Comments on: A bailout, ey?

By: Brandy

Brandy — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 01:17:54 +0000

I just wanted to share a thought with those who may be struggling with the idea of cooking more and packing lunch more and giving up takeout/eating out/fast food. An easy motivator for me was thinking about the actual food that was being consumed, i mean not many people really like the food at those chain places, fast food stops, or greasy takeout joints. Personally I’d rather save the money and eat out once in a while at a really nice place where the food is good stuff that 95% of us do not possess the talent to create at home. The takeout/chain places.. you can usually do Better at home for Cheaper!

By: Amanda

Amanda — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:08:07 +0000

We are a family that also loves to eat out. Due to the economy and tight money we have really reduced our outings. I still can’t give up brunch after church with fellow members. Like others we do eat out on our entertainment money not our food budget. If there isn’t any money there we don’t go.

BTW have you ever gotten a sour gut from eating fast food after having home cooked meals all the time? It really isn’t that satisfying to put all that grease and crap in your insides.

By: Stacey

Stacey — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 00:43:19 +0000

Yes, I am also a recovering restaurant addict! We used to eat out 3x/week – not expensive fare (burritos, pizza and pancakes), but it really did add up and we spent anywhere from $150-400/week for food. Now, we go out *maybe* once a month but the money comes from our “fun money” jar, not our food budget. Now I still enjoy going out, but I’ve even become slightly more critical of the experience – like, “I could make this better at home!” Most of all, I just don’t miss it that much when I consider all the wonderful things we have planned for the money we are saving – a beach trip, a comfy chair, a king-sized bed and a Prius will all be made possible by what we are saving now that we are only spending $80/week for food. I really do see it as the *one* place in our budget that we can alter significantly to increase savings for other things. Like you, Kristen, and others, we have dramatically decreased our thermostats but have not enjoyed a dramatic decrease in our gas bill!

By: Kristen

Kristen — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 21:52:59 +0000

Non Consumer, I had a revelation like that a couple of years ago. It’s really sobering when you add it up.

Franci, we used to eat out once a week too…it was hard to adjust at first, but I’m very used to it now. You can do it!

By: Non Consumer Girl

Non Consumer Girl — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 20:47:05 +0000

Eating out is a lot more expensive of course, but I have only just realised how much expensive.
I recorded all of my family’s expenditure for the month of January and discovered that eating out four times in January cost the equivalent of half of my grocery budget for the whole month of January. That is, it cost about $400 to eat out on 4 occasions, compared to feeding my family for a whole month for $800.
Needless to say, we have decided to reduce our eating out occasions to only 2 times per month.

By: Franci

Franci — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 19:25:02 +0000

I look forward to that post, because we’ll have to be cutting back on our budget soon and at the moment we eat out weekly. Oh, I’m going to miss it!

By: Kristen

Kristen — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 14:51:32 +0000

Absolutely!!! I was thinking of doing a post on that very topic, actually. It’s sort of an “absence makes the heart grow fonder” sort of thing.

By: Shana

Shana — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 14:46:45 +0000

@Kristen Kristen, also with getting takeout/going out to eat very infrequently, I bet it makes you appreciate it that much more when you do

By: Kristen

Kristen — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 12:43:21 +0000

Battra, you posted while I was writing my comment! lol

You’re exactly right about the grocery deli stuff…even the more expensive grocery items are almost always cheaper than fast food or takeout.

By: Kristen

Kristen — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 12:41:33 +0000

Franci-I certainly understand that feeling! lol I wasn’t trying to say that no one should ever go out to eat…I think it’s fine to do if you can afford it. I just was saying that it’s not the way to bail out a hurting budget.

We don’t get to eat out often, but I love, love, love those days when we’re eating out/getting takeout and I don’t have to cook. It’s a lot of work to make meals all the time(which is why eating out is so popular in the first place!).