Before this year, we ate restaurant food once per month. No take out or delivery, we would go sit down for a late lunch. At the beginning of the year, I decided to make that every other week, and pick a local place we had never tried -- no chains -- and had a great reputation. I called it a surprise lunch, because hubby would never know where we were going until we had arrived.
I am on a similar journey
@LadyLiberty , albeit for a different reason...
I budget my eating out through my entertainment account. As a rule I would burn it up with fast food - a quick fix for a long day, not wanting to cook. So delivered pizza and MacDonald's or Arby's (they're closest), with occasional Burger King, Taco John's, Wendy's, Subway, and Dairy Queen (all that are in range of the house)... If I am up at the Hutton's Plaza, where most everything is here nowadays, Chik-Fil-A is a certainty.
But I found lately that this instant gratification was not nearly gratifying. If I forego this junk, and cook like I ought, the money saved remains for something a bit better. Now, twice a month, with a lady friend in tow, I go out to explore where I seldom, or never have been.
Same money, but oh, so much better! Still, redneck that I am, it is liable to be a dive, a diner, a burger joint, or a rib joint... I am what I am. But such amazing tastes, So much better the quality!
And there is now an anticipation factor. I look forward all week to the day I am going to go out. I think about it... It impacts many days... Like smelling a roast in the house all day, it makes that first bite so delicious!
