races (those that have fees associated). Miscellaneous shopping. Seems like everywhere we look, someone's hand is out, just waiting for us to hand over our debit card. Of all these pricey amusements, going out to eat literally eats up the most cash.
Over the next several weeks, I'd like to focus on one of each of these kinds of spending. On Friday, I'll post to get the discussion started. The following week, I'll provide some tips and reader advice. Yes -- you're a big part of this, and we'd love to get your input and words of wisdom! Since we got such great response to our grocery bill post earlier this week, we'll start with EATING OUT.
I'd like to know from you all . . . how often to you eat out? Once a week? Twice? Three times? More? Or perhaps you set a scale for it like we do. For example, we eat out typically three times a week. One of these instances is a take-out night. Something like a $10 pizza. Another night, we actually go to a restaurant, spend maybe $45 to $60, depending. Another night, we go to Wegmans and buy all the fixings for a fabulous dinner in. Maybe more to the tune of $25.
I guess I didn't realize we were spending so much until I just wrote those sentences. But that's over $100 in food on top of our grocery costs each week!
So, please leave a comment or email us at neverhomemaker@gmail.com to weigh in. We'll be sharing some of your responses next week!
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18 comments:
We eat out at least two to three times a week. We always get Indian food on either thursday or friday night and then we'll often grab at least one meal out over the weekend, whether its brunch, dinner, or far too many drinks (booze counts?). I do not feel bad about these habits AT ALL. We both work super hard and deserve some time out of the kitchen and deserve to enjoy new foods and experiences. Plus we are supporting local businesses! I can't really fathom living in NYC and not taking advantage of all the amazing bars and restaurants there are!
I'm interested to see what others say - I think this is something that definitely depends on where you live. My parents don't have a ton of restaurants near them (and the ones they do have are mostly chains - TGIFridays, Olive Garden, etc.) so they don't go to restaurants that often.
We don't really eat out. We ate out twice in the last two months, but one was only because it was our anniversary, and we were jonesing for sushi. We shared three roles, and it cost us $17 (that's without tip, so probably more around $22)
The other time was to our favorite Chinese takeout place. We go for lunch, and filled our own container with General Tso's Chicken (our favorite). At lunch, a pound of food costs you five dollars. My husband runs out to grab that, while I cook up some fried rice and some sort of veggie that we had on hand (except I put an asian spin on it) at home.
Honestly, I always feel disappointed when I go out to eat. Cooking is my favorite thing to do. The one thing I'm not good at cooking is steak, which my husband happens to be amazing at. I've never had a steak better than one of his. Because of this, we prefer to once a month buy special ingredients and cook an amazing meal. It never costs us more than 20 dollars.
On weekends, our big thing to do is drive downtown and window shop (occasionally we'd each get a mug of hot cocoa from the local coffee shop in the winter, at $1.50 each), watch one of netflix's instant movies, play board games, and either have dinner with friends or entertain them at our place. Cheap, simple, and fun. People always make a big deal about how we don't 'do' anything, but I've never felt like we were sacrificing.
I'd also like to add that I don't think people waste money when they go out to eat, if that's what they enjoy doing. What my husband and I enjoy are products that help us be able to cook or enjoy our house more. Money not spent on eating out might go towards that board game we've been wanting, a new piece of art for the bedroom, or that awesome piece of vintage kitchenware. It's all a matter of what you like to do and how you will most enjoy your money, as long as you're sticking within your budget.
We only eat out on special occasions, so it's very, very infrequent. Occasionally we'll get some tea or coffee at a cafe with wifi. Most of the time we do free events (art shows, museum specials, film screenings, student plays), the dollar theater, or watch movies or shows online. Most of our "going out" involves hiking, walking, window shopping, dinner parties, or driving adventures. We splurge for one big concert a year.
Honestly, I can't remember the last time we ate out on our own. It's been awhile. We prepare most of our food at home. When we do eat out, we usually split an entree, so it's about $20-$30 total.
Oy I love going out to eat. Even grabbing something quick...it just feels so much more luxurious than having to cook. And the thai food place by us is HEAVEN.
You might remember that I am trying to do the same thing...saving money and all:
http://www.abbeycatchat.com/2010/02/thrifting-vs-spending.html
So far I am doing a pretty good job of it, and I laugh because I am slowly becoming my parents. Every Friday they stop by the ATM and take out money from their checking account. Now that I am older I realize that they were doing this so they had a regulated amount of money every week to spend on food and little trips to the grocery store, and eating out. So smart of them!! Since I have started I have definitely been more conscious of it (I really wanted mexican food last night but looked in my wallet and said 'do I really NEED mexican food? I won't die without it and I've already spend $45 on food this month...' and I didn't go. So proud of myself!)
