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How often do you eat out?

5K views 72 replies 64 participants last post by  geo in mi 
#1 ·
We eat out a couple of times a month or more. Wondering where we rank? Sometimes it's just a pain in the neck to cook night after night and day after day.
 
#6 ·
We eat out sporadically. Sometimes it seems a lot then we go for weeks not eating out at all. It's usually when we're really busy and off the homestead. Last week we ate out 3 times. We were at DS house looking after the grandsons while the youngest was in hospital a few days. Twice there. Then it was our anniversary so we went out again. Probably won't happen again for a few weeks, I hope. So, I'm going to say evened out about once a month.
 
#7 ·
Does once in a blue moon count? Getting dressed and going to a restaurant, maybe on our anniversary, but if we eat out it's usually at a neighborhood cooking and that's about twice a year. We eat take out/bring home about once a month from the local Italian restaurant or lunch from a local deli.
 
#10 ·
At a restaurant? Once every few months! Used to be multiple times a week and I can't believe I did that, thinking back on it.

At fast food places? Still once every couple of weeks, which is too much, even though we usually just order dollar menu items. It's complete garbage.

Our company has a cafeteria on property that sometimes lures me in and it's just a step above fast food. I am trying REALLY HARD to stay away and bring breakfast and lunch. It's kinda hard but I'm down to going just once a week and limiting my budget to $3 (which often pays for a good sized salad, or a bowl of soup with kettle chips).
 
#15 ·
usually a pizza place to bring pizza home once a week. Sit down restaurant - maybe 2-3 times a month (that includes if I order takeaway from a sit down restaurant). Fast food - depends on if we are away from home/what's going on. I like to cook, so it is often just easier to throw something together at home, just takes more planning. :)
 
#17 ·
Okay, you all who have cut the eating-out cord, how in the world did you do it? I'm a fast-food addict. This is Not Good for several reasons, obviously.

We have cut way back. Used to be every day, then we moved so that we're 15 minutes from town, and it's down to 2-3 times a week. I'd like to make it 2-3 times a month. HELP!
 
#19 ·
Okay, you all who have cut the eating-out cord, how in the world did you do it? I'm a fast-food addict. This is Not Good for several reasons, obviously.

We have cut way back. Used to be every day, then we moved so that we're 15 minutes from town, and it's down to 2-3 times a week. I'd like to make it 2-3 times a month. HELP!
Add up all the money you spend at fast food places, then compare that to what you could buy at the grocery store. Then add up the time it takes to drive to the fast food joint, order, wait, drive home. Then realize you can have a home cooked meal for much less $$$ and in just as short (probably even shorter) time.

If you're eating out when you're out running errands, plan ahead and either eat before you leave, or when you get back. OR, pack snacks with you to hold you over until you get home.

In the 35 minutes it'd take us to drive to get take-out, I could have just about any meal cooked and ready to eat. Plan your meals ahead so you can thaw out meat, or soak beans, etc. It really is much quicker to cook at home.
 
#21 ·
Okay, you all who have cut the eating-out cord, how in the world did you do it? I'm a fast-food addict. This is Not Good for several reasons, obviously.

We have cut way back. Used to be every day, then we moved so that we're 15 minutes from town, and it's down to 2-3 times a week. I'd like to make it 2-3 times a month. HELP!
happycat - it depends on the type of fast food that you're addicted to. For me it was take-away. I learned to make different types of food so I wouldn't be ordering out as much (i.e. Korean, Indian, Chinese). I can make more of an item often times for the same amount of money or less than if I ordered it.

If it is McD's or some other type of burger place - maybe making burgers and fries at home?
 
#22 ·
Okay, you all who have cut the eating-out cord, how in the world did you do it? I'm a fast-food addict. This is Not Good for several reasons, obviously.

We have cut way back. Used to be every day, then we moved so that we're 15 minutes from town, and it's down to 2-3 times a week. I'd like to make it 2-3 times a month. HELP!
The same way we did with cigarettes:

I kept receipts for awhile and added them up. I did this with sit down restaurants too.

We were spending upwards of $200/mo on fast food, convenience food, and dining out. I also synchonized my accounts with Mint.com and let it do a historical report. I'm ashamed to say that at one time we spent $1600 in 6 months on restaurants/fast food. That's absolutely ridiculous to me.

I did this with cigarettes too and it really helped. DF still wants to smoke sometimes and he "dips" but it's more of a social thing for him now and I'm not going to pester him about it as long as it's infrequent. It's nasty but I pick my battles!

Try it!
 
#23 ·
it goes in cycles , mainly when we are away from home but average probably comes to once a month , I would rather find a good diner with reasonable prices than through my money away on fast food , a sit down with tip just isn't that much more that fast food and it is much more enjoyable

I see us eating out even less now about a month ago we changed the way we eat and we have been a lot better to pack a meal , bring a cooler and have snacks handy as this has made eating on the run much more difficult unless we bring a cooler.
 
#26 ·
We carried out free pizzas last year some time, and last week we ate FRIES at Burger King. I told the little girl waiting on us, I wanted them fresh out of the oil, she gave me the old line: I think we just dropped some, so they are hot. I gave her a look that said: Don't be ridiculous, I want them hot. Finally after 5 more batches of fries, I got them, hot enough to burn my mouth, they were GREAT! Lots of ketchup too. They were FABULOUS. When we drove away, she was outside, I yelled at her. THANKS FOR THE HOT FRIES!!! HA ha, so much entertainment and no dirty dishes.
 
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