Prairie Eco-Thrifter

AUGUST 25, 2014

We have this nice big house that we should be enjoying, and some amazing friends and of course each other, and YOLO. It works out really well and we connect. As a huge bonus, cooking together saves money rather than eating out. We have bikes, so we like to get out and use those on the cooler, drier days.

Financial Goals 213

Financial Goals Goals Budgeting Budget 213

Shereen Travels Cheap

JANUARY 10, 2024

Go where kid's eat free - There are lots of places that offer a deal where kids under a certain age eat free when you order an entrée. This can save a lot of money over the course of your trip and it's easy to Google places at your destination where it is offered. Tip: Clean up big messes.

Dining 172

Dining Food and Drink Travel Vacation 172

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

JUNE 5, 2014

Today moderation is having whole wheat pasta with pesto for dinner with a glass of wine and a small square of chocolate for dessert after an otherwise healthy day of eating. And of course making sure I run the next day to burn off the extra indulgence.

Food and Wine 232

Food and Wine Goals Finance Wine 232

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

SEPTEMBER 29, 2014

Of course you could always hang onto them until they become ‘collectibles’ Aprons. Who cooks at home anymore, many people eat out. Of course, many times they were for show as well. Be careful where you spend your money! Even if you do cook at home, have you ever worn an apron?

Used 169

Used Typewriters Phones Irons 169

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

AUGUST 31, 2014

I spent a lot of time preparing what I thought our spending should/would look like (estimated, of course) and creating alternatives and showing savings rates on spreadsheets before bringing it to him. There’s something about looking at a spreadsheet on the computer that reflects a huge jump in savings just by cutting back on eating out.

Budgeting 180

Budgeting Budget Money Finance 180

The Frugal Girl

OCTOBER 30, 2023

But life is of course not all work and studying and I like to enjoy beautiful things which are nature (I am equally up for a day at the sea or hiking in a forest), my allotment*, and cooking. And eating out wasn’t the exception for me then. Of course, due to my upbringing, I was used to getting along with little money.

Green And Frugal 208

Green And Frugal Home and Garden Lunch Lunches 208

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

FEBRUARY 4, 2014

Of course, we like to have fun, too. We both like to eat out. So we put those in the list of priorities as well. My husband enjoys collecting items. He’s big into action figures for movies he likes (particularly Lord of the Rings). I like travel. We decided that we both needed to be able to fulfill these wants.

San Francisco 248

San Francisco Emergency Fund Money Utah 248

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

FEBRUARY 20, 2014

Topped with your homemade guacamole of course). How do you get excited about eating in? Save Money and Time with Once a Month Cooking Stop Eating Out! Tips to Curb Your Restaurant Spending 5 Ideas For Making Time To Eat At Home 10 Ways to Add Extra Produce Into Your Family’s Diet Cheap and Easy Picnic Fare.

Homemade 180

Homemade Food and Wine Cooking Cooking At Home 180

Family Balance Sheet

NOVEMBER 12, 2014

Having a routine keeps me scheduled so that I don’t forget to prep something and end up tempted to eat out. By having a schedule and knowing what we usually eat, I can save money by buying many foods in bulk. It may not seem like much at each shopping trip, but over the course of the year, our beverages can really add up.

Grocery Spending 246

Grocery Spending Groceries Grocery Food and Drink 246

Family Balance Sheet

SEPTEMBER 9, 2014

We used my app to track our progress while we were paying off our house, and of course I ran a zillion different scenarios. Of course, as we paid off debts that gave us more money to put toward the remaining ones, so that made a huge difference as time went on. So we both handle the money. For example, no cable TV.)

Debt 236

Debt Debt Free Pay Off Debt Financial Goals 236

The Coupon Game

SEPTEMBER 8, 2011

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore w/Whole Wheat Penne Crockpot Tortilla Soup (video recipe) w/half Boar's Head Chicken Sandwich Grilled Chicken Breasts w/Roasted Potatoes & Steamed Broccoli Homemade Tomato Soup w/Grilled Cheese Sandwiches Homemade Fish Sticks w/Salad We'll be eating out!

Menu Planning 85

Menu Planning Menu Plans Cupcakes A&W 85

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

DECEMBER 19, 2012

That said, I don’t eat out more than 10 – 12 times a year. I don’t eat red meat or even pork more than once a week or so. I do eat fruits and vegetables and am trying to up my servings of those. Of course, I also drink a few cups of coffee and diet soda each day as well.

