The average person in the UK right now spends around £700 on eating out annually. To put that into context, that’s 3% of an average take-home salary. It’s a whole lot of gnosh and, if most of us were honest, we would love to at least cut those costs a little in 2020.
Don’t get us wrong; eating out can be a fantastic way to socialise and break free from yet another night on our own. But, that’s not to say our habit here is altogether healthy. Our finances are evidently struggling to cope with the strain, and our bodies might not be doing too well either. After all, when you aren’t preparing food, you have no way of knowing what’s going into it. This alone can lead to increases in salt and sugar intake, among other setbacks.
With that in mind, it’s worth thinking about how to cut back. The question is, what exactly does restaurant rehab look like?
Track your spending
As with any addiction, you can never get on top until you realise how extreme this situation has become. Sadly, the majority of us don’t even think to track the amount of money we spend on eating out in a month. Your first step towards rehabilitation should, therefore, be to monitor restaurant spending for at least a month. You don’t need to go mad, but simply keep a tally every time you spend money on food out. Then, divide that by twelve to get your first real insight into just how much you stand to save by getting on top here.
Create an irresistible kitchen at home
It’s no surprise you prefer to eat out all the time if your kitchen is drab and uninviting. Who wouldn’t prefer to spend time in stylish restaurant interiors? If this is an ongoing habit, though, you might actually find it works out cheaper to incorporate that chic diner vibe with bespoke kitchen furniture that keeps you at home instead. With a funky gallery kitchen or sociable central island, you may even find you’re more inclined to invite your loved ones to eat with you rather than head to yet another restaurant.
Set clear limitations
You should also set clear limitations here. The good news is that cutting back on serial dining isn’t a cold-turkey affair, and there’s no reason you can’t still treat yourself on occasion. Still, simple things, like sticking to a budget, agreeing to eat out a set number of times, or even reserving restaurants for special occasions can all help. That way, you can start cooking healthier, more affordable food on the regular, and learn to really value those eating out experiences when they do come around.
Everyone loves eating out, as is evidenced by the amount we’re spending as a nation on this goal alone. But, if your habit feels like it’s getting out of control, don’t hesitate to implement these rehabilitation pointers. Your health and that of your finances is sure to thank you for it.
This is a collaborative post, and may contain affiliated links.
