How to stop eating out!? We have no money saved 😢

Question

My boyfriend and I have a very bad habit of eating out. For me it’s convenience. We had a baby 6 months ago and I’m super exhausted so I don’t feel like cooking or I’m busy with the baby and forget/don’t have time to eat and feel sick and then eat out. I also grew up in a house hold where I constantly ate out so it’s a habit. 
I honestly LOVE cooking, but since I had the baby I don’t love it like I used to. I tend to make big meals too. My boyfriend doesn’t seem to like anything easy to make. 
We tend to eat out at least twice a week. We both want to break the habit but struggle to. I know it’s mainly my fault. Since we have a baby we really want to save for a house, but with us eating out it’s next to impossible to save anything! I calculated and one month we spent over $1000 in eating out alone...
We usually spend a lot on groceries too ($125-$180 a week) we eat a lot! When we notice we have extra money we will buy stupid things that we normally wouldn’t as well. 
Any suggestions that can help us break the habit? Every month we never have money saved 😢

Answer

Meal prepping and crock pot meals. Totally game changers

Answer

Cash budgeting! Sit down and really go through your spending. Decide what you want to spend on things like groceries, clothes, entertainment, etc and get cash at the beginning of the month. When the cash is gone from an area, then it's gone. So if you decide you want to spend $200 a month on eating out, once the $200 is gone then no more eating out that month!
We have been doing this for years and it's great. It helps with some of the guilt of spending because you've already allotted that cash for that particular thing and it helps keep you honest about how much you're spending.
I also find a lot of good recipes on Pinterest that are 5 ingredient, 20 minutes or less, one pan, etc. Definitely helps get dinner on the table with a baby. And make enough of a recipe so that you have leftovers for lunch the next day. It also helps to have some things pre-made in the freezer. Soups, casseroles, meatloaf, crockpot dump recipes. Then you can just heat up and eat!

Answer

Meal Prep! I buy what is reduced or on sale and use that to plan what meals I make. I then do a cookup every now and then and freeze 2 portions, labelled and ready to go. When you can be bothered, just grab a freezer meal out and you are set! Healthy, cheap, home cooked meals

Answer

I meal plan. I’ll use a few staples I rotate through and the try a few new recipes each month. I also will write my weekly menu on the fridge of what I’ve planned so I can “pick one” each morning and not have to think up a meal. 
I eliminate stress by making my Monday’s an easy meal, tacos on Tuesdays, leftovers Wednesday, Thursday is something new, Friday’s we do burgers, Saturday we mix it up and Sunday is usually an easy meal since it’s back to school/work week. 
Your baby is growing and is going to need good, home cooked meals. You don’t want to be feeding them take out all the time. 
Examples: 
Taco night
Spaghetti night (mix is up between marinara, meatballs, Alfredo, shrimp, veggie, etc) 
Do a chicken with veggie night. 
Soup and sandwiches for when you’re too busy. 
Cook a batch of something for lunches like a crock pot of soup or stew. 
Plan to cook or prep when baby is happy. If he sleeps around lunch time use that time to pull out frozen meat to thaw, lay out ingredients etc. If you want to eat at 5, set an alarm for 4pm to start dinner.

Answer

Get Pinterest and find some budget easy meals! I’m sure there is something your SO will eat that’s easy. Definitely invest in a crock pot!! So many easy over night recipes to do. You wake up the next morning and you have lunch and/or dinner already finished! Try easy cheap sides such has Knorrs rice and pastas. Canned vegetables. Hamburgers and fries are very quick and easy...

Answer

My husband and I will spend money on things we don’t need when we have a little extra too - but if we move the extra money into a savings account it stops me from just mindlessly swiping my card!

Answer

Instant pot or crockpot and meal prep.

Answer

I find making a bigger portion of food so you have lunch left over too. We bought a instapot and use the shot out of it bc we a lot of times forget to thaw meat.

Answer

I meal plan using Pinterest. I buy produce and meat in bulk and make meals that use similar ingredients or things that can be frozen. Other smaller things I buy at Trader Joe’s. 
Look up easy dinner ideas on a budget on Pinterest. Prepping stuff ahead of time helps too. 
Cutting up the produce and separating snacks out to easily grab. I also make ‘freezer meals’ for days I don’t feel cooking that I can just throw in the crockpot or in the skillet.

Answer

Meal prep absolutely. One day a week I make meals for that week plus extra for the freezer. I have an extra freezer in the garage and at any one time have at least 30 options to choose from. If you’re making something in the crockpot make 2x the recipe. Double soups. Casseroles. Whatever. Eat half freeze half. I spend $200/month on groceries and just plan ahead for what we need and don’t buy what we don’t. If we want to splurge on dessert or something I’ll make it work with what we have. Once you get started it’s just not that hard!!

How to stop eating out!? We have no money saved 😢

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