As I mull over for the hundredth time where we spend our money when it comes to food, I had a thought.  Instead of trying to spend a little less in both the grocery and dining categories, maybe I could gve myself a little more in the grocery area and subtract that amount from the dining area.  $30 at the store goes a lot farther than $30 at a restaurant, that\'s for sure.

Something to consider.  (I\'m sure others are reading this and sayng to themselves, \"Duh!  That\'s a no-brainer Jen!\")

We\'re a family of three, so eating in is nearly always going to be cheaper than eating out.  (And for the record, we don\'t eat fast food, so eating out means nicer take-out or sit-down places.)

You\'d think cutting back on the Starbucks would be the place to save, but the reality is that it isn\'t that huge aportion of our food/dining spending.  I\'ve been tracking it for months now.  We can save a bit here and there each week, but it isn\'t as big a budget buster for us as the meals out.  One meal out can easily cost us $30.  One meal, not always the best food or experience, 30 bucks.

I am always looking at theses three spending categories, trying to figure out ways to eat healthy, eat cheaply and not feel deprived or burdened.