Rising cost of eating out October 15, 2008

After my initial post about food prices I decided to keep a running tally of where I have eaten and how much it costs. I will start with a few recent trips out. I will also include the price for the same thing at the grocery store. The prices are based on similar items to what was served.  I usually shop at Kroger so I am using their prices for whole items (jar of olives) and then dividing it by servings and rounding up. I’m sure that is less than accurate but I am just trying to make a general point.

On the Border at lunch-on the border has a lunch menu on the back but if you notice most of the prices and items are exact repeats of things already found in the menu. They did not seem to be smaller quantities OR smaller prices. For two of us to split an entre and one soda with tip it was $20.00. A meal for one person at a chain restaurant serving Mexican food (one the cheapest foods to produce) should NOT be more than 10 bucks. KSP: 5.00

Jason’s Deli-I happen to think Jason’s deli sucks. I have been ruined by having to eat too many of their crappy boxed lunches. BUT I wanted a salad. I ordered the salad bar (I eat 1/4 of a romaine lettuce head, 3 slices of cucumber, 2 cherry tomatoes, some cheese, 8 or so olives and croutons) and the husband got a sandwich (bread, mustard a cheese and meat), Ruffles potato chips and a pickle spear. We both got drinks. This was $18. And remember you do not have to tip at Jason’s Deli. Lettuce people! I ate lettuce! KSP: 6.00

Applebee’s-we both got a burger and one soda with tip; $25.00. If I pay this much for burgers then I should AT LEAST be able to get a soda too at this price. KSP $7.25 

 

 

 

Cheap stuff at high prices! October 13, 2008

Money is a big issue with me. I have lived the last three years in a desperate attempt to get out of debt. Don’t think I was pinching every penny. I still spent money on eating out with friends and buying gifts for loved ones. But for these last few years my entire wardrobe has been bought off of the Target clearance rack, I learned how to shop grocery stores for their best deals, I rented my movies from the .99 kiosks at Tom Thumb and I decorated my house by vigilantly searching for items being sold below their value (resale shops and estate sales). But this “Get out of debt” campaign has caused me to appreciate the value of my dollars. It has also caused me to be aware of how I am being totally taken out there in retail world. I love the Gap and it is one of the few stores I can buy off the rack and wear without having to see my tailor but even these middle-of-the-road stores have seriously decreased in quality. I have bought clearance items because I’ve had to and now I buy clearance because full price is entirely too much for the quality of the items being sold. While it is one of my favorite items, a shirt I bought off the Gap clearance rack would be complete highway robbery at its original $18. First of all, why is any T-shirt $18? But when you can hold it up and see right through it, then it might be too much even at the $6 I paid for it. If I have to buy an undershirt to wear under my t-shirt (which technically was birthed as an undershirt) to keep from being scandalous then don’t ask me to pay in the double digits.

            Food prices are on the rise as well. I am flabbergasted at what I pay for food. We have had to eat out more than usual lately for various reasons. I generally choose a restaurant based on where I think I might find reasonable prices and still have at least a few healthy options. I’m usually wrong on both accounts. I understand that prices go up but I can usually tally up what my meal would costs at the grocery store (which is probably higher priced than what a food joint pays to buy in bulk) and become shocked at just how much I am overpaying. Restaurants know they can give you more food and then charge you twice as much. So now we are all broke and fat. Maybe think about how much value you find in your meal (and think outside of just quantity). Then think about how much you would pay to make that meal yourself. Then think about how much the restaurant should charge to make a profit. Then look at your bill. Then remember you still need to leave a generous tip.

 

            I could decide not to buy clothes or eat out but that really isn’t going to happen. Instead, I have decided if I am going to pay for something I am going to pay a higher price for actual quality. If I eat out it will be at nice restaurants that charge higher prices for quality ingredients instead of places that give me too much food so they can justify charging double. If I buy clothes I will buy well made clothes produced outside of third world sweat shops. This probably means I will eat out less and wear the same outfit too much but at least I can put value back in my dollars.