Food and Drink 188

Food and Drink Quiz United States Food and Wine 188

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

DECEMBER 13, 2011

Many of us eat out of boredom or other emotions and aren’t necessarily hungry as such. Before you automatically reach for something to eat, ask yourself whether you’re actually hungry. Even adding five minutes more physical activity to your routine per day adds up over the course of the week. Are you really hungry?

Wellness 199

Wellness Swap Motivation Consumer 199

Family Balance Sheet

FEBRUARY 4, 2013

Yes, I'd love to eat out and have someone else prepare my dinner and serve me, but that would involve a babysitter and a food tab. Of course, if you'd rather have an intimate dinner with just your honey then shuttle the kids to bed early and move your dinner to later in the evening. Our two daughters love the holiday too.

Valentines Day 100

Valentines Day Saving Money At Home Money 100

Coupons Do Work

MARCH 23, 2016

Outback Steakhouse has a “No Worries Wednesday” menu with three-course dinners (including an entree, side, soup or salad, and a dessert) priced at $12.99. On Wednesdays get a Closetalker Salad for $6.49. O’Charley’s is offering a free slice of pie with any entree purchase every Wednesday. Pizza Hut has 60-cent wings on Wing Wednesday.

El Torito 100

El Torito Restaurant Cracker Barrel Wine 100

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

AUGUST 29, 2012

We used olives, big, restaurant style chips, fresh salsa, homemade guacamole, jalapenos, tomatoes, and of course a lot of cheese. 7 Ways to Save Money When Dining Out We all like to eat out, but if we do it too often, it can get expensive. So, how have you saved money on dates and still had fun? Still, it is.

Frugal 188

Frugal Wine Saving Money Money 188

Saving Cents With Sense

AUGUST 30, 2013

Since school meal plans are typically pre-paid, think about the extra cost of going out to eat on top of the meal you’re side-stepping. Eat out as a special occasion occasionally, but don’t let it become a money-sucking habit. Broadband vs. DSL.

College 102

College Student Public Transit DSL 102

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

NOVEMBER 8, 2012

Of course, this spending plan method only works in my family because our wants are fairly modest so we don’t exceed our income each month. Eating out a few times a month. Plan According to Priorities. Action figures, which my husband likes to collect. Travel, which my son and I enjoy.

Emergency Fund 202

Emergency Fund Budgeting Budget Psychology 202

Family Balance Sheet

JULY 16, 2015

We are now more committed to save money and we eat mostly at home, BUT we do enjoy at a few meals out each month. I shared our strategies in this post, 15 Smart Ways to Save Money when Eating Out. We have a local park that has a mile long circuit course. It saves us $67 a month.

Budgeting 100

Budgeting Budget Thrifting Thrift Stores 100

Family Balance Sheet

JULY 13, 2016

FINAL: We travel all the time for fun and work (budgeted of course) but next year we will cut it loose and do something insane like Europe. Drinking water when you eat out. We eat steak all year long (for a fairly good price). Underbuying things that are temporary, lose value, and to test out. Contentment.

Debt 100

Debt Debt Free Finds Home 100

Saving Everyday

FEBRUARY 5, 2011

You don’t have to add your debit/credit cards, but if you eat out a lot you should because there are over 8,000 restaurants that offer up to 8% cash back! There are also eCoupons (my favorite of course).

College 68

College Money Credit Cards Kids and Family 68

Saving Everyday

JUNE 4, 2011

You don’t have to add your debit/credit cards, but if you eat out a lot you should because there are over 8,000 restaurants that offer up to 8% cash back! There are also eCoupons (my favorite of course).

College 58

College June Credit Cards Money 58

Saving Everyday

NOVEMBER 2, 2011

You don’t have to add your debit/credit cards, but if you eat out a lot you should because there are over 8,000 restaurants that offer up to 8% cash back! There are also eCoupons (my favorite of course).

College 59

College November Money Credit Cards 59

Saving Everyday

APRIL 2, 2011

You don’t have to add your debit/credit cards, but if you eat out a lot you should because there are over 8,000 restaurants that offer up to 8% cash back! There are also eCoupons (my favorite of course).

College 55

College April Credit Cards Money 55

Saving Everyday

JULY 6, 2011

You don’t have to add your debit/credit cards, but if you eat out a lot you should because there are over 8,000 restaurants that offer up to 8% cash back! There are also eCoupons (my favorite of course).

