WOW! I think we're out of control! How much do you spend?

[SaraJayne]

Over the summer, our schedule was so crazy, we ended up eating out 4-5 times a week, all summer. Yeah, it added up quickly, but if we wanted to eat, it was our only option.

Now that school is back in session and our schedule is more normal, we've only been eating out once a week or so, typically on the weekends.

I've enjoyed being at home and having the "luxury" of cooking again.

Our monthly "budget" for eating out (since we don't have a budget) is probably around $200 a month.

 

[tar heel]

I don't think that's a particularly big figure, although I would think it's out of hand if it's fast food and stuff that's not very good. We usually eat out once or twice a week, but it's as much recreation as food. My main criteria is that we go to places that serve food I don't make at home. Last week, I picked up Greek takeout (under $15) one weeknight, and we ate Ethiopian on Saturday (about $30 with tip). That doesn't sound bad at all until you add on how much I spent at Starbucks...

 

[marmalade]

If you are buying fewer groceries due to eating out more frequently then that doesn't seem so bad. However if you are spending the same amount in groceries and having the food sit there while you go out, that is where I would have a problem.

We rarely eat out because I am cheap and hate spending money on something that I can make at home for half the price. There are times when I just don't want to cook and clean and we will go out to eat, with a coupon of course.

 

[pigletto]

This is going to sound nuts but one of the best things I have found for my budget is adequate sleep!!!!
If I'm tired the library books are late, I forget things and pay fees, I opt for convenience instead of preparation.. the list goes on.

Also, if we are tired and overextended we get into deserve mode. "I deserve a vacation".. "I deserve a night out" etc. And in all honesty.. half our dinners out were not fun family nights but 60 dollars down the drain because everyone was too tired and hungry to enjoy eachother.

I also do home daycare, albeit mostly before and after school care right now.
3 days a week start at 5a.m. and I am a ZOMBIE by the time it comes to cook dinner.
I can not stress enough that you need a plan. Plan that dinner in the morning. Thaw the meat, or even better throw a meal into the crockpot while your energy is still there, and it will save you at dinner. I know what you are going through.. dinner time is when all the parents are picking up.. the kids are melting down because they've had a long day, and it's exhausting.

It requires constant recommitment too. Just because I am typing this today doesn't mean I won't have to remind myself next Thursday that we don't need to go out for that 60 dollar dinner because I am tired.

Some last minute saves in a crunch? Grilled Cheese and Soup, Spaghetti, Breakfast for dinner and smoothies, hamburgers on the grill and salad. Keep easy things on hand to save your sanity.
Good Luck!

We are tightening our belts really hard right now for a few long term goals. I am seriously about to revisit the way I think about everything we spend on!


ETA) and one thing I should add is that it may not seem out of control to others.. but everyone has different finances, priorities and ideas. If it's tough for you to save for vacation and you see that you have spent airfare money over the past few months on often mediocre food .. yep I would agree that is out of control. It's all in how you look at it.

 

[momof1princess]

until DH started his new job (which he HATES) back in may, we rarely ever ate out. usually, only if it was someone's birthday, or our anniversary. now, we (DH, DD14 and I) go out at least once a month, to DH's favorite BBQ place. i think it somehow makes him feel less stressed about the new job. also, since football season started two weeks ago, i've had to eat concession stand food for supper two friday nights in a row, so that's a total of about 10 dollars. over the past 4 months, i'd guess we've spent about $120-$150 eating out. for us, that's shocking.

 

[Anthony1971]

I think were you live will also have a big impact on what you spend. If we eat at MCD it will cost us close to 20 for a happy meal and 2 adult value meals. If we eat at a sitdown for the 3 of us it is in general in the 50 range for a chain and 70+ for a non chain and that is no app or dessert.
Lunch near work is an easy 10 for non chain maybe 6-8 for chain we rarely brown bag.
Never look at what we spend

 

[usnuzuloose]

I have noticed the grocery increase, makes me rethink about eating out. I love using my crock pot. Maybe you can try that and make some fun meals with it. And you when the day ends everyone eats at home , and you can relax with out thinking about going out to eat.

 

[swilshire]

If you also have a spouse, that makes four adults living in your household. Put a calendar on the fridge and ask them each to provide a meal for a couple of days a week. If they are never home at mealtime, they can do something ahead and put it in the fridge. We don't cook every night, but much of it is pretty quick and cheap. This time of year, we are finishing off the end of the garden, so that drives a lot of our meals. Homemade pizza, tomato pie, grilled chicken and veggies.

In the winter, it might be a simple casserole that we can have for dinner and then use leftovers for lunch. Chili is a standby. Pasta salad. A piece of pork cooked in the crock pot.

The key is just to get in the habit of doing it. Make sure you have staples on hand so you don't have to shop for every meal.

We try to eat out once a week, almost always with a Half Off Depot certificate.

Sheila

 

[ssawka]

We probably spend about $250 to $300 a month. We usually go out every weekend. We do however take advantage of coupons (restaurant.com, groupon, livingsocial, etc.)

I am also signed up with just about every chain restaurant, so I constantly get coupons in my email.

 

[Pesky]

Probably 100-200/mo. We don't eat out at fancy places with small kids and tend to pick up and eat at home when we do (think pizza and such) so that keeps the bill down.

 

[lovesmurfs]

DH and I are looking at his being "downsized" as of next August, and he just retired from the National Guard (he was approaching his mandatory removal date after 33 years).

