So I'm almost done with my second kickstarter and 1st month in a transformer. I'm meeting the transformer goal and it's iffy for the kickstarter although I think I'll make it. Anyway I have to say one of my biggest weaknesses in losing weight has always been eating out.
Even before kids I when we were DINKS I limited my eating out lunches because my shorts wouldn't fit otherwise. So bad for pocketbook, bad for figure.
But I noticed this time it is a lot easier to lose the weight because we've been on a moratorium on eating out. Since we've moved and been "retired early" or on sabbatical we've curbed a lot of our spending. We are living pretty frugally and probably closer to $2k/month, excepting the dog costs (chemo is expensive).
Our biggest budget change we control is definitely eating out. I mean yes we spend about $100/month on gas for cars versus $300/month. And our utility bill was $90 this month versus $500-600/month previously. But that we couldn't really control.
But eating out? Well we used to spend if I had to guess because while mint.com does a good job, it's not perfect and there are cash eating out. We spent around $400/month. Our grocery bills averaged $500-600/month, and now they are a solid $750/month. But we eat out under $50/month and the kids are eating more as they get bigger.
I'm not sure if this moratorium will last after DH gets a job. But it's been eye-opening on how much we ate out. It's also been good for us to get back into the habit of cooking more.
When we ate out before it was always the weekends. Compared to most of our friends we cooked "a lot" because most people we knew ate out during the week and weekends. Even now many people we know eat out during the week and weekends.
Do you know how much you eat out? Do you do it because you enjoy it or for convenience? Most would say convenience and I have to agree. It's a lot of work to cook, do dishes, clean up, etc.
But I admit I did miss experimenting with cooking. Last night I made Rolo Cupcakes. And this week we had tacos, burgers, ma po tofu.
On the agenda for next week? Shrimp tempura, fish and chips, and other stuff from the pantry.
But first I have to win my kickstarter.
moratorium on eating out
May 22nd, 2016 at 02:29 am
May 22nd, 2016 at 03:56 am 1463889386
I love eating out. AS and I used to eat out several nights a week when we were DINKs (though we could not afford it and only now do we really understand that). I would do it more if there weren't so many other things that matter more to us. It's been the same for the past decade. We are spenders naturally and have a lot of things we like, but we try to be practical and only spend what we can afford, so eating out has slipped down the list. But if I had more money or fewer wants, I'd eat out more often. (Of course, it does pose a challenge with losing/maintaining weight. And it tends to be less healthy if we get something really special. Sometimes these days if we eat out more than once a week, our digestive systems start to complain.)
May 22nd, 2016 at 04:34 am 1463891668
May 22nd, 2016 at 09:22 am 1463908946
May 22nd, 2016 at 12:16 pm 1463919394
I'm hoping I meet my first month of transformer...I've been a little lax in exercising and eating right. There is still some time though.