Does anyone else do this for the rest of the week if you've been out for a meal?

[Sshhhitsstillsummer]

Never used to, but restaurant prices were not as extortionate as they seem to be nowadays.
Went out for a nice lunch today, spent around 70, which is quite a lot for us, but we wanted an end of holidays last meal.
Now I will probably cut right back for the week on food spending.
For example, simple pasta dishes, omlettes, beans on toast and jacket potatoes for the week.
Does anyone else do this?

Well if you spend beyond what you can really afford, then yes cutting back to spend less in the week is typical. If £70 is pennies to you but you're making some principled point, less typical.

We do this even without an expensive meal out.

I don’t because eating out and day to day food come from different ‘pots’ in our budget but I can see the sense in it if you organise your finances differently or if things are particularly tight money wise.

No. Also, 70.00 for two people is hardly extortionate.

Nope, I eat whatever I feel like whenever I feel like it. That being said, I do naturally eat a lot of cheap dishes like vegetable soup and lentil curry.

No I wouldn’t really do this, but I’m not on a fixed budget. Plus eating out tends to be more unhealthy so I wouldn’t then follow up with a week of cheap pasta, beans on toast or jacket potatoes.

to you perhaps - but not to the OP.

I sometimes think I’ve had a gluttony filled week - and make a decision to eat slightly more healthily or whatever.

It depends on your budget surely

Like after Christmas lol cant wait for a simple beans on toast

If I'd eaten like a queen and stuffed myself silly then I'd probably cut back on my gluttony / calories for a couple of days, which might mean eating the foods you suggest or similar, but it would be to balance my waistline not my wallet.

£70 for a lunch is madness

Maaybe for the following day. No longer than that

It depends on what you had for lunch, if it was a sandwich or 2 courses. Then I could judge the 70 quid. Tbh if I couldn't afford to spend that much so much so that I had to eat a jacket potato or beans for the week I think I'd prefer to not go out.

You know not everyone is rich right? What a disgusting comment. This is a lot of money to lots of people.

This thread is so mumsnet, it’s got everything

No, but I also wouldn't go out for a meal if it meant I had to cut back for a week afterwards. It wouldn't be enjoyable for me.

No, but we eat mostly simple cheap meals anyway.

It depends if you could afford the £70 for the lunch. If I was having to cut back because of the meal I wouldn’t eat out. The only reason I watch what I’m eating the days after a meal out is to make sure I’m within my weekly calorie intake.

It can be a lot of money to some people and also not be extortionate for a decent lunch out.

£40 is also a lot of money to a lot of people, but would you consider that extortionate for meal for two in, e.g Weatherspoons?

I might do that. I hardly ever eat out because I do tend to think it’s a waste of money, so there will be an undercurrent of cutting back on food spending to equal it out a bit.

Bread and water for me!

Well it depends entirely your financial situation.

Unless you are struggling to money, it’s a bit of a bizarre thing to do, and seems unnecessarily tight to me. We out once a week, so would be cutting back every week if we did this!

If you are struggling for money, then I probably wouldn’t have gone it if it meant not being able to afford your usual food shop.

I can't afford whatever I want, so everything I do is a compromise. Generally I would not prioritise a meal out, but if I do, then of course I would have to cut back on something else. It might only be that I'm not able to save that month or it might be that I can't buy the shampoo I like or maybe, yes, I might buy cheaper food. Unless money is no object then everyone is like this to some extent.

Hasn't it just?🤣🤣

No. If I couldn't afford the meal out easily without cutting back, I just wouldn't go out for the meal.