Eating Out on a Budget

Happy Monday, everybody!

As if y'all didn't know by now, Kyle and I are pretty cheap...I mean frugal. We do a lot of stuff to save money that leave most people shaking their heads thinking, "Are they crazy?" The simple answer is yes - we are totally insane. We are crazy enough to prioritize being retired in our early thirties, and in order to make that goal attainable, we have to make changes right now. Some of these changes are small such as making sure to turn lights off when we don't need them. Others take greater sacrifice such as leaving our house at 58 degrees in the dead of winter (believe me, it's harder than it sounds). If you have similar goals as ours, rest assured that you can achieve them; you just have to get started.

Although we're good about avoiding most unnecessary indulgences, going out to eat is something we rarely resist. We love to spend time with one another, completely unconcerned about whether or not we've burnt a meal or misread a cooking instruction. In fact, we eat out at least twice a week. But we do it consciously - aka we are very careful about where we go, what we order, and looking for deals prior to the meal. Check out our tips for eating out on a budget:

1. Say no to drinks, appetizers, and desserts

I die a little inside when a restaurant charges me three bucks for a coke when I could buy an entire 2 liter for one dollar! It's totally unfair, but the fact is that most restaurants have every intention of screwing you over with their prices on drinks, appetizers, and desserts. My advice? AVOID THEM! They are totally unnecessary to having an enjoyable meal. Oh, if you're one of those people who has to have an "appetizer" before your meal, just go to a restaurant that serves free bread or chips. BAM - Free appetizer. You're welcome. Another tip - if you tend to crave sodas like I do, have one before you go out to eat. They will be much less tempting when you get to the restaurant, and you can order water instead.

2. Eat Local

Almost every week, Kyle and I enjoy "Taco Tuesday" at a local Mexican restaurant. They only charge you one dollar per taco, and they so good! I usually order two tacos, Kyle will order three, and we will have the free chips and salsa as an "appetizer." When it's all said and done, we end up spending around 8 bucks with tip (and even cheaper when we order take out). That's a heck of a deal, and there are plenty more to go around. On Wednesdays, we get a dozen oysters for five bucks at our favorite seafood joint, and on the weekends, we get 50% off sushi and hibachi from a local Japanese restaurant. Take the time to check out your local non-chain restaurants; they almost always have awesome deals to bring in new customers who may not have tried them otherwise.

3. Sign up for Email Clubs

Let's say you and your family are planning to enjoy a meal out together this Saturday. What should you do in the mean time? Sign up for that restaurant's email club, of course! Most chain restaurants will send you a free appetizer, dessert, or sometimes even a meal within a day or two after signing up. The deals don't end after that first promotion - they will usually send you coupons pretty regularly and even something free on your birthday! If you're proactive and plan ahead before an evening out, I guarantee you will find a way to save some money.

4. Look out for special promotions

This past weekend, Kyle and I went out to enjoy a meal at O’Charley’s. Already a pretty affordable place, right? It gets better! From 3-9 every single day, they offer four dollar appetizers. We were pretty intrigued by this deal and chose to order a few appetizers for our meals instead of entrees. We had chili cheese nachos, friend pickles, and mozzarella sticks to share between the two of us. Plus, we received a 20% off coupon in our email, so we applied that to the bill. With tip, we paid 13 bucks and left with full bellies. If you're willing to think outside of the box when ordering out, you're bound to find better deals.

5. Split a meal

For those of you who don't have large appetites, splitting is a great option. You still leave the restaurant full, and you don't have to worry about where you're going to fit those to-go boxes in your fridge. If your appetite is a little too big for splitting but you still want to save some cash, order an appetizer and one meal. Appetizers will always be cheaper than an entree, and you usually get the same amount of food. When Kyle and I go to Texas Roadhouse, for example, we usually split the country fried chicken and an appetizer of cheese fries. For our two sides that come with the entree, we order a salad for each of us. It still feels like a full meal, but we're actually saving about 7 or 8 dollars. Oh, and if you're super savvy and managed to snag a coupon for a free appetizer, you're saving even more! Go you!

Disclaimer - Being frugal and smart with your money does not give you the right to leave a crappy tip. If you can't afford to leave the waiter at least 15% (we always leave around 18% or more), then don't go out to eat. Don't be a bad person. Thanks guys :-)

Debunking Myths about Anxiety

I have an anxiety disorder.  

I cringe as I type this, because I know most people outside of my inner circle are unaware. I struggle everyday with maintaining peace in my own mind, and often times, I fail.  It affects every part of my life – my job, my relationships, my own happiness. Although a very large part of me wants to keep this a secret, my heart urges me to share my story in hopes that someone can relate.

I’ve suffered from anxious thoughts most of my life. In elementary school, for example, I was in a constant state of paranoia about someone breaking into my home and killing me. No amount of rationalization would calm my fear, and I spent many of my nights curled up in between my parents as a result. This continued for a few years. It carried on to my school work, where I regularly found myself in tears from not being able to fully understand a math assignment. In my freshman year of high school, I came head to head with depression. I disconnected from life entirely. I talked to no one, spent most of my free time sleeping to get away from my own thoughts, and my passions dwindled significantly. I hid it from my family because I couldn't bear to admit that I was hurting so badly; I didn't want anyone feeling sorry for me. Though it got better after a year of silent suffering, my anxiety stayed with me well into adulthood.  For a long time, I just tried to deal with it; I wanted to overcome it without the help of doctors and medication. Although this sufficed for a while, I soon found myself slowly sinking back into a depressive state. That, combined with an increased number of panic attacks, pushed me to finally see a doctor.

If you have a loved one who struggles with anxiety, you should know a few things:

Anxiety holds no prejudices

I grew up in a wonderful, supportive environment. In high school, I was a varsity cheerleader with plenty of friends and a long term boyfriend. I made good grades throughout college, participated in extracurriculars, and went out with friends on the weekends. Do I sound like your typical mental illness candidate? No? That’s because there is no set “type.” Anyone can suffer from anxiety and depression, even if they seem happy and outgoing.  I feel like it’s a common misconception that people who have lots of friends couldn’t possibly be suffering from any mental illness. Guys, it’s absolutely a myth and something that has been accepted for far too long in modern culture.  This can happen to anyone.

Anxiety doesn't just affect the mind 

Having an anxiety disorder is exhausting, both mentally and physically. Unfortunately, this isn’t resolved simply by telling someone to “calm down.” When I’m having a panic attack, every bit of my mind and body is involved: I have trouble breathing, my head is killing me, my stomach drops.  “Calming down” often feels out of my realm of possibilities. Thinking this is something that a person has complete control over is entirely incorrect and will often cause tension between you and the person who is suffering.

"Why are you stressed?" is a question I often can't answer 

A lot of the time, I can’t tell you why I feel overwhelmed. I can’t explain why my heart is pounding, why I feel like bursting into tears for seemingly no reason, or why I feel like I might faint. My body has reacted to the “fight or flight” signal that is going off in my head. Much of the time, I have no control over when that signal goes off and even more often, I’m unsure of how to stop it.

Blind Support always helps

Most people don’t understand what loved ones with anxiety disorders endure on a daily basis. How could they? They know what it feels like to be stressed out about a project at work or to worry about a bill; they don’t know how it feels to be in a constant state of worry and fear. While it often feels frustrating and impossible to understand, I urge you to stand by your loved one. Believe me, they’re even more frustrated than you are. Even just a tight hug and a simple reminder that they are loved makes all the difference in the world.

Thanks for reading,