Yes, I love eating out, but it can get pretty expensive fast. Believe me, I used to be a food blogger. However, the cost of eating out may sometimes be cheaper than cooking at home, depending on your situation. For instance, I love bento boxes from Japanese restaurants. I live on my own and having to buy all the food ingredients and taking the time to make a complete bento box would likely exceed the amount you pay at the restaurant. Then, it’s actually better to go out and eat.
But for most cases, that’s not the situation. Here are ways and questions to ask so that you can cut down on dining out expenses:
- Cut back on getting coffee/tea at the cafe. Those fancy lattes are pretty expensive. $5-7 for a beverage? Can you make your own and enjoy it at home, or bring it in a tumbler if going out?
- Avoid expensive places. This is no brainer, but don’t go to very fancy restaurants, unless it’s a special occasion.
- Eat lunch at home or bring it. During my time at one company, I was able to go home for lunch, so my lunch was usually around $1 in total, while others were eating out, spending $9-15 every single weekday. That’s $5 for me, and $45-65 for them. Of course, I had the privilege of being able to go home for lunch since it was so close to the office, but you can also bring your lunch, as I did with my next company I worked for. This didn’t mean that I never did and take-outs. I did indulge eating take-out once a week for $10.
- Cut down on alcohol. In North America, they’re expensive. It’s also healthier if you consume less.
- Avoid packaged food if possible. They are usually higher priced than eating whole foods. I think what keeps my bills low is that I don’t buy a whole lot of packaged food.
- Buy less meat. Although this would mean a change in diet, meat is pretty pricey. Vegetables and fruits are becoming more expensive as well, but overall, it’s still much cheaper.
- Avoid those subscription based food delivered to your door. While you cut out having to go out and shop for groceries, you’re paying often premium for the food. I’ve heard of $80 per week for not even all meals for one week. $80 is what I spend on groceries in a month. Yes, while I may have to spend more when I purchase imported Japanese products, not buying meat and processed food has saved me a lot. I don’t buy them simply for cost-saving reasons, but also for health reasons as well. I do understand that this may be convenient for anyone with a crazy, busy schedule.
- Grow some of your vegetables. I live in a tiny apartment with no balcony, yet I do grow green onions, basil, and Shiso (Japanese basil) in my nook.
Don’t get me wrong, I still go out to eat with family and friends. But for other times when I’m alone, instead of running to the nearest cafe whenever I got thirsty, I carry a thermal tumbler with hot tea during the winter, and water in the summer.
Due to health reasons, I completely cut out alcohol, so that also adds up to huge savings.
In the end, without becoming too stringent on eating out, all foods (groceries, dining out, and cafes) usually come out to be around $300-350 per month, which apparently is extremely low, after hearing some other people’s expenses. Compare to how my boyfriend shops, his bill always come out twice as much as mine. But this is due to the fact that he buys a lot of meat and cheese, which tends to be expensive. For me, since I avoid dairy products for lactose intolerance, not much of a meat eater, and although I do buy organic stuff once in a while, my costs are relatively low. This doesn’t mean you should go get a $2 burger from Mcdonalds to fill your meat cravings though. It’s not the best to be frugal, only to end up with health problems later on which will cost you.
Start out slow with your goal. Try not to jump right in in adjusting your diet and lifestyle. It’s easier to keep it going in the long run if you do it slowly and you become accustomed to the changes.
Let me know how you save of food costs!
