Thanks Jackie! There was an error submitting your subscription. Your email address will not be published. Perfect for a quick lunch on errands day. Only to be pressed as a worst case, “‘I’ve tried everything else” scenario. I know they also have “Kids Eat Free” nights as well! Cyber Secure in an Hour (even if you aren't techy). Eating out is more convenient and relaxed while providing a social outlet away from home. Despite being cheap, you’ll notice that traditional fast food isn’t on the list. This isn’t a suggestion for how to live every day, but for how to minimize the financial impact of these events and get you through a chaotic period. Contact Rosemarie@busybudgeter.com. 2 Weeks of Cheap and Easy 15 Minute Meals From Scratch! But writing this post made me so hungry for Olive Garden, that we ended up there the day I finished this. They also have a salsa bar–there five different ones available when we went. It’s like a giant bowl of cheese dip). More recently I have gone with my mother and she always gets a baked potato to go – to add to her scrambled egg in the morning. Total Cost: $89.77 for 2 people in one week. In 2015, Bloomberg reported that sales of people eating out at restaurants has surpassed grocery store sales. Even by buying a burger, fry and drink from the dollar menu, I find the prices, quantity and quality of the food choices below to be a better value. All Rights Reserved. Edited. I realize this is well-meant… but are you suggesting that a human being can survive for a week on nothing but Olive Garden and PBJs? Eat half for dinner and save the rest for lunch the next day (If you’re squeamish like me, have them pack the sour cream and lettuce separately so it heats well the next day). No time to cook when you’re at a field all night! If you’re not a soup person, give it a try anyway. Moe’s is good and we have one nearby! When we do order pizza (which is extremely rare because I married a man that makes pizza from scratch better than a NYC food truck), this is where we head to. This “panic button” saves you on time, dishes, kitchen clean up and grocery shopping. You can grab 2 Hot Dogs, a bag of potato chips and a soda for $2.50. The ease of opening an app, clicking your favorite restaurant, and having a meal delivered directly to your door is tempting as you drive home from a long day of work and you just don’t feel like cooking. Your email address will not be published. Technically yes. Situations Where You May Need To Eat Out Frequently: There are absolutely alternatives in these situations to eating out. Obviously, you’re not going to eat the exact same thing for 7 lunches and 7 dinners in a row. Required fields are marked *. Carrots and peanut butter for lunch, or peanut butter and/or jelly toast is always a yummy breakfast. When we do order pizza (which is extremely rare because I married a man that makes pizza from scratch better than a NYC food truck), this is where we head to. The Wellness Wife recently posted…What We Can Learn from the End of the American Civil War, We usually save eating out for when life gets in the way, since dining out with a 2 year old and a newborn is soooo not fun. Hint: You can order online and just walk in and pick it up with no wait. Learn how your comment data is processed. If you have potty trained children, they also have 30 minutes of childcare available in a really fun space with climbing equipment and ball pits. Even with company, you’ll likely have enough left over for lunch the next day. According to reports from the Bank of America Merrill Lynch, report claims eating out is less expensive than eating at home. With a $.99 breakfast plate available every day with sausage, scrambled eggs and hash brown potatoes, I’m a HUGE fan of Ikea’s food. We love Wegmans too! I just told my husband last night that proximity to a Wegmans would be a huge factor in deciding where we move to. Please try again. If you pair this with milk and cereal for breakfast, and have leftovers (those meals are huge!) So I toss stuff in the crockpot on low in the morning or on high depending on if the meat is frozen or not around 11-1pm. People can survive on much, much worse. You can pick up a container of lunch meat or peanut butter and jelly and bread for sandwiches with baby carrots and chips at Lunch, and milk and cereal for breakfast. Our $70/week Meal Plan for Four People: 20 Min. If you have potty trained children, they also have 30 minutes of childcare available in a really fun space with climbing equipment and ball pits. Those are my “Screw the budget, I don’t care, I’m ordering $80 worth of Dominos and eating in bed” moments. 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