Okay, okay - I know every financial planner tells
you that you should not eat out too much, that you should be saving that money
for your future. So, why is it so hard to stop going out to eat? What is it
about the experience that makes us choose it over putting aside what we end up
spending on a meal? I have identified five very beneficial reasons that
families continue to go out to eat and love it.
1. It’s a social experience that gives you the
opportunity to relax and enjoy the company of your family. Sometimes, you get
the added pleasure of bumping into friends at your favorite restaurant, which
adds to the whole ambiance.
2. Going out to eat relieves four points of stress:
planning a meal, picking up the ingredients, preparing the food and cleaning up
after cooking. Let's face it, when you dine out, all you have to do is pick
something off the menu, and someone handles the rest.
3. That leads me to my third point: It also allows
us to feel cared for. There is nothing better than going to your favorite
restaurant and having someone else take care of you. Many of us spend our days
focused on the needs of others – whether at work or at home – and, at the end
of the day, it is just so pleasurable to have someone do something for you.
4. Dining out adds variety and diversity to our
eating routines. Pleasing everyone in the family is difficult, and at least
when you go to a restaurant, there is a variety of options. Each family member
can pick what they like and can skip “mom’s meatloaf” for one evening.
5. Most families are consumed with more activity than
time to accomplish it all. Eating out leaves families with more time to spend
at work or attend to kids, or travel to and from activities.
So, when it comes to dining out, how can you eat your cake and have it, too? Take these three baby steps.
1. Try to determine how much you need to retire.
Here is a link to a simple calculator to get you started.
2. Set a goal for how much money you can save for
the future every month and have it automatically drafted out of your bank
account into an IRA account.
3. If you are not able to give up going out to eat, consider eating at
more affordable places, or sign up for services like Living Social or Groupon
that offer coupons for local restaurants. Keep an eye out for dining specials
on social media like Yelp and Foursquare, too. After all, every bit helps!
Feel free to give me a call to talk more at 980-275-1627.
Ed Coambs
Edited by Reena Arora of Arora Media, connect on Facebook
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