How often do you SPLURGE eating out?

DavezWife · February 2011

My parents offered up a groupon deal at a local fancy italian restaurant (they wanted Ava overnite, their master plan failed, we picked her up at 9pm, HAHAH!) so we had a coupon for $70 at this place. Well, even with just an app, a couple primos, and entrees, plus a CHEAP bottle of wine... the tab was $120 with tip. Goodness gracious, I am STILL having guilt over that, even if a good part of it was free! lol. (then we had another GC to use up for drinks and dessert somewhere else, that cost us a $5 tip, so we're good there, lol)

I would have much rathered some pancakes or Pho and gotten Ava some NEW pants instead of "gently used" ones. I have so much guilt spending money when I'm not working, it's insane.

Relate or dispell, please ;-)

kimarino13 · February 2011

Before kids? Every few months.

Now? Once or twice a year.

Carrie25 · February 2011

We don't really go to fancy places. Last time we did it was our anniversary a few years ago. But we do go out to eat a few times a week, whether it's pizza or someplace else casual. It's so expensive...but then again what isn't?

sliz · February 2011

I'm with you - we splurge about 2 times a year and a big splurge for us is $70 - we normally try to keep eating out tabs under $30 for dinner and $20 for lunch/brunch but I would say we eat out 2-3 meals a week - usually Friday night and Saturday's - we have never ever spent $120 mainly because we don't drink. The other thing I've found is we usually enjoy the food at cheaper restaurants better - I'd also rather do pho and buy something else or go to a good chain steakhouse (I like saltgrass) three times for the same money

kme930 · February 2011

kimarino13:
Before kids? Every few months.
Now? Once or twice a year.

Not that I have a full year of experience to draw from, but we're on target for this. We used to splurge every other month or so, now it will probably just be for a few special occasions like bdays and our anniversary (I hate going to restaurants for things like v-day when they are packed).

I agree it is really tough when you compare it to what you could be spending the money on otherwise, but every once in a while you need to do something nice for you. I think it's ok.

BeccaLandes · February 2011

Maybe 2 or 3 times a year... we just went out on Thursday after my parents gave us a gift for the holidays. I was also surprised at how quickly the bill added up!

I am a total cheapskate myself and also have a lot of guilt eating out like that, even if we can afford it.

LucyPevensie · February 2011

Before Jack - once a month at LEAST. And lots of eating out but not necessarily "splurges" in between. After Jack - like somebody else said - once or twice a year. And our big "splurge" is still under a 100 bucks usually (we are cheap dates who both *might* get one drink, if that, and then switch to water or soda.)

desabean · February 2011

Well, if it were up to me and we had a sitter we would do that once a month. Alas, we almost never have a sitter "just to have a date", and my husband is cheap-- but loves food. So, with the situation you are describing we would jump at it (though dh would *try* to stay under the cost of the groupon- I would call him cheap and tell him I would pay the difference and he would realize we never do this and to suck it up).

sasa625 · February 2011

Now that we have DD, we hardly eat out at all. Between me going down to part-time (and having daycare costs), having a child that hates to sit still, and not having anyone to watch her, we stick to homemade meals most of the time. When we do go out (or carry in), we tend to stick with places that we can eat for $30 and under.

Before DD we used to eat out a ton, but we only splurged on nicer places 1-2 times/year. We're not fancy people at all and prefer more casual, lower cost dining. I have never liked spending a lot of money on eating out and now that we have DD, I feel even more guilty when we do.

BoilerSuz · February 2011

We do that kind of a night out twice a year. Our real anniversary in August and our annual cookie party night in February. (grandparents babysit all of our friends kids so the adults can go out together once a year) We do lots of small meals with the $25-30 for dinner for three guideline. I love going out for a great meal but hate the guilt later over the cost. Much like how we've stopped going to Vegas - I'd rather spend money shopping instead of eating or gambling!

leslie&brian · February 2011

We really splurge about 3 times a year..for my birthday, DH's birthday, and our anniversary. When we're on vacation, which isn't often, we tend to splurge more.

GreenEyedGal · February 2011

Only once a year-our anniversary.

laura&dan05 · February 2011

At least once a month, sometimes more. I like eating out and we have free babysitting. I see it as a reward to both of us for working hard. My job may not bring in an income but it isn't easy and I deserve a break to do something I enjoy. I like having a reason to get dressed up and I really appreciate the alone time with DH so it's well worth the money to me.

m&m2006 · February 2011

we used to do it about once a month (on average). since having DD, we have splurged once.

GypsyEsq · February 2011

I'd say probably every six months or so. Since the new year we've committed to eating in and eating healthier in order to support my efforts at weight loss. So that elevates our eating out experiences to something special because they have to be to make it worth it to me. But splurge is so subjective... We did appetizers and drinks last night with three adults and spent $100. But I don't think that's really a splurge in D/FW, I think that reflects the high cost of drinks here.

