When will I learn???

**Mojjo** · 11-20-2005, 08:22 AM

DH and I had errands to do yesterday. We decided to have lunch out. Just went to Macaroni Grill and got their salad and 1/2 calzone deal. With water to drink it only ran $17. It's our date for the month...but

it just wasn't as good as something we could have made at home with stuff on hand. And it didn't settle well with DH.

Why do I do this??? It's getting to the point that anything we make at home we prefer...I really think this needs to be my next mini challenge...no more eating out haphazardly (sic).

Has anyone else found this?

**dwallyfam** · 11-20-2005, 08:35 AM

Oh Mojjo I totally understand. We have cut eating down from 2+ nights a week down

**dwallyfam** · 11-20-2005, 08:35 AM

Oh Mojjo I totally understand. We have cut eating down from 2+ nights a week down to one and that one may soon be less. There are only a couple of places that I really trust to eat out and that is all we have been eating from. Since I am working on many other things, that is Jan 06 project.

**Michele Annette** · 11-20-2005, 11:56 AM

Mojjo that's how it started with us cooking at home most of the year. We only go out to dinner or lunch now when it's a special occation or there is no other choice. When we do go out now though we make it worth out while and save up for a more special meal at a nicer restaurant.

If we can't do that then we usually don't go until we can.

**Mojjo** · 11-20-2005, 01:54 PM

Michele,

I think that's what we'll be doing...it's just not worth it. We were out at lunch time again today...this time we came home and ate. I think it will help if we try to avoid being out at lunch too.

**favesis37** · 11-20-2005, 02:43 PM

THERE ARE A FEW PLACES I LOVE TO EAT, BUT HATE SPENDINGTHE MONEY. WE HAVE LEARNED TO MAKE IT SPECIAL, NOT JUST BECAUSE

**midwestgal** · 11-20-2005, 02:51 PM

We have made eating out special too--maybe just once every several months, and it's a place like Applebee's. One of the things we did last year was to buy a gas grill for patio cooking. Now my DH grills great burgers, chicken and steaks, when I find London Broil for $1.99 pound. I add all the fixings, and it's as good as eating out! Yum!

**Darlene** · 11-20-2005, 02:51 PM

We sometimes pack a lunch and find a nice quiet spot to eat it. Even in a busy mall there are quiet corners here and there to sit & have lunch.

No law says you have to buy lunch there to sit in their food court too.

**Telephus44** · 11-20-2005, 03:37 PM

I also find it very difficult to not eat out - DH and I work different shifts, and on the weekend its a lot easier to head out to a quiet resteraunt for a bite to eat than actually get off my butt and cook something.

I did actually cook today (Sunday) which is a start.

With the holidays coming up, and knowing my willpower, this is a spending habit I know I won't be able to tackle until next year.

But good luck to you!

**Persimmon Lace** · 11-20-2005, 03:40 PM

One of the reasons we eat out is because I get tired of cooking and cleaning up afterwards. Dh does not help with the dishes and I am getting stocked up with paper goods for the holidays. I do prefer my own cooking but I do get sick of having to do it all by myself.

**frugalfarmwife** · 11-21-2005, 05:29 AM

Oh I understand totally! Hubby is on vacation this week and we ordered subs Saturday night, they just weren't as good as I remembered, I could have done better myself

Won't be doing that again any time soon!

KJ

**bee9984** · 11-21-2005, 08:53 AM

We usually go to an all you can eat buffet every couple of months as a treat for the whole family. What got me about eating out is that more times then not by the time I get my food it is cold/luke warm or you can tell by the texture/taste of the food that it has been sitting for awhile under the heat lamps and this just drives me batty as I think, I could have made the same thing at home for much less and at least hot and lots better by doing it from scratch.

**joyofsix** · 11-21-2005, 09:04 AM

The unfortunate part is that the little restaurant in our town serves very good food. It is better than what I would make. The fortunate part is that it really isn't very expensive, and if we go out for breakfast/brunch it's even less.

**Jellybeanz** · 11-21-2005, 09:16 AM

I hear you too. We've cut out eating out down a great deal, from like once a week to once every couple months, but I disappointed myself last night by ordering pizza for takeout. Not only did it cost extra gas money to go get it, but honestly.. pizza just isn't what it used to be. The quality of the fast food places has went way down or else my tastes are changing! lol

I still enjoy eating out somewhere nice but I'm okay doing that no more than a few times a year.I'm learning to plan ahead for days I don't feel like cooking and eat before I go somewhere. That solves a lot of the problems for us......

**sanderson76** · 11-21-2005, 09:16 AM

Oh I understand completely. We used to eat out all the time, at least 3 times a week and we have now cut it down to usually not even eating out once a week. Usually once every 2 weeks and I have found that the food just isn't as good from a resturant as I once thought it was. I would much rather eat it at home.