Tips like these helped us pay off $127K in debt. You can read our story in Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After.
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 2015 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 on weekend trips 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.
We are taking the Restaurant Challenge this month and are 8 days in. Only 3 weeks to go! I have be honest that I’m not overly excited because I will be away from home four out of seven days next week (everyone else will be here so robbers beware!) and in CHICAGO of all places – the food capital of the world. I’ll share my photos on Instagram of what I’m eating and show you that it truly can be done. A sacrifice is always worth it, friends. I’d never ask you to do what I wouldn’t do myself.
Miss the first six days of Kicking Debt in the teeth? Have no fear! Read:
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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!
My book is now available: Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After. You can also check out Inspiration to Pay Off Debt: 30 Days of Encouragement from the Queen of Free
This post contains an affiliate link. 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!
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