How do you stay on a budget???

**mateosbaby** · 07-22-2008, 05:24 PM

After my 3rd attempt at making and sticking to a budget, I am a lot closer, but still far off. Our biggest problem is eating out. We just simply love to eat out, like a hobby. There are some weeks we are so good, and other weeks we eat out 3 times. The problem is not that I don't have food in the house - we do, and I plan out the menus before I go shopping - we just plain love to go out to eat. We are doing really well in the way of not overspending for just about everything else, and there have been no surprises as of yet. Well, except that our dd's 1st month's preschool tuition is due a week earlier than I expected, so it's not in this budget, but we'll deal with that. I just won't be able to put as much into our $1000 EF this month.

But how do we stick with the budget? I read Financial Peace and The Total Money Makeover, but I just can't get it to stick in my head, I guess. Any tips/advice?

Thanks, everyone!

Sara

**AmyMCGS** · 07-22-2008, 05:30 PM

What about working that eating out into your budget, so you don't feel deprived? If you know it's in the budget to eat out one or two times, then maybe you won't be so tempted to fall off your plan. (I'm assuming that's not already budgeted... if it is, well, ignore me, LOL.)

We're fast food junkies in my house sometimes-- one trick that works for me is to use my crockpot a lot. If I pop something in the crockpot first thing in the morning, there's no temptation to eat out, because dinner is already cooking.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 07-22-2008, 05:50 PM

We're still working on getting the family to stop eating out but with my mom coming to visit us in three weeks, that's a lost cause. What I've been doing so far is buying the TV dinners. I know it's as bad as actually going and buying stuff at a fast food place as far as spending cash goes, but we spend less and we're more full than if we ate out. Perhaps you can do that?

**tbs727** · 07-22-2008, 05:58 PM

Perhaps you could add a little to your grocery budget and buy prepared meals like lasagna, frozen skillet meals or rotisserie chicken. Spend the extra time making meal time at your house special. Use the good serve ware, dishes and wine glasses and bring out candles. I know it's not the same but it sounds like you need to add something special so that you WANT to eat at home. HTH!

**dancar3** · 07-22-2008, 07:16 PM

Those books are not going to help at all if you cannot change your mindset. The majority of it comes from you, the books can only go so far and Dave says that too. He also says, the only time during BS2 that you should be in a restaurant is if you work there. No this is not an easy process and it can be frustrating at times too, I definitely can relate. We used to love to go out a couple of times a month, now since February we haven't gone out once. Yes, it really stinks but we want to be out of debt more than we want to be in a restaurant. Thank goodness the kids aren't complaining but they like my cooking I guess. Make up a list of different kinds of meals, as many as you can think of (include quick & easy meals) and make sure you have the items on hand to make them. In the morning or even the night before, know what you're going to have that night for dinner (or what the kids will eat for lunch) so you won't try to take the easy way out and stop somewhere to eat because you didn't have anything planned. Good luck!

**hippytreehugger4ever** · 07-22-2008, 07:48 PM

Budget wise, for us, it's not that complicated. Pay the bills-mortgage, student loan, that blasted Mac card that hubby used for his tools when he got out of school (the last of our "bad debt"), utilities. Then we sock some aside for savings, get whatever groceries we need or to add to the stockpile (my grocery bill for the last 2 weeks only came to $11 after coupons), sock some more towards the mac card, student loan, or mortgage (whichever), then whatever is left is our entertainment/gas money. We NEVER eat out, such a waste of money when I could probably get groceries for a month on the cost of 1 meal. The last time we did go out to eat was I think last September, so almost a year. Our expenses are so low that we usually have some of our blow money leftover and just swing it over to savings, no biggie.

**Sonnenwende** · 07-23-2008, 06:55 AM

Originally Posted by hippytreehugger4ever

We NEVER eat out, such a waste of money when I could probably get groceries for a month on the cost of 1 meal.

Well, I couldn't do that with only $40. :p

I do have an issue with eating out though. If I go to a sit down restaurant, I have trouble finding something on the menu I couldn't make at home for a quarter of the cost. It kind of ruins the experience. I generally only go when someone else is paying.

