Frugal Tip 34: Cook Yourself

Earlier this year, I started posting a more in depth look at each of the frugal tips. Over the next few weeks I will publish the frugal tips that I have collected. Please note that not every tip will work for everyone. Chose as many of the tips that will work with you and your family and start implementing them. Today we will proceed with Tip #34 Eat less convenience food, cook from scratch.

It should be commonsense that preparing meals at home yourself from scratch is cheaper. Yet millions of people eat out 2 or more times a week. Folks if you are to build wealth you cannot be paying someone else to fix your meals. If you eat out, limit it to no more then once or twice a month. It should be treat not a regular thing in your lives.

Eat out less. One of the biggest expenses in our daily lives is eating out — the average person spends well over $2,000 a year on eating out. Restaurants are expensive, including fast-food (not to mention the health hazards). It’s much cheaper to cook your own food. Our family creates a weekly menu, then we buy the groceries, and cook dinner (and lunch) each evening. Lately I’ve even been prepping it in the morning, so it’s a snap when we get home.
- (Zen Habits)The Cheapskate Guide: 50 Tips for Frugal Living by Leo Babauta

If you do eat out here are some frugal tips to do so more economically.

1. Don't order two dinners (Order one meal for 2 of you to share)
   
2. Make a second dinner on leftovers.
   
3. Get a discount.
   
4. Just order side items
   
5. Drink water.
   
6. Skip dessert.
   

However, we were talking about fix meals yourself and saving the money you would spend eating out to help build your wealth and get out of debt. Another idea to cooking your own meals, especially when time is hard to come by in cooking the daily meal is cooking ahead of time. It is something I have heard many times and have even done on occasion myself. Let us go back to Zen Habits for a look at this concept.

Cook ahead. If you have one free day a week (or even a month), cook food in big batches and freeze in dinner-sized portions. I don’t do this all the time, but I have done it and it saves money (buying big can often save) as well as time. You have to plan it out a bit, coming up with a menu and shopping, cooking enough meals for a week or a month. But once you’re done, your meals each night (and for lunch if you like) are quick and easy. This saves you from eating out or eating convenience food when you’re hungry but too tired to cook. - (Zen Habits)The Cheapskate Guide: 50 Tips for Frugal Living by Leo Babauta

There you have it. Do you eat out more then once a month? Is it something you can change? Will you after reading this post? What do you do to make meals quick and save the expense of eating out? --- go ahead share your thoughts with me now, my ears are open. I'm always eager to hear what you think. follow me on Twitter and facebook

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