This post is part of a series of posts as I move toward a Food Budget Challenge 2018 in September.
This is the expense I wish to curb the most. I don't have a budget for eating out and I should. I know I put a lot of money down on the table for eating out and I commit to keeping track of it from now on. Some months I eat out with reckless abandon, other months it's just too (fill in the blank ... cold, dark, rainy) to go out. I can't talk about a food budget without including this line item but in my mind this is an entertainment item. I think I need to adjust my thinking on this a bit.
It used to be that eating out was a special occasion. Nowadays, I just don't have the energy to cook after work. I also like to go out to lunch once or twice a month. I've got two friends at work who love to indulge me in this. One loves Thai food as much as I do and the other one likes to go different places. I once worked with a woman who said having lunch out is a working woman's gift to herself, or something like that. I hung onto that because I love lunch with friends. I do pack my lunch most days and I try to make it appetizing and pleasing to the eye. I'm a visual person, no doubt about it.
In the last year, tacos have become a huge fad and I'm on that train of people who love them. Luckily, tacos are cheap and when we go for them, it is usually to a taco truck or some local place over in Pasco. The hubs and I can usually eat for under $15.
During the September challenge, I shall be transparent about my expenses for eating out. It may take another month or two of challenges for me to get this bad habit of eating out under control and find a happy dollar amount to budget for the future. Don't worry though. I enjoy meeting my friends for a mid-week hit up at Tony's Tacos and I'm not planning on stopping that. And, let's get real. I love a super hot latte from Dutch Bros. For me, it will be interesting to see what this is truly costing me. I suspect I spend a lot more than I think I do.
The bottom line for me is that eating out is not just about the food. I enjoy the company. I enjoy the drive getting there. We've been known to drive 120 miles (one-way) to The Dalles for lunch at our favorite Thai place. That should go under entertainment, wouldn't you agree?
All this talk about food, I'm gonna go make myself a fabulous breakfast now.
All this talk about food, I'm gonna go make myself a fabulous breakfast now.
Do you eat out often? Do you have a budget for it? Do you spend more than you would like on this? Is it entertainment?
love, susan
I was wondering if you included eating out in your food budget. I guess not! :)
ReplyDeleteHave you tried using a program like Mint to help you track your spending? I think the first step to having a budget is actually knowing what you're spending now.
Oh, gosh, no. I think that eating out less is going to raise the grocery bill slightly but definitely will lower the "entertainment" line item. I did download Mint but it was a little more than I wanted to fool with. I think I'm better off saving my receipts (old school) and entering them near end of month. I remain open on this idea though. :-) Susan
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