All in we spent $2,306.67 on eating-out(also includes all take-out and fast food)for 2016 which averages out to $192.22 per month. The only eating-out not included is anything Hubs buys on business trips or using his personal stash of monthly cash to buy food or coffee when away from home.
Largest spending months were May at $415.07 and August at $466.40 spent.
These were also the 2 months Hubs and I went on vacations(to Louisiana and to Maine)so the trip eating-out was large both months because we splurge on good regional food when on vacations.
The "regular" component of our eating-out totaled $766.46 which averages out to $63.87 per month.
The "trip" component of our eating-out totaled $1,163.52 which averages out to $96.96 per month.(1 birthday meal is also included in the trip part of eating-out this year, as I treated eldest son to a birthday dinner while on a trip.)
The "birthday and holiday" component(4 birthdays and 2 holidays)of our eating-out totaled $376.69 which averages out to $31.39 per month.
We spent $3212.71 in 2015 on Eating-Out so we spent $906.04 less last year on this category. We had more trip eating-out in 2015 but then again we went on a few more trips that year.
I think we are doing well in keeping the Eating-Out spending under control.
Our total spent on this category is ok by me. Sure, not spending anything on meals out would do wonders for our bottom line but really, this is not likely to happen.
We enjoy a good meal out while on vacation or to celebrate an event, and now and again some take-out to give myself a break from cooking.
How about you?
Do you track your spending on eating-out?
Are you trying to cut down on this category of spending and/or how do you keep from running up the bills on eating-out/take-out?
Sluggy
We did track our dining out in 2016, and it was higher than 2015, by quite a bit. This was a combination of more regular dates (which is one of my goals, ironically), and eating out at soccer tournaments, trips, entertaining when we have guests, etc.
ReplyDeleteI definitely plan to cut this down in 2017. We need to find cheaper date night options, cut down on the random family eating out, and spend less when entertaining.
I limit eating out/restaurant food. That said, it's accounted for under "celebrations" for birthdays, should the birthday person elect to eat out. Otherwise, it's $100/month for the 3 of us. Kiddos often receive gift cards to restaurants/take out so if they have an extra hankering, it's on them. With my sodium restrictions, eating out is hard.
ReplyDeleteLOL, nothing to track, we don't eat out........
ReplyDeleteYes, I track. We eat out when the whim hits us. It is not often. I do take out the same as you when I don't feel like cooking. But the majority of the 365 days a year, I cook at home.
ReplyDeleteYou did very well on your eating out budget.