Comments on: I Must Confess: We Eat Out WAY TOO OFTEN! http://allfinancialmatters.com/2008/04/13/i-must-confess-we-eat-out-way-too-often/ A personal finance blog dedicated to discussing such topics as budgeting, asset allocation, 401K, IRA, cash flow, insurance, financial planning, portfolio management, and other areas in personal finance. Fri, 25 May 2012 12:41:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: RG http://allfinancialmatters.com/2008/04/13/i-must-confess-we-eat-out-way-too-often/comment-page-1/#comment-321804 RG Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:02:33 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/2008/04/13/i-must-confess-we-eat-out-way-too-much/#comment-321804 $50/month. But, my motto is that I'd rather buy "instant" food that I really like than eat out. So I spend $250 for one person on food at the grocery store, by buying things like smoked salmon, strawberries, lettuce year-round, Greek yogurt... $50/month. But, my motto is that I’d rather buy “instant” food that I really like than eat out. So I spend $250 for one person on food at the grocery store, by buying things like smoked salmon, strawberries, lettuce year-round, Greek yogurt…

]]> By: D. Flor http://allfinancialmatters.com/2008/04/13/i-must-confess-we-eat-out-way-too-often/comment-page-1/#comment-285642 D. Flor Thu, 17 Apr 2008 05:19:55 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/2008/04/13/i-must-confess-we-eat-out-way-too-much/#comment-285642 I use Quicken to track my finances and I discovered that eating out and buying coffee out were my "latte factor". One way I have found to save money is this: my friends and I skip eating out and instead have a potluck dinner with a video. We either use Netflix (fixed price per month) or I get DVD's free from the public library. I use Quicken to track my finances and I discovered that eating out and buying coffee out were my “latte factor”. One way I have found to save money is this: my friends and I skip eating out and instead have a potluck dinner with a video. We either use Netflix (fixed price per month) or I get DVD’s free from the public library.

]]> By: JLP http://allfinancialmatters.com/2008/04/13/i-must-confess-we-eat-out-way-too-often/comment-page-1/#comment-284332 JLP Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:30:17 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/2008/04/13/i-must-confess-we-eat-out-way-too-much/#comment-284332 Pal, Dinner only. Pal,

Dinner only.

]]> By: pal http://allfinancialmatters.com/2008/04/13/i-must-confess-we-eat-out-way-too-often/comment-page-1/#comment-284322 pal Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:18:15 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/2008/04/13/i-must-confess-we-eat-out-way-too-much/#comment-284322 JLP, is this dinner only or lunch+dinner? JLP,
is this dinner only or lunch+dinner?

]]> By: Meg http://allfinancialmatters.com/2008/04/13/i-must-confess-we-eat-out-way-too-often/comment-page-1/#comment-283654 Meg Mon, 14 Apr 2008 22:36:13 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/2008/04/13/i-must-confess-we-eat-out-way-too-much/#comment-283654 I just checked Mint, and I've spent $2,116 at restaurants over the last 7 months - $302/mo on average. But that doesn't count all the meals where my BF paid for both of us (I'd treat too, but usually he got the dinners and I picked up lunches, so he spent more). It also doesn't count $521 ($74/mo) on "fast food" which includes "to go" orders and takeout. Incidentally that's $376/mo - only ONE DOLLAR OFF my $375 eating out budget, which I thought I rarely stuck to. Nice! I just checked Mint, and I’ve spent $2,116 at restaurants over the last 7 months – $302/mo on average.

But that doesn’t count all the meals where my BF paid for both of us (I’d treat too, but usually he got the dinners and I picked up lunches, so he spent more).

It also doesn’t count $521 ($74/mo) on “fast food” which includes “to go” orders and takeout.

Incidentally that’s $376/mo – only ONE DOLLAR OFF my $375 eating out budget, which I thought I rarely stuck to. Nice!

