This ties in with health, and frugal living.

I think I'd be several thousand dollars richer if i quit drinking sodas and eating out. Not sure how much i spend a year...but i seem to eat out once a week atleast especially if i forget my work lunch at home. What food diary have you been using?

I think the little savings here and there truly helps and like what they say, 'to save for a rainy day'. I think this is really true and that for last year, I spent more than 3k even. I ate a lot outside because I don't like the idea of my mom cooking and she would get tired and all that. And another thing is that I like to eat in buffet spreads; like seafood and in restaurant-like environments. Therefore, I have to learn to cut down, tremendously. And I have still loads of installments to pay like the bike and car etc. AAAArrrrggh, ha! Therefore, trying to earn more money to pay off these things. Have a cheery mylot day. c;)

For financial reasons we are only able to eat at once a month. We go out to eat or order in one time at the beginning of the month. When I am working I tend to take my lunch so I avoid going to the subway sandwich shop next door. Last tax season though we had a new office manager though who loves to eat so there was food in the breakroom just about everyday, not just snacks either but things like hamburgers, hot dogs, chili,spaghetti and the list goes on. I took my lunch everyday just in case there wasn't food lol.

We could not save several thousand dollars a year by eating out less because we do not even come close to spending that much. I don't think the two of use together have spent anywhere near even $1K a year eating out in our whole lives. Except for taking friends or family to a fancier place once or twice a year, our idea of a meal out is the $5 footlong sandwich special at Subways. The other night we stopped at McDonald's on the way home from shopping and split a burger from the dollar menu. Yes, we split a small batch of fries, too, and a side salad. We put the lettuce in the burger. We also split a hot fudge sundae. That cost us a whopping $3.42 and the calories added up to about 500 per person, which is a lot, but that was a substitute for dinner and our main calorie binge for the day. We had eaten a bowl of whole grain hot cereal for breakfast (healthied up with extra nuts and fruit) and we split a bran muffin for our bedtime snack. Funny you should mention it because as a rule I have noticed that the cost of the food does sometimes fall pretty close to the amount of calories in it. I don't think I have ever in my life eaten 3000 calories in one day, let alone one meal.

We don't eat out as much as we used to before the gas went up. But we do occasionally go out for a hamburger/chicken sandwich. And we sometimes go out to a nice restaurant, but not as much as the fast foods. My husband will sometimes come by and get us a pizza as he did last night. But we are eating more and more at home. You are right; the money piles up that you spend eating out and right now, we need that for other things. I have no idea how much we spend, though, on eating out.

GardenG, I rarely eat out! Maybe 5 times a year and then it's just if I'm traveling and stop for a bite. Then, I try and find a Subway because I want to eat healthy. To me, a home cooked meal tastes so much better and costs much less. I enjoy cooking and am skeptical about "how clean" most resturants actually are. After working in several in the area and seeing some things with my own eyes, I know that all is not quite as clean as we think it is!

Now you have me thinking. I eat out every weekend, that is, every Saturday and Sunday. I have never thought about how much I could save by staying at home and cooking but I don't like cooking and I only do it during the week because my husband is working. I think I will try staying at home for a few weeks and see if it cuts down on the number of trips I make to the bank. $3000...wow! I could have a holiday for that.

I prefer not to be broke or overweight so I eat at home.

I very much like eating out.. I know i end up spending too much money for it.. but also i can';t help. now due to price rise and all it has decrease so much. still i wish i could make it lesser.

I wish I had the luxury of eating out. There is just too much to do and mealtimes are a blur. I hope someday I will have time to enjoy a proper meal. Cheers!!

For me, I do enjoy eating out. Especially during the weekends when I go out with my girlfriend. We try out all sorts of food and different restaurants. I probably spend a couple of dollars on it too but somehow it doesn't really matter that much. As long as you enjoy what you spend on! Plus its somehow a way of treating myself for a long weeks work.

Eating out is indeed a great money spending thing. I do try not to do this but I don't really have the time to cook at home as much as I need to and I cannot go home during the day. My work is an all time consuming thing from early morning to late evening sometimes. Plus I get really tired of sandwiches too easily. You can save thousands by avoiding eating out there's no doubt about that but how do you avoid it ?

I really believe you about the savings someone can make eating at home. Keeping a diary is the way to have undeniable facts about any subject. I know for a fact that eating at home is healthier and cheaper than eating out. But I just love to eat out. The restaurant's ambiance, been served by a good waiter, the cocktails, the casual conversations, the food, desserts, liquors, I just can't give up. I also enjoy any fast food restaurant, and I love Cafeterias if my health will allow it, I would have breakfast every day in an Ihope or a LatinAmerica Cafeteria. When money is tide there is nothing to replay just quit going out and you will see the fruits or I should say the $$$$$. Treat yourself for special occasions only. Invest in good Cooking books and enjoy life!

I used to spend about $50.00 a week eating out. Until, I wanted to start saving extra money, and I was taking a look at things I could cut back on. So, I started cooking at home more. I eat about the same amount either way. I still occasionally eat out, but at the expense of others.

I think it's safe to say I never eat out...but I sometimes grab some takeaway...but I do that less than once a month. I'm on a really low income and I simply cannot afford to do it. The other part is that eating that way is sooo expensive....even if I could afford to do it I wouldn't cos it's such a rip-off....

[i]Hi Garden, we eat out a lot! I even told hubby to lessen it and this time, we are trying our best to just do it twice a month! I know it's nice to treat ourselves from stressful job and schedule but this time, we also need to prioritize savings, so that is what we are doing! We are like having a tour in all the restaurant around here, affordable to expensive one! I guess our yearly expenses will be around $1700, less than to what you have, LOL! but, I will love to cut this off a lot![/i]

It is just "easier" for me to eat out, run thru a drive-thru window and get it all in a neat little bag. I really would like to know what food diary you are using and if it is free, because I need to keep track of what I am eatting and I would like to save $ as well.

We very rarely eat out. My hubby gets paid twice a month and when we first got married we usually ate out on pay day. Now we might eat out once a month, plus maybe for special things like birthdays. But I'm quite a frugal person (some might say cheapskate) and cannot see spending 3 times the money (or more!) it would cost me to make the same meals.

We dont go overboard here ,going out is a once a week enjoyment,we tend to go to the local indian restaurant and they doo a good buffet meal at around £10 per head,so that is twenty dollars ,and that is virtually all that we spend on dining out.I am not saying that it wouldnt be good to dine out a little more,its such a treat,and no washing dishes afterwards lol ,but thre budget will not stretch to anymore,so we must just be thankful for what we are able to have.

Yeah, that had been our problem too. Me and my wife can't easily quit eating out. We really love to eat out and too tired to prepare for home dinner. We do it atleast 3-4X a week. But unlike you, I'm just looking at $1500 a year. By the way, never have I seen a member here with as much as posts as you have... You must be a pionner here huh? . Goodluck and happy mylotting!