**nuisance26** · 07-23-2008, 07:10 AM

~If I were you I would schedule a restaurant meal once a week. Alot of budgeting willpower is as simple as scheduling and creating/maintaining a habit. Always make it the same day, like every Thursday. This will give you something to look forward to and it shouldn't take too long before you'll find yourself saying "We can't go out to eat, it's not Thursday".

**staciah** · 07-23-2008, 08:22 AM

I love to go out to eat also but we only go out for special occasions (B-day's ,Mom's day, Dad's Day)That way I will really look forward to it. It's a real treat.

We went out for breakfast at a diner on Dad's day and for the 3 of us (DH, Myself & DS (4)) it cost $25.00. It made me sick. All I thought about was all the food I could have purchased with that $25 and if I made the breakfast at home, it would have been so much better, seriously. The pancakes were horrible.

Maybe if you go to the library and get some cook books and start experimenting with some of the foods you like to eat when your out. If you get really good at cooking and find the joy in it than maybe you be less likely to go out to eat. Just a thought.

**VanVivCam** · 07-23-2008, 08:24 AM

I would also stop stress about going out to eat and just put it into your budget. It doesn't have to be a big deal, just plan for it and the money will be there for you to go.

Enjoy eating out!

**savvymom** · 07-23-2008, 08:31 AM

I love eating out too, I mean we got so bad at one point we would only eat at home 2 times a week TOTAL! Of course, that is why we are in the financial mess we are in now, I am aware of that, and have finally ACCEPTED it as a problem. I just came to FV a couple of weeks ago so I'm still new to the mindset and bugeting and things. We have decided to "wean" ourselves to once a week for lunch and once a week for dinner for now at least.

I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed our home cooked meals the last couple of weeks!!! No wrong orders, no cranky people, etc. It's been wonderful and everything is cooked to our perfection!

**DebtFreedomFighter** · 07-23-2008, 09:41 AM

The whole idea of a budget is to give each dollar you spend a name not to torture yourself.

If you are insistent on spending money on dining out - then budget it that way. Of course, in doing so you will need to take the money out of another category. That's what did it for us. DH refused to take more money out of his blow because he already took a cut when we found Dave. We tried cutting back groceries for a little while and when we talked about what else were were willing to give up to fund more dining out he said - "Forget it." It's just a matter of listing your priorities and making sure you can live with the budget you set.

**ladykemma2** · 07-23-2008, 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by mateosbaby

After my 3rd attempt at making and sticking to a budget, I am a lot closer, but still far off. Our biggest problem is eating out. We just simply love to eat out, like a hobby. There are some weeks we are so good, and other weeks we eat out 3 times. The problem is not that I don't have food in the house - we do, and I plan out the menus before I go shopping - we just plain love to go out to eat. We are doing really well in the way of not overspending for just about everything else, and there have been no surprises as of yet. Well, except that our dd's 1st month's preschool tuition is due a week earlier than I expected, so it's not in this budget, but we'll deal with that. I just won't be able to put as much into our $1000 EF this month.

But how do we stick with the budget? I read Financial Peace and The Total Money Makeover, but I just can't get it to stick in my head, I guess. Any tips/advice?

Thanks, everyone!

Sara

i go out once a week with a friend. lunch is cheaper, same food. it's budgeted for.

try stocking tombstone pizzas and a few quick "I'm too tired to cook" meals in the freezer.

now, tough love coming. I have completed all of the steps except 6 months savings of $16,000, and that's in progress, and I can't afford to eat out that often -- reality check? got it?

try streaming dave's radio show while you do your chores. listen to the radio archives over and over until it's part of your being.

when you get sick and tired of being sick and tired you will do something about your high debt.

**Russ** · 07-23-2008, 09:49 AM

What's a budget?

Yes Greebo, I'm working on it and I must say, just doing a budget makes you realize just how much money you really blow.

**Greebo** · 07-23-2008, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by rcannon

What's a budget?

Yes Greebo, I'm working on it and I must say, just doing a budget makes you realize just how much money you really blow.

Working on it - its been two weeks - what did you do, print a blank spreadsheet and plant it? Are you waiting for it to grow?

C'mon dude! Get Cracking!!!