So in figuring our budget (which, DOH, we hadn't done before), between his lunches every day, my lunches many days, his dinners out on Mondays and Thursdays (he teaches evening classes) and our general family going out, there were some months this past year that exceeded $700. Uggh.

We've recommitted to eating in and my bringing lunch. Yesterday was the first lunch I ate out since September 1, and we haven't eaten out as a family since the 1st either.

Still can't seem to get him to bring his lunch (although he only pays $4 something at the school cafeteria) or dinner on the nights he teaches, but it's made a huge difference. Even with the additional grocery shopping, we have a lot left over yet from last paycheck, and I feel great making better meals for the family.

 

[MEM]

About $20 a month to get two large pizzas from Domino's. I bring my lunch to work and DH is a SAHD. We do use our crockpot alot.

We save our "dining out dollars" for our annual Disney vacations.

 

[Karabee]

Every Friday night we eat at the same Thai place we're in love with - so that's about $35 a Friday ($140 total). Then there are the casual dinners here and there although this month there was a fancier one. This month we will spend about $400 eating out. I try never to eat lunch out more than once a week.
Now when we're on vacation in CA next month - that's going to be one sorry site of a bill for eating out!

 

[momof1princess]

DH and I are looking at his being "downsized" as of next August, and he just retired from the National Guard (he was approaching his mandatory removal date after 33 years).

So in figuring our budget (which, DOH, we hadn't done before), between his lunches every day, my lunches many days, his dinners out on Mondays and Thursdays (he teaches evening classes) and our general family going out, there were some months this past year that exceeded $700. Uggh.

We've recommitted to eating in and my bringing lunch. Yesterday was the first lunch I ate out since September 1, and we haven't eaten out as a family since the 1st either.

Still can't seem to get him to bring his lunch (although he only pays $4 something at the school cafeteria) or dinner on the nights he teaches, but it's made a huge difference. Even with the additional grocery shopping, we have a lot left over yet from last paycheck, and I feel great making better meals for the family.

it looks as if you are the only one who is committed to eating in and bringing your lunch. your DH doesn't seem to have changed his ways much at all. if an agreement was made to sacrifice eating lunch out to assist the family finances, all parties should hold up their end of the deal. $4 per day adds up. that's $20 per week, and $80 per month. especially since he's the one being downsized, he should be willing to get on board.

i have the opposite problem: my DH has IBS, and i can't get him to eat anything away from home, because he fears that anything he eats will trigger an attack. he works 8-8.5 hours a day, and travels over an hour to and from work (each way), without a bite to eat, just bottles of water. he's lost over 20 pounds (which he didn't really have to lose) since he started this job back in mid-may.
the only exception to his rule is his favorite BBQ restaurant. apparently, he's willing to risk an IBS attack for their food...lol.

 

[Jenny-momof3]

Sometimes we spend what you spend in a month just on one weekend. My DH LOVES to go out to eat. We have the money to do it but it makes me sick to think how much money we spend on just food.

 

[lovesmurfs]

it looks as if YOU are the only one who is committed to eating in and bringing your lunch. your DH doesn't seem to have changed his ways much at all. if an agreement was made to sacrifice eating lunch out to assist the family finances, all parties should hold up their end of the deal. $4 per day adds up. that's $20 per week, and $80 per month.

You're right -- he's much more frugal in other areas than I am, though. We're budgeting for it and it works for now, particularly at the start of the school year for him.

 

[Arielle22]

We have myself, DH, DD19 and DD17. When they were younger we rarely ate out (no money) but it has increased dramatically now.

Our problem is that we are out of the house a minimum of 12 hours on a work day. If one of us has to work late, then they buy dinner. If we are out running errands on a weekend we buy lunch.

We live in a small town that doesn't have any real stores. So other than groceries, any shopping is at least 30 minutes away, too far to go home, eat and then continue shopping.

Daily I get a hot tea from Dunkin Doughnuts. I feel slightly guilty when I realize how much I spend but I really enjoy it.

DH and I are trying to cut back on eating out, both for our health and our wallet.

 

[beaucoup]

2 adults. total entertainment budget for a month is $100. Entertainment means eating out, takeout, netflix, redbox, any events, etc.
Does not include work lunches however. That is different category.
We each get our own monthly allowance too. If we wish to use that for coffee, fast food while out running errands, buying something, etc, that is up to us.

For 25 yrs I have kept constant track of every expenditure into categories on our budget sheet. I know where the money goes. It just becomes a habit, and you just know how much you are spending.

Its not a rigid budget. It doesn't need to be. It just keeps me on track & alerts me of a major issue BEFORE it gets our of hand. We are pretty flexible, and know to just get back on track & don't let it become a habit.

It has allowed us to become mortgage free & debt free. Down to 1 income. Its just something I learned that was IMPORTANT to do when I was young, and stuck with it.

If you take care of your finances, they will take care of you.

 

[jennilouwho]

We do $100 a month on fun and we have 2 little kids. So usually one sit down, one fast food, and then we do things like the dollar theater or swimming pool or something for fun each month. We try to do one fun thing every weekend, even if it's just going to the park or having family over for a barbecue. That way they have something to look forward to each weekend without it being really expensive.

 

[momof1princess]

You're right -- he's much more frugal in other areas than I am, though. We're budgeting for it and it works for now, particularly at the start of the school year for him.

that is awesome! can he come teach my DH how to drive by home depot without stopping to buy more tools?!