The Great February Dine-In

The Great February Dine-In went off without a hitch. I really expected it to be impossible or at the very least, mind-bogglingly difficult. It actually wasn't at all. Just goes to show if I look at something as a challenge and stick a catchy name on it I can make it happen. Currently it is March 9 and I have not dined out since February 1.

The weird thing is, not only was it not difficult...it was easy and sort of transformational. I figured it was going to be a huge challenge and so to set myself up for success, I planned ahead. I came up with a list of menu options and then went grocery shopping to supply the items for most of the items on my list. The fact that I had ideas seems to be what made the difference. I feel so much more relaxed and in control of my schedule. Even though I have been cooking a whole bunch more...I feel less rushed and stressed. It has been so strange. Really, really strange.

And here is the real kicker. I sat down last weekend to crunch some numbers. I knew what Brian and I had spent in January on dining-out and that the number for February would be, well, zero. However I fully expected to have increased my spending on groceries from January to February to compensate for the lack of meals spent dining-out. But that was not the case. In fact I spent $110 less on groceries in February. That BLOWS MY MIND! The key here seems to be the advanced planning. Even when I was cooking in past months I was coming up with something to prepare and then sending my faithful husband to the store for me because I didn't have everything I needed. Each of those trips cost between $17 and $35. Simply not running to the store all the time is a cure for overspending. (Especially if said faithful husband picks up a few extra things every time he runs to the store...primarily pork. He has an irresistible urge to buy pork.)

So now, I find that I am turning into my mother: going to the store for staples and staples only, no funny-business. Brian is not enjoying this new grocery shopping personality I have embraced. He accused me at the grocery store of always getting to buy luxury items that I want but not any of his luxury items. He whined when we didn't go down the snack aisle. I said we didn't need snacks. Then later, standing by the sandwich meats, flipping through coupons, I casually mentioned that we had a coupon for Doritos. Brian immediately, and with all the seriousness of a military Sergeant, proclaimed, "I'm on it," and darted off to the snack aisle before I could even blink. I guess I'll have to find a happy medium in this new endeavor of mine. And while the "Great Dine-In" is officially over, I feel like I learned a lot, changed my perspective, and gained so much more than money.