Here’s my little Happy New Year gift to you. Each day in January, I’ll bring you a simple, concrete and easy to put in place tip to fuel your efforts to Save Money, Pay Off Debt, and Be Awesome this year. Looking for a quick plan? Well this might not to be the right place for you. Most things down well take time. But that doesn’t mean you can’t begin to implement systems in your life that will help you achieve your goals. I’ve said it many, many times before. Paying off debt isn’t complex. It’s just not easy. You have to punch the clock daily and do the hard work. Here’s another way to make that happen.
Day 8: Quit Eating at Restaurants
I’m seriously considering hiding behind my couch after I hit publish on this post. I know it won’t be my most popular piece of writing. I know that some of you will throw daggers at me with your eyes through the screen of your phone. I know that some of you might write a piece of hate mail or two. Everyone knows this truth, but no one wants to hear it or abide by it.
Our culture has so acclimated us to the process of eating out, that we can barely imagine going a week (or for some of us a day) without running through the drive thru, ordering a pizza, or sitting down for a fine dining experience. From coffee to ice cream cones, there’s a destination catering to every taste, every meal of the day.
Don’t get me wrong. I love a good meal out on the town. I like trying new foods. I love favorite old standbys. I like fancy lady coffee. Most of all, I like not having to be the person who prepares the meal and then cleans up afterward.
But there is nothing so astronomically overpriced is food at a restaurant. Don’t kid yourself into the idea that the dollar menu is “saving” you money. Most meals prepared at home cost under a dollar per person and include more than just one item.
That is why if you TRULY want to kick debt in the teeth, during 2014 you need to quit eating at restaurants. Before you push back on me, giving a litany of reasons why you “must” eat at restaurants, let me introduce you to someone. You may or may not be acquainted with a certain someone known as the King of Free. During our four year debt slaying journey of paying off $127K+, the he went for 2.5 years without eating at a single restaurant. He’s written plenty about the how and the why of that particular part of our journey. It began as an exercise in self control and morphed into a guy streak, fueled with each person who told him “he could never” not eat at a restaurant.
We went to Disney World with our family. He did not eat at a restaurant. He went to a business lunch at Fogo de Chao. He did not eat a restaurant. Not a napkin, not a glass of water, not packet of sugar. Not even if it was free. Nada. For 2.5 years. It can be done. It does take planning and intentionality, though.
I’m not saying you have to be that extreme. But if you really want to kick debt in the teeth this year and be awesome, I challenge to give up at least a week or more preferably a month of eating at restaurants. I promise you can do it and it will make a HUGE difference for your bank account.
If you do plan on dining out, at least schedule the luxury in advance. Plan on where you will eat. Look at the menu. Make it a truly pleasurable experience. Don’t haphazardly pick the place closest to your home without thinking. Don’t play the “Where do you want to go?” “I don’t care. Where do you want to go?” game. When budgeted for, eating at a restaurant is a huge blessing. Be wise about how you approach the experience.
Have you missed other 31 Ways Posts? Check out:
- 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Read a Book, Why Don’t Ya?
- 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Change Your Mind About Budgeting
- 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth in 2014: Plan Yo’ Meals
- 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth in 2014: Use CA$H
- 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth in 2014: Sell, Baby, Sell
- 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth in 2014: Stop It
- 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth in 2014: Introduction
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I’m so looking forward to sharing this month of challenge and inspiration with you. Together, we can show debt who’s boss and give it a swift kick in the teeth this January and throughout the year in 2014. Away we go!
Gain inspiration to pay off debt! Check out Inspiration to Pay Off Debt: 30 Days of Encouragement from the Queen of Free
This post contains affiliate links. That means when you get a great deal or maybe even something for free, you also help our family pay off our mortgage early. And for that, we royally thank you!
I am totally not throwing daggers at you with my eyes! How were you able to work around the questions (albeit pitiful looks?) from others, your friends and family etc when you are invited to a restaurant, or you go and choose not to eat/drink? That would be the hard part for me. It seems life revolves around eating, and the only possible way to get together with girlfriends sometimes is over dinner/drinks.
Confidence. We were determined to remain in community with those we love so that did mean some uncomfortable moments now and then. However, be upbeat makes all the difference. People offered to pay but honestly it had less to do with the resources at hand and more to do with being firm in our convictions. Go ahead and order water. Or I’ve brought a brown bag/glass of tea from home right in with me. 😉 No restauranteur ever asked me to put it away. We’ll be going out with our community group to McAlister’s tonight and everyone in the family already knows we’re not eating there.
A year ago we made the goal of not eating out for a month so that we could save up for something without dipping into our savings. When I announced our plan on my blog you would have thought I was condoning killing puppies or something. People can be very passionate- not about their choice to eat out, but about our choice not to.
I’m pretty sure it’s because deep in their core they KNOW it’s a huge waste of money, but convenience and ease of fast food “right now” so often trumps the convenience and ease of having more money “later.”
You’ve inspired me to make another goal of avoiding restaurants for a time to build up our savings account. Thanks.
Aw girl, I’m so sorry someone threw nasty at you. Sounds like you had an awesome umbrella extended to protect your heart. The haters ain’t going where you’re going. Hang on tight and do what you know is right. It will be worth it. 🙂