College 45

College Money Credit Cards Kids and Family 45

Family Balance Sheet

MAY 6, 2020

I was an avid reader of Dave Ramsey’s books for years and we even took his home study course, but we still ended up in this position. We had a lot of new debt from the building purchase and not enough cash flow, so once again we turned to our emergency fund to help sustain us through the months of light revenue. It kept me up at night.

Debt 130

Debt Emergency Fund 2007 2020 130

Family Balance Sheet

JANUARY 8, 2014

I’ve been lazy in the past and just planned for the work week and ignored the fact that we do need to eat on the weekends. We might eat out one night, but if I don’t plan the other six days, then it becomes more than one night out and we end up over budget in our ‘dining out’ category too.

Meals 186

Meals Simple Menu Planning Menu Plans 186

Family Balance Sheet

JUNE 1, 2011

Of course, your planning starts with where you are going. Maybe you don’t want to cook at all during your vacation or maybe eating out for every meal is beyond what your budget can handle. Make a list of expenditures. How long is your travel time to your destination and how are you getting there? Create A Budget For Your Trip.

Vacation 178

Vacation Saving Money Money Food and Drink 178

Family Balance Sheet

SEPTEMBER 20, 2016

After that, we paid off the remaining $20,000 of debt over the course of 9 months. We started cooking at home more, a big issue for us was eating out. Sell stuff, say no to vacations and eating out, and just get through this time. We were sticky on a spending freeze. We tried our best to stretch the food budget.

Debt 100

Debt Debt Free Bath and Body Works Gas 100

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

JULY 23, 2014

There wasn’t a restaurant on every corner and people didn’t eat out much. Out of season produce, if available at all, was super expensive. There was, of course, no space travel nor any satellites (at least until Sputnik in 1957). Most people were thin. Most food at the grocery store came from the USA.

Growing 180

Growing Home and Garden Radios Kids and Family 180

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

JANUARY 6, 2011

Look at cutting back on little luxuries such as eating out at lunch each day or in the evenings. Also cut out any unnecessary expenditure, such as subscriptions and memberships that may no longer be of much use to you. You can do it; financial freedom is possible; you just need to the right toolkit. Don’t hit your limit.

Debt 113

Debt Finance Pay Off Debt Credit 113

Family Balance Sheet

MARCH 2, 2011

I've been lazy in the past and just planned for the work week and ignored the fact that we do need to eat on the weekends. We usually eat out one night, but if I don't plan the other six days, then it becomes more than one night out and we end up over budget in that category. Plan for all seven days.

Menu Planning 138

Menu Planning Menu Plans Economical Kitchen 138

Family Balance Sheet

APRIL 1, 2021

And when dining out, at least follow these 15 Smart Tips to Save Money When Eating Out. During the vacation season, offer to water plants, pick up mail, open and close the blinds, take care of pets, for a fee…of course. Cancel unused subscriptions. 22 – Offer house and/or pet sitting services.

Emergency Fund 130

Emergency Fund Money Finds Friends And Family Sale 130

Family Balance Sheet

FEBRUARY 15, 2019

When I don’t plan, I make multiple trips to the store, eat out too often, and most certainly blow our budget. Make a list and stick to it, so you don’t buy other things when you go in the store, of course this is contrary to what the store would like you to do. There’s a reason why menu planning is #1 on this list.

Saving Money 113

Saving Money Groceries Grocery Money 113

Nicoles Nickels

JANUARY 27, 2013

It’s so much easier at home when I can control more how my food is cooked but eating out is a part of life! I was really focused this week after going a bit off course last week. I wanted to talk about my new love for greek yogurt. Make sure to read his post below. _. Jamie’s post: Second Week weight loss: 10.4

Fuel 79

Fuel Food and Drink Cake Wellness 79

Family Balance Sheet

JANUARY 28, 2022

When I don’t plan, I make multiple trips to the store, eat out too often, and most certainly blow our budget. Make a list and stick to it, so you don’t buy other things when you go in the store, of course this is contrary to what the store would like you to do. There’s a reason why menu planning is #1 on this list.

Saving Money 130

Saving Money Groceries Grocery Money 130

Saving Everyday

OCTOBER 3, 2023

This doesn’t mean every minute of your day needs to be planned out. Of course, dinner reservations, booking tours, and purchasing tickets should be done in advance. Eating out at every meal drains your wallet , so choose the most important meals and make those your splurges. Have a plan Planning ahead is crucial.

Saving Money 52

Saving Money Money Travel Hotel 52