]]> By: peter http://allfinancialmatters.com/2008/04/13/i-must-confess-we-eat-out-way-too-often/comment-page-1/#comment-283362 peter Mon, 14 Apr 2008 18:10:55 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/2008/04/13/i-must-confess-we-eat-out-way-too-much/#comment-283362 Thats nothing. We are both resident physicians. We have no time to cook. We probably eat out 5 times a week a 40 bucks a pop. Also we get a nice hotel room once a month (400 bucks) + dinner (120). I bet we spend at least 500 a month on food. Again, we don't spend our money on anything else cause we don't have time! Thats nothing.
We are both resident physicians. We have no time to cook. We probably eat out 5 times a week a 40 bucks a pop. Also we get a nice hotel room once a month (400 bucks) + dinner (120). I bet we spend at least 500 a month on food. Again, we don’t spend our money on anything else cause we don’t have time!

]]> By: Esmond http://allfinancialmatters.com/2008/04/13/i-must-confess-we-eat-out-way-too-often/comment-page-1/#comment-283328 Esmond Mon, 14 Apr 2008 17:34:23 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/2008/04/13/i-must-confess-we-eat-out-way-too-much/#comment-283328 For an entire family that is not a bad number, especially considering that your kitchen was out of commission for six weeks. Our family enjoys eating at home (and from our garden), so when we do eat out, it is extremely rare. I myself go out to eat with friends, but I'd say I spend maybe $40-60 a month eating out. For an entire family that is not a bad number, especially considering that your kitchen was out of commission for six weeks. Our family enjoys eating at home (and from our garden), so when we do eat out, it is extremely rare. I myself go out to eat with friends, but I’d say I spend maybe $40-60 a month eating out.

]]> By: Yana http://allfinancialmatters.com/2008/04/13/i-must-confess-we-eat-out-way-too-often/comment-page-1/#comment-283216 Yana Mon, 14 Apr 2008 15:40:51 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/2008/04/13/i-must-confess-we-eat-out-way-too-much/#comment-283216 I've been tracking every penny spent for years, according to categories. I don't have "eating out" as a category, but include it in Miscellaneous. We've spent $756.44 over the last 6 months in this category, which includes clothing, accessories like belts and little unnecessary things like car bumper stickers, and eating out. This is for two people. I’ve been tracking every penny spent for years, according to categories. I don’t have “eating out” as a category, but include it in Miscellaneous. We’ve spent $756.44 over the last 6 months in this category, which includes clothing, accessories like belts and little unnecessary things like car bumper stickers, and eating out. This is for two people.

]]> By: KellyB http://allfinancialmatters.com/2008/04/13/i-must-confess-we-eat-out-way-too-often/comment-page-1/#comment-283191 KellyB Mon, 14 Apr 2008 15:14:33 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/2008/04/13/i-must-confess-we-eat-out-way-too-much/#comment-283191 Guess I should also mention we are a family of 5, with 3 being boys age 16, 19, and 22 (so our grocery tab is outrageous as well!) Guess I should also mention we are a family of 5, with 3 being boys age 16, 19, and 22 (so our grocery tab is outrageous as well!)

]]> By: KellyB http://allfinancialmatters.com/2008/04/13/i-must-confess-we-eat-out-way-too-often/comment-page-1/#comment-283188 KellyB Mon, 14 Apr 2008 15:12:58 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/2008/04/13/i-must-confess-we-eat-out-way-too-much/#comment-283188 This is definitely an area we consistently struggle with. It has definitely come down year to year over the last 3 years, but 2007's total was $7561, or $630/month. For Jan - March 2008, we are at $413/month, so we've made some strides to keep a better handle on this. We also use dining out as our "social/entertainment", and it's an area we enjoy, so it will never be very low, but we will continue to at least try to keep it within budget. For 2007 it was 7% of our budget, we'll aim for 5 - 6% this year. This is definitely an area we consistently struggle with. It has definitely come down year to year over the last 3 years, but 2007′s total was $7561, or $630/month. For Jan – March 2008, we are at $413/month, so we’ve made some strides to keep a better handle on this. We also use dining out as our “social/entertainment”, and it’s an area we enjoy, so it will never be very low, but we will continue to at least try to keep it within budget. For 2007 it was 7% of our budget, we’ll aim for 5 – 6% this year.

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