I love food too much!

Did you watch the hot dog eating contest this past weekend? Glorious... Welcome to America !!!!

Now that I am on my debt payoff journey, I have tried to look for ways to cut back on spending. I think one of the major culprit is eating out. It's not because I am lazy to cook (maybe a little), but I am not the type who cant "Meal Prep" the week (or month) and just expect to be satisfied with the same old food every day.... I need variety! Most of my meals are a 'game day decision' - which means, I usually do not plan my meals and just go after my gut (or stomach).

Also, I think I eat out more when I am stressed. I just feel so deprived on everything else that I just dont even look at the refrigerator and just go out. This week was a major test and a major fail on my part - not only on the shopping department, but also on the food department. We were out and about the whole time trying to do last minute shopping (since this whole week will be busy with work) - we ate out... A LOT! I have been trying for a couple of weeks on cutting back with eating out and I need to get back to this since this is a major fail this week.

Below are a few reminders of what I have done to cut back...

Cook for a group - Depending on your living situation... if you live alone or live with your SO - I would usually cook a bigger portion so I can bring it to work the next day.

Order the dinner portion - I cant usually finish them, so I am able to save half of it for lunch tomorrow or dinner the next night. You can usually tell by the type of food if its a good option to have as a leftover the next day.

Sharing is caring - It's hard to hang out with friends without spending a lot. I know most of the PF communities would tell us to learn how to say NO, but I think in moderation its good to meet up with friends or coworkers (keep my sanity also) and stay under budget by sharing. Just do your research in your neighborhood - There are a lot of places that offer food and drinks for under $5 under a certain timeframe on weekdays (happy hour menus)

Special Offers or Deals - If its a place that you go to almost everyday - you can check to see if they have a member deal or gather points everytime you go there (ie. Starbucks Card). There are also places where they give you a stamp card where you can get your 5th or 10th meal for free.

I still have a couple more days and I will really try my best not to spend anymore money on food