GuitaristsGirl · February 2011

Whenever we can, honestly - but that's still not very often. My birthday, his birthday, our anniversary - this year we did for Valentine's Day because it was parents' night out at daycare

We do eat out a lot, though, and it's amazing how quick the bill can add up. We spent $60 last time we went to Cheesecake Factory, for example! That definitely stung, but still wasn't the type of adults-only "splurge" you're talking about, imo.

alchris · February 2011

Ditto every sentiment of yours! We don't have family nearby so no help though -- now we do it never, esp. since I'm not bring in a regular income as you said. We still go out, but we stick to just entrees at nicer (but not super nice since it's been too long) places. The last really nice one I remember was for our anniversary when Kira was 10 months old, and she went with us.

LuckySunshineBaby · February 2011

It's pretty rare for us too.

Friends of ours wanted to go out to celebrate a friends birthday. The large group tends to order apps for the table, drinks galore and etc. Before we had kids, it was no big deal to split the big evenly, because it all came out in the wash.

Now? No way. We can't really afford/justify even going out to dinner with them (and the caliber places they like to go) in a month surrounded by Valentines day (we usually get take out) or DH's B-day (one of our 3 annual trips out, which include b-days and anniversary). Even though I'm no longer drinking and that cuts down on our bill, it just always adds up quickly.

I offered to cook them a meal and they came over here. It was still expensive (crab cakes and other expensive foods) but worth the $ considering how much going out would have cost.

tapgirl · February 2011

Probably 2 or 3 times a year. We usually go out for a nice dinner for our anniversary, and then one or two other times for the heck of it or at the invitation of friends.

Germanwife2b · February 2011

This is why we are friends! I have spending $$ guilt BIG time...and I do work AND own my own business!

A dinner like this is once in a blue moon (one that costs $120). But, I wouldn't have felt guilty if I had $70 off that dinner because I would have probably spent about $40-50 normally anyway when going out to dinner. We probably go out to a regular dinner about once a week or ever other week. I love eating out and I try hard not to feel guilty when we do.

I actually feel more guilty when I spend full price on a pair of pants for P (compared to the 6 pairs of gently used pants for the same price) than I do for a much needed night out with the hubby.

Verdict: Do not have guilt about this one :-)

CMM05 · February 2011

laura&dan05:
At least once a month, sometimes more. I like eating out and we have free babysitting. I see it as a reward to both of us for working hard. My job may not bring in an income but it isn't easy and I deserve a break to do something I enjoy. I like having a reason to get dressed up and I really appreciate the alone time with DH so it's well worth the money to me.

This is the same for us-and I can see we are in the minority! Even if we are paying for a sitter, we still do it. We go out a lot (of course now I am going insane and stuck in the house) and we don't feel guilty about it. We both work hard and we enjoy alone time and adult time with our friends! This is something we always agreed would not change once we had kids. We go out at least once a week, without kids.

roaringrock · February 2011

wow! I'm SO in the minority here. when we lived in nyc we ate out all the time or we ordered in. not every night, but definitely 3 times a week (at least.) I'm not talking babbo, the four seasons or le bernadin. you can easily eat well and cheap in the city.

schmoodle · February 2011

Before kids (or TTC really) we used to go out to fancy restaurants almost every weekend. We've gone less and less since my first pregnancy and quickly following second plus bedrest, in part because a lot of what I liked I couldn't eat (raw fish/meat, imported cheeses, rare meats, etc.).

Now? Probably once or twice a year. Since Toodle was born I think we've had 4 fancy meals: my 30th birthday, taking our friends out to celebrate their marriage since we missed the wedding, our anniversary, and just a random "date" because DH wanted to try the fancy French restaurant in town. This is also in part because we don't go out without Toodle, if we did we'd probably eat at nicer places more often but those 4 meals are the only ones I think we've had without Toodle since he was born other than workday lunches and a couple casual dinners with friends.

LIAngel · February 2011

SPLURGE eating out? I'm not familiar with the concept.

before kids? Um never- even when we were dating.

now?- um never

Oh wait we did go to the Melting Pot once but that was because someone gave us a $100 AMEX giftcard and I figured we'd never ever spend that kind of money on a meal if we had to pay for it ourselves.

DavezWife · February 2011

so interesting.... we have friends that go out ALL the time, in fact, their kids order filet mignon and a such without blinking an eye. But they don't ever ever ever go on vacations, family or otherwise. Which is "to each their own" but I sat there eating my over-priced noodles thinking "OMG, this is like 5 nights in Bangkok at our favorite dinky hotel, lol.

On the same lines, I recently had dinner with an old nursing school friend, and she was SHOCKED and blown away by the fact I was still driving the same car. To the point she teased me and was laughing. Yeh, my kid's been to several countries and we travel often, I could give a chit less if my lil' Grand Am is still getting us around to playdates and the grocery store. lol. Money to travel is important in our world, that's where we choose to splurge! lol.

roaringrock · February 2011

do you mean eating out is splurging or splurging when you eat out (spending the big $$$?) mama's tired.

DavezWife · February 2011

lol, I don't know. I guess spending big(ger) bucks while you eat out. We go out about once a week to "Crapplbee's" or something and spend $25, and I think nothing of it.

But spending $100+ on dinner last nite put me into guilty conscious hell. lol.

nolachick11 · February 2011

we do every month and a half or so! Our city also has awesome food and if we have a sitter or are out for a celebration, we usually go with our friends somewhere nice. I usually cook during the week but on the weekends, we order from a Pho or sushi often!

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