Csn anyone here go without eating out for a month?

We keep trying this to save money, but most of the time, it cost more to cook for two, than to go out and split and entree or sandwich

Plus sometimes, I'll cook, and then decide it's uneatable and will still have to go out and spend money on the at home meal +plus the restaurant.

We try and eat at home m-thrus then out frid and the weekend.

 

I salute you.

I'm not up to the challenge though. Your so right. I figure i spend 6-7 hundred dollars a month going out. I love sitting in the car listening to the radio and eating in the parking lot with my dog. Can't resist going to a nice restaurant once a week either. I figure i could eat at home for 250 a month but i'll never do it. When you work at home you just need to get out of the house a few times a day.

The thing about cooking at home is that you have to actually make food to save money. That is you'd have to make your own sausage or hamburger or steak from a side of beef from a butcher or make your own soup etc. Buying the heat and eat pre-packaged stuff doesn't save you that much. Back in the day my family cooked the old fashioned way but then again my mom was in the kitchen hours a day and i'd rather surf or fish or do just about anything than make food to save a buck or two. But if you did live/eat this way you could probably retire on the savings over a period of a few decades.

Good luck.

 

I already do this, mostly. I only eat out or order in once a month, and never at or from chains or fast food. Of course, I'd dine out (a lot) more if I didn't have to drive 60 miles just to eat at a halfway decent restaurant.

Cooking, I've become a regular Korrdon Ramsay.

 

Wife and I are trying really hard to go out just once a week, but it's pretty hard to do.

Mostly from laziness, tiredness and poor planning.

Cost a mint.

 

Eating what?

RMX

 

I spent $14,000 last year on food, $10,600 from dining out.

 

I never thought about that being different in the US, but actually it seems it is - over here, 95% of the food we (and basically everyone I know) eat is made that way - buy the ingredients at small local stores like the butcher you mention or at the supermarket and then prepare and cook the food yourself. I'm surprised that this obviously isn't the case in the US. Would be interesting to hear folks from other countries chime in.

 

We hardly ever go to a restaurant. Preparing meals at home is so much easier, less expensive and tastes better. Going to a restaurant really isn't that much of a special treat for us.

Neil

 

lol..at first I thought you meant "eating' in general because I have gone an entire month without eating. had throat surgery and existed on protein shakes for over a month while it healed...lost 30 lbs.

As for eating out...no way I could go a month without eating out.

 

It's been about 1 year since i stopped eating out. (fast food, restaurants, etc, no ordering in either), except for a couple times I can think of.

It feels great. I feel healthier than before (ex: I used to have a fairly consistent cough throught the year, summer, winter etc, and its been gone since I started eating out. Maybe its not even related to eating out, I cant be certain)

It is definitely hard in the beginning, especially for those that eat out a lot, but it feels good. Even if you don't think about the money you save or dont save, I find that I eat much healthier now, because I am in control of what I am eating as opposed to eating at the "next restaurant" down the street from wherever I happen to be.

While you are at it, try to cut out junk food as much as possible. I used to love eating chips, and drinking pop. (Lays Regular and Crunchy Cheetos, mmmmm!). I haven't TOTALLY cut out the chips and pop and other junk food, but I have it the odd time.

P.S. While you are still at it, this is a great time to remind everyone to get their annual checkups with their doctor. Including the colon and testicular stuff.

 

i'd be lucky to eat out 6 times in a year! honestly I do all the cooking at home and find it better than most any place to eat out at.

 

I travel too frequently on business and for me it's actually a treat to eat at home. Much nicer and healthier than eating out.

 

Well, I have to say when I first read the title of the topic I missed the "out" part and thought you were trying to go without eating at all, which I could not do.

However, I also could not go without eating out for a month. Not only do I find myself having to grab a quick lunch while working, but I also hate to cook and live alone. I can't tell you how much food I have thrown away because it's just too much for one person to eat unless I eat nothing but the same thing for every meal. I enjoy eating out and picking up take-out. I think it's worth the expense. And I also really like sushi and no way am I making that at home.

Oh, yeah, and I absolutely DESPISE the grocery store.

 

I could do it easily. But I try to only eat out once or twice on the weekends.

 

For the past three months I've gone out to eat maybe half a dozen times and spend about 140$ a month of food at home. Then again I'm a college student so I'm sure you can spring for the non-bargain brand foods when you shop.

 

Ewe rang?
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I am a chef in a restaraunt, but surprisingly (to some people it is) I hardly eat out at all.

 

Think of all the tax money you'll save too. Most groceries aren't taxed(unless you buy prepared foods i.e. those cooked chickens for example) while dining out is. Good challenge.

 

Yeah, but you can cook, and hopefully like to if you are a chef.

 

There's a social tax to this experiment as well. No breaking bread with friends unless somebody hosts a dinner party or something. Maybe picnics. Heeyy BooBoo....

 

I did it for six months at a shot.