by When one hears the word “discipline” it is not usually associated with “fun” or “enjoyment”. By adding “finance” into the mix then surely that must not be fun. Of course we all know that mastering financial discipline is a journey and not a destination. One of the reasons that many people give up on the journey of achieving their utmost financial freedom is because they associate the success with finances as only sacrifice instead of an on-going compromise to maximize the journey.
An aspect of finances that is often a budget killer is that of going out to eat. Especially as income increases one of the most common ways to enjoy that additional income on a regular basis is going out to eat but that can also be a sure fire way to prevent you from maximizing your best financial goals. We aren’t going to suggest that you give up going out to eat because we feel that won’t allow you to stick with your overall budget and financial planning. Consider the following methods to enjoy a night out and still help you to keep on track with your financial goals.
Appetizer Night
This is one that we have each enjoyed with our spouses. When you go out with the goal of having appetizers you can bring your overall bill down dramatically and even capitalize on happy hour specials. This method gives you the opportunity to enjoy going out and likely even try a few items on the menu that you might not otherwise (afterall you don’t have to get just a single appetizer).
Sharing a Meal
Meal portions over the years have grown substantially. One study on food portions done a number of years ago showed that hamburgers had increased by 23%, Mexican food increased by 27% and those were just a few of the items cited. With portions having increased take the opportunity to share a meal with your significant other.
By sharing a meal you get the following benefits:
- Save some calories: Most of us are trying to save calories and splitting a main course gives an opportunity for calorie savings. Of course in any given relationship it can be tough to agree on one meal so you might need to offer up that one person gets to pick one time and the other person gets to pick the next time.
- Save on expense: This is certainly the biggest financial aspect as instead of 2 meals at $16-$20 a piece you only are purchasing one and that adds up if you go out to eat 3-4 times a month.
Coupons…Yes Coupons
For many, using a coupon isn’t difficult. We aren’t sure why but as we have discussed finances with people we have found that, in particular as income increases, there is a lack of desire for coupons. The reality is that company’s wouldn’t create coupons if they didn’t want you to use them.
Now you likely won’t get a coupon to your fine dining locations such as Ruth’s Chris; however, you will find that coupons are readily available to great locations such as Buffalo Wild Wings, Rubios, TGI Friday’s and much more. Whether you save the coupons that often get mailed to your house or you hunt on the internet, taking a little bit of time to find coupons can have you enjoying a great night out for much less than you’d expect.
To keep moving forward on your financial goals we encourage you to keep up habits such as going out…we think making a small adjustment in how you do that though will have you reaching your goals and still enjoying the process.
