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A thought on old style saving

Went out for a meal at TGI's in Bluewater tonight. Was great good service, pretty good food, and the bill was OK.
Made me realise that half the battle is mental.
This was a treat, to eat out. If you think eating out is normal, you will never save money, since you don't realise that buying raw ingredients, and cooking from scratch cuts out the labour costs of a chef doing it, a waiter serving you, and of course the costs of the restaurant.
Also went to see Borat. Again this is a treat. The cheapest way of doing it is to record a flm, and make an event of watching it at home, such as making popcorn, getting in the nachos etc.
Sorry if I am being a bit too philisophical, but it puts things into perspective.
"Don't critisise what people look like, how they speak, where they are from, and what they are called. They cannot help it.
Do critisise what they say, and what they do, especially if what they say is different to what they do. They can help that"

Anon

"Life is the three weeks and six days between paydays" - gerretl

£2 savers club =£42
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Comments

  • Crazychik
    Crazychik Posts: 1,994 Forumite
    It does put things into prospective - and I totally agree with you, it is nice to go out for a meal "once in a while", like our household, and many others - it is a treat for us too. I too like to cook from fresh, (when time allows me) and I search many well known restaurants on the internet, and look at their menu's, and see what I can do myself.

    If there are no decent films to watch from the local "rental shop" or nothing on tv, we have a huge selection of interactive DVD games, which go down a treat. Better still, my kids love to play guessing games, (they are age 6 & 10)we pick a topic. whether its tv, song, animals etc, and play eye spy or guess what I am. It beats any night out at the local play barn. Cheaper too.
    Last 2 christmas's we have been investing in board games. (they are kept securly away) so they dont get ruined or pieces missing from them. Again - every so often - we have a games night. Instead of tv.
    Hi, we’ve had to remove your signature. If you’re not sure why please read the forum rules or email the forum team if you’re still unsure
  • freyasmum
    freyasmum Posts: 20,597 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    It's when you think what you could do with the money that would be spent. My BIL and his wife regularly spend at least £50 a week on going out (once) to dinner! That is more than some people spend to feed families for the full week!

    Crazychik, that's a nice thing to do. My family and I sometimes like to play cards and games, too. It's nice to just have some family time :)

    Linzi x
  • culpepper
    culpepper Posts: 4,076 Forumite
    I agree.
    Once is a treat,more than once is a habit!
  • Queenie
    Queenie Posts: 8,793 Forumite
    gerretl wrote:
    Went out for a meal at TGI's in Bluewater tonight. Was great good service, pretty good food, and the bill was OK.
    Made me realise that half the battle is mental.... .

    :T :T Good for you!!! :T :T

    It's refreshing to read that you had a guilt free night out and enjoyed yourself :D:D

    And for those who would rather do TGI's at home ... there's always the copycat recipes on the net ;) :laugh:

    There are some on MSE who see the whole concept as never spending money on anything they cannot do themselves and worse still, others who come across as it's a competition to see who can be the tightest!!

    There are times, especially on OS, when some posts have me almost crying because someone might feel guilty if they bought profiteroles, or went out for a meal or whatever ... but forget that our OS ancestors also liked nothing better than a treat, a night out, a bit of a knee's up ... the only difference was - they wouldn't dream of doing it "on tick/the never-never". So, a night out/treat for them wouldn't drag them into debt.

    I love a meal out now and again. Yes, I *can* do it cheaper at home; yes I *can* feed the family for a week on what one night out may cost .. but, doing it myself, at home, at reduced cost means I'm not being waited on, having the dishes done for me, or having a sense of reward or treat or spoiling; having a night out is great and I can come away from it refreshed, less stressed, happier and lighter!!

    I can get completely fed up deciding what's for dinner and cooking it night after night after night. That's when a meal out really *is* a well earned treat :D:D
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    PMS Pot: £57.53 Pigsback Pot: £23.00
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  • tr3mor
    tr3mor Posts: 2,325 Forumite
    I think an amount of stingyness is good but you definitely need nights out though occasionally.

    Although I mostly go to the cinema when there's 2for1 vouchers and free popcorn ;)
  • [QUOTE=Queenie_I_love_a_meal_out_now_and_again._Yes,_I_*can*_do_it_cheaper_at_home;_yes_I_*can*_feed_the_family_for_a_week_on_what_one_night_out_may_cost_.._but,_doing_it_myself,_at_home,_at_reduced_cost_means_I'm_not_being_waited_on,_having_the_dishes_done_for_me,_or_having_a_sense_of_reward_or_treat_or_spoiling;_having_a_night_out_is_great_and_I_can_come_away_from_it_refreshed,_less_stressed,_happier_and_lighter!![/QUOTE]

    agree with you Queenie
    TH
  • We went out for a meal out this week to the local hotel carvery, spur of the moment thing and the only MSE part of it was if you are there before 7.00 pm, you get an ice cream with sauce for free :j

    Every kind of vegetable was available which I certainly wouldn't do at home and we had the turkey, again I wouldn't do at home as I don't want to be eating turkey every which way for a week.

    £13 it cost, no guilt whatsoever it was delicious and next time daughter will pay as I've sent her out to work part time so she can treat me :D
  • Queenie
    Queenie Posts: 8,793 Forumite
    ...

    £13 it cost, no guilt whatsoever it was delicious and next time daughter will pay as I've sent her out to work part time so she can treat me :D
    :rotfl: :T :T Good old fashioned "delegation" LOVE it :rotfl:
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    PMS Pot: £57.53 Pigsback Pot: £23.00
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  • I think you have to remember though that there are people living OS because they are trying to get out of debt - I think for these people it may sadly be necessary to hold off on even the cheapest meals out. Hopefully this may help them learn what a lot of us have learned the hard way, that the things in life that really count are those that don't cost money.

    For those of us who live OS because we prefer it, I agree completely that you can't beat a night out, and oddly, the cheaper it is the better - eg a steak dinner and a few beers at the local Wetherspoon's costs about 1/4 of a ponced-up restaurant meal in central London, the service is just as good and it doesn't involve tube fares!
    'Never keep up with Joneses. Drag them down to your level. It's cheaper.' Quentin Crisp
  • When we eat out as a treat we go for lunch. In many smaller restaurants the lunch menu is much less expensive for the same food that they are going to serve that evening. It is lovely not to know what you are going to eat until you get the menu and order - the anticipation and then, of course, no washing up!

    Gerret1 my DS is desperate to see Borat but he's only 14 and its a 15 rating. Is it good? BTW, DS has had a morning paper-round for 6 months now and he gets paid £31 per week!! Not bad for 6 mornings since he is out and back within the hour. Even though, he is quite money-saving - goes to Starbucks with friends and asks for a glass of tap water, even though he has saved up loads!
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