I highly suggest taking out money monthly or weekly rather than throwing the atm card around. It's been doing me wonders and I've already saved tons.
We try very hard to only go out to eat once a week. One thing that really is an awesome resource is utilizing Groupon and Restaurant.com to snag some great & cheap coupons for dining spots we want to try! For example, we got a $25 gift card to a neighborhood sushi spot for $8! It's a nice way to save a little dough and not feel as bad about going out.
Honestly? We rarely eat out (although I think we're going out tonight!!). We love splitting take-out sesame chicken from our corner hole-in-the-wall, but even that's only one every couple months. We DO head out more often for a latte or a quick lunch. It's more of a time crunch than anything for us. We have most of our evenings packed so there just isn't time for a leisurely dinner!
After Christmas (and a ridiculous amount of spending!!) my husband and I looked at our budget. We couldn't believe we were spending more on eating out than we were spending on our weekly groceries. We only eat out on the weekends, but the little meals were adding up! Since we are going on vacation next week we stopped eating out from Jan to now and we have saved hundreds of dollars! While we couldn't not eat out forever it definitely made us more aware!
Wow. This makes me feel like a serious glutton! I eat out for lunch every day (average $10) and the boyfriend and I eat brunch every Saturday and Sunday ($20-$50) as well as celebrate every little thing with meals out at our favourite restaurants (where appetizers start in the double digits).
We live in downtown Toronto so produce and locally raised organic meats are dirt cheap steps from our front door and it evens the cost quite a bit. While we spend $100s on food every month I wouldn't change our habits. I enjoy fine wine with fine food and friends and, hey, you can't take it with you, right?
PS. I never use my debit card... the charges are outrageous and I can't remember where I've spent it. "If you can't afford it in cash: you can't afford it."
Well I am so glad I am not the only one! The BIGGEST overspending we do is on eating out. I get an hour for lunch and if I take my lunch I'm like "eh". So I go out and spend like $7 a day for lunch, which kills me! I hate that. And we eat out probably about the same that you guys do. This makes me feel better though!
We don't often eat out, but when we do we "save up".
Your list above is a perfect example... instead of eating out a bunch of inexpensive meal we save it for an amazing culinary experience at a high-end restaurant and make it worth it.
If you skipped those meals you listed and opted for one amazing meal thinks of what you could have had for same expense. ;)
We don't often eat out, but when we do we "save up".
Your list above is a perfect example... instead of eating out a bunch of inexpensive meal we save it for an amazing culinary experience at a high-end restaurant and make it worth it.
If you skipped those meals you listed and opted for one amazing meal thinks of what you could have had for same expense. ;)
We eat out maybe 2 or 3 times a month. I always pack a lunch for work. I would die if we spent $45-60 on a dinner out. That is a week of groceries! When we do eat out we usually get Thai take-out or subs. A new BBQ placed opened and we have been twice. Otherwise, I would rather make our own food-it's cheaper, healthier, fun, and I know exactly how it was prepared and what is in it. Eating out to me is for special occasions.
I see people at work eat out and if you add it up -say $10 a week, that is $520/year just for a lunch or 2 a week...I certainly don't remember what I ate for lunch last week. So why waste the money?
Going out to eat is definitely one of our favorite treats! =) We tend to go out about once a month though and generally spend 25-30. (Not including a Veggie Sub or the occasional order of hush puppies ) It makes each time really exciting and special =). I think that it's fun to splurge and make a more expensive meal about once a week. One with lots of different components =)
Most of our disposable income is spent on food (we're a family of 3 with a 2 year-old). We spend about $200 a week on groceries and I make extra trips here and there to Planet Organic, usually spending $50 at a time. We go out to eat about once a week... brunch is about $40, Japanese take-out is about $50 but if hubby & I go to a nice restaurant, that's easily $120, plus $40 for a babysitter! I don't feel guilty at all for spending money this way as we always eat healthy, good quality organic food. There are so many people whi hit the fast food drive-through every day and feed that junk to their kids!!
We go out to eat once or twice a month. Even though we both like to eat out, it's hard for us to justify spending the money on that when there are other things we prioritize more highly. For example, we travel more than most of our friends, but eat out much less than they do.
Other than our weekly Saturday morning breakfast at a friend's restaurant (about $25 each Sat), we rarely eat out. I enjoy cooking so much, that I really don't want to go out to eat. Plus, I want to know EVERYTHING that's in my meal and that's not so EZ to get from restaurants. Between my frig and freezer, I usually have a variety of meals to choose from. That way I'm never eating the same meal for lunch and dinner in the same day. It takes some planning and some time, but to me it's 100% worth it. My Mom was a chef and I grew up in restaurant kitchens, that might of shaped me into the cook/foodie I am. You think? Haha. Laterz NHM.
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