Broke Ass Financial Coaching: Dine Out or Cook at Home?

While being young, broke and beautiful is all well and good, some people’s finances are more jacked than others.  That’s why we’ve invited Betsy Crouch (aka Coach $izzle) to come onboard and dole out some much needed advice.  She is a professional financial coach after all.  If you’ve got a question you’d like answered please email her atcoachsizzle@brokeassstuart.com.  Maybe your question will be the next one answered.

“Is it less expensive to dine out or to cook at home?”  – b and f

Most people would say cooking at home is less expensive, and I don’t think it is that simple.

This article from the Christian Science Monitor argues that it is not necessarily less expensive to cook at home.

Our culture values time and money over health and wellness.  Do you?

So we want to save money and spend less on “everything” including food. Unfortunately we assume that eating healthy foods is more time consuming and more expensive.  In many cases it is.  Several years ago I lived alone and traveled a lot.  I was sure that I could save money by dining out because I wasted so many groceries.  At that time I was eating a lot of fast food, maybe 5-7 times per week or more.  I saved some money for sure and I also felt like s%$!  I made some major changes and now I place healthy food as the priority over money, although I always work hard for the best deal.  I also understand that I have access that many people don’t have.

We are currently facing a crisis of a lack of access to affordable healthy food options in many of our urban areas.  In many of these areas there are not many fresh food options and even the low quality food options are expensive.  Cases of type two diabetes and obesity are skyrocketing.  So..

If you have the means and the desire: grow your own, and share.

Do you have a yard?  Or a window to hang a planters box from?  Are you at all curious about growing food?

• New York: Green Thumb
• San Francisco:  Community Gardens
• Urban Gardens Web: resource site

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Support organizations and farmers’ markets that are working to create access to affordable healthy foods.

• People’s Grocery – Oakland, Ca
• Rainbow Grocery – San Francisco, Ca, I know I know.. I mean the 20% off day
• San Francisco Farmers’ Markets
• New York City Farmers’ Markets
• What organizations do you support and recommend?  Please comment below.

I've never seen anyone so elated by coupons before

Have a “family” dinner.

What about having dinner with roommates and friends 1-2 nights a week, or more?  You buy the groceries on your night and prepare the meal.

Live with people who eat many of the same foods.

Split the groceries’ expense.  Share!  You’ll be more efficient.

Accept your personality.

*Plan ahead:  Are you willing to plan ahead and follow through?  Grocery shop and plan your meals in advance.  If you do this along with buy in bulk you will very likely be able to save money and still eat healthy foods.

*Seat of your pants:  Do you know that you like to fly by the seat of your pants?  Don’t know what you are going to do until the day of?  Well, you are likely going to spend more money doing it this way (Unless you buy Stuart’s book and follow the free and inexpensive food trail..).  When you grocery shop, buy few things and just go more often to avoid wasting food.

Last but not least…

How much do you spend on food per month?  Dining out?  Groceries?

I’m bangin’ the same drum.. it is hard to make a decision on something when you don’t know where you currently stand.  Track your food expenses for 30 days, then make some decisions.

What are YOUR favorite affordable food options and strategies?  Please share below!

Coachsizzle@brokeassstuart.com