The bachelor's life is to damn expensive!

LALDAAS · #1 05-13-2005, 10:21 AM

I have been living the bachelor's life now for 10 years. In order of importance Booze,Smokes and eating out. I blow about a $1500 to $2000 a month on just these 3 aspects of my life and sometimes more.

I am sick of it!

Help me! I seriously need to change my life style.

The #1 thing that burns me up the most is my frige is forever empty.

Where and how does one aquire manufactures cupons?

I was talking to a buddy at work and he has been telling my how his wife hits up the gerocery store on triple coupon days and can fill the house for around 100 bucks.

This weekend I took my girl to the fantastic portuguese restruant. The food was awsome but the bill was $127.

I cant stand this anymore , I will from this point on, will learn how to cook!

I am attempting to become a cheap bastard. I have no choice in this decision. I am planning on doing the marriage this soon and really need to start socking my cash in the bank then blowing it on booze (I drink like a fish) and eating out constantly.

Any advise would be apperciated

SmileyEH · #2 05-13-2005, 10:27 AM

Pasta (just buy tomato sauce, add whatever)
Barbeque (hamburgers, steak, fajitas etc.)
Salad
Bacon and Eggs (eat this for breakfast every morning unless your metabolism sucks)

Right there is enough variety for me.

-SmileyEH

Stupendous_Man · #3 05-13-2005, 10:30 AM

Definitely learn how to cook. It's a lot cheaper and can be fun. As for the booze, can't help. Reading all the damn threads recently on wine has me wanting to get back into build an inventory only to drink it all again! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

I don't do the coupon thing, but all the grocery stores here have "reward" type cards where you can get discounts just by using the card. For example, last week one store had NY Strips on sale. Normally $9.99/lb, with card they were $5.98/lb. The stores track your savings and over the course of a year I know I say over $1M.

bwana devil · #4 05-13-2005, 10:30 AM

if you think marriage is a sound financial plan, youre in for a rude awakening.

ilikeaces · #5 05-13-2005, 10:31 AM

I spend about 3k a month on booze and eating out dont worry about it your not alone.

namknils · #6 05-13-2005, 10:32 AM

I love being a cheap bastard, it's fun.

For coupons I just buy the weekend paper and there is a whole section full of them.

Also, do you have an ALDI store near you? This is the cheapest grocery store on the planet, and some of their food is really good. I love it. It's all generic brands, but you can get almost everything you need there for next to nothing. ALDI

sublime · #7 05-13-2005, 10:32 AM

ummmm quit smoking?

Rhone · #8 05-13-2005, 10:34 AM

I think you can forget about coupons if they're too much of a pain in the ass for you, because if you start cooking more your grocery bill will plumet anyway: raw ingredients will be cheaper than the prepared foods you're probably buying now.

There are tons of cooking web sites to get you started. Or just go to a used book store and buy a cook book that appeals to you. Maybe one specifically written for beginners, and one comprehensive one you can always refer to, like Joy of Cooking or something.

good luck...

swede123 · #9 05-13-2005, 10:36 AM

One thing that works pretty well is to buy your meat/chicken/seafood in one of those wholesale packages. Sometimes you see these things advertised in the Skymall Magazine on airplanes. Basically you buy a whole assload of steaks, burgers and what-not, put them in your freezer, and thaw them as you need them. A couple of hundred bucks will seriously set you up with steaks for six months (assuming you eat steak twice a week or so). Sweet deal really. Once you have the main course ready it's pretty easy to cook some pasta or rice, bake a potato, or just make a yummy salad to go with it. Good and easy!

Swede

DavidC · #10 05-13-2005, 10:36 AM

I don't think coupons is the answer: cooking is. Eating out is probably my #1 expense too.

Luckily I don't drink, smoke, drive, or have kids, so my expenses are more like in the neighbourhood of $600-1k wasted per month. Still, though, that's like $7200 a year if you didn't pay those people at restaurants.

IF I could make a pact with myself that a car would mean no eating out unless with friends, etc. then a car may not be too expensive.. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]