15 years ago, we changed the way we eat out. At the time, it was a financial decision. Our family was growing and thus, to cut down on the cost of eating out, we started ordering water at restaurants.
If I remember the moment correctly, after one meal I happened to look through the receipt and couldn’t believe the total amount we had spent on soda. And so we decided to just order water the next time we went out. And we’ve never changed the habit.
It doesn’t even feel like a sacrifice at this point. My kids simply prefer to drink water with their meals, and so do Kim and me.
When you think about it, ordering soda/drinks at a restaurant is a lose-lose situation. It costs you more money AND it’s bad for your health.
You’re spending more just to become less healthy. That’s a lose-lose situation!
If money (or health) is at all a concern in your life, I recommend the change. You might feel like you are having to give up something you used to look forward to, but just tell yourself, “Why would I spend more money just to gain weight and be less healthy?” And when the bill comes at the end of the meal, you’ll be extra-pleased with your decision.
But ordering drinks at a restaurant isn’t the only lose-lose situation we routinely practice—costing us time and money in the process.
Here are seven lose-lose situations that cost us time, money, or health:
1. Ordering Drinks at a Restaurant
Costs you money AND it’s bad for your health.
2. Getting into an Argument on Social Media
Getting into an argument on social media takes up time, solves nothing, distracts you from the people around you, AND negatively impacts your mental health.
3. Eating out for Lunch
I learned from my dad to take lunch to work with me. Now, I think of eating out every day for lunch as another perfect example of a lose-lose situation. It costs money AND it’s less healthy.
4. Spending Money on Bad Habits
Feeding bad habits and addictions costs us money, time, AND self-control. And, at its worst, they cost us the people we love the most.
5. Buying Excess Christmas Gifts
It seems like a fun idea—fill the entire living room with gifts for the kids (and adults). But in practical terms, there are some very real downsides to overspending during the holiday gift-giving season. The practice adds stress to our season, sets unhealthy expectations for our kids, too many toys can actually be harmful for our child’s development, AND if you’re going into debt to accomplish it, you’re adding stress and cost even after January 1st.
6. Watching Hours and Hours of Television
Watching too much television costs you time AND opportunity to be doing something else. It also negatively influences our consumption choices, worldviews, and view of reality. Watching less might be the single-greatest habit change you could adopt in your life.
7. Buying Souvenirs on Every Trip
Buying souvenirs on trips was something we stopped doing when we chose to become minimalist 15 years ago. Today, I love it and recommend it to everyone. Not having to shop on every trip saves you time and money AND stress. It allows you to enjoy more activities, not have to plan out your packing accordingly, and just generally results in less stress and obligation while traveling. Photos on our phones have proven to be souvenirs enough.
Living an intentional life is always a gift we give ourselves. It seems to me there are many lose-lose situations that are just culturally accepted these days. The more discerning we become about them, the more intentional we begin to live.
I agree about not ordering soda when eating out. HOWEVER, I encourage everyone to TIP AS IF YOU HAD ORDERED A DRINK. My son is one of many servers who are barely scraping by on tips and their meager salary.
Yes, that is very true and my practice. I’ve written about that in a previous post in fact.
When our kids were young, we gave up ordering drinks at a restaurant as a family. After we got home, my husband figured out how much we saved and would give the kids the cash to put in our vacation jar…before we went on vacation as a family….we counted our money…..very impactful. Now at 32,30 and 24 it still comes up in conversation as a great memory.
I’m one whom many years ago opted out on ordering coffee, drinks when dining out. And gradually over time I’ve chosen to cook at home where I make enough for at least 1-2 more meals or have friends over. We have more privacy, great background music. As as you shared it’s healthier eating at home and know what’s going into the meal. One of the classes I taught years back was budgeting and beginning of the semester I put the class to the test. I asked them to ‘brown bag’ starting the next week and realize how much money they be saving, more relax time versus driving, dealing with lunch crowds and eating healthier. If limited on time for preparing their lunch each morning/evening then prepare on Sunday evening all you need for making meals and bag it up with your name on it. Voila set for the week. Maybe 5-6 stuck with it and they were quite excited all around of the positive results. Everything we do is all a mindset and be proactive not reactive. Don’t allow impulsive into your mind, thinking.
I agree, as long as we recognize that there are people who live alone and don’t have friends or family. If that is the case and that person takes him- or herself to a local restaurant once or twice a week so that you can get and give some kind of connection to other people, even if just a superficial conversation with the server, then I think it can be a bright spot in that person’s day — and maybe somebody else’s day — that they otherwise would not have. As long as it’s done within budget and not with credit cards, I don’t see anything wrong with it.
I absolutely agree! This is a situation I am in.
I find that another big time waster is spending hours reading things off the Internet. Sometimes I have to take a fast from that because the temptation is too great. Regarding eating out, my husband and I like to do takeout once or twice a week. We find that we don’t eat as much when we take it home and we are able to get two meals out of one by cutting down on the portions. In addition, we provide our own beverage at home.
Decided years ago to play ‘Secret Santa’ for Christmas : one gift only for one member of the family.
At first, the family thought I was stingy. Now they can’t imagine why we tried to buy presents for each member of the family (20), buying stuff just to make sure we had done our duty.
Less money and less worry!
Eating out for lunch instead of packing is not always a lose-lose. It’s very situation-dependent. Before I got married, I had a really nice but small apartment with a small fridge. So stocking up wasn’t a great option. Pantry space limited, too. Still, I tried the ‘take your lunch’ thing and by the time I bought groceries (which included time and travel) and factored in food waste and prep time, it wasn’t so much of a savings to be worth it. Unless I wanted to eat the same thing every day, 5 days in a row, I had to get creative – and just didn’t have the capacity or desire for that. I’d rather spend that time being creative in other ways like music or writing, keeping up with fitness, etc. Ten minutes of lunch food prep per day is almost an hour per week. For a minimal difference in cost, It’s nice to get out of the office and have somebody else do the work. I’d take the same amount of actual time to have lunch either way.
I agree! I find whatever I pack for lunch is not something I end up wanting to eat and I absolutely hate food prep. Our work’s cafeteria has a bunch of healthy options and everything is subsidized and super cheap, so it’s oddly more cost effective to eat in the office. I know that’s not the same for everyone and everyone should do what makes the most sense for them. But I agree with everything you said! I will never pack my lunch.
I have sushi lunch every Wednesday with four older gentleman. We order green tea, water, and a few rolls. But the purpose of the lunch is to get these gents out of the house, away from the couch and TV, for socialization. As for TV, my wife and I dropped NetFlix and mostly read books now as TV s all ads and drivel now. I much prefer books.
In every trip I buy one souvenir and that is a Christmas bauble. That way every year I decorate the tree I have memories, new and old and then they go away and no clutter.
We do this as well! It’s fun to remember our trips as we decorate the tree.
The souvenirs my family brings home are mustard or hot sauce from we visit. We can remember the trip, flavor a dish, and when it is gone we aren’t storing or dusting anything.
These 7 lose lose habits are all awesome!
Years ago I gave up tv, in the 90s and social media wasn’t around, it changed my life for the better and had a profound snow ball effect. … I learned new skills and had time to interact with my children. It changed my mindset in many areas of my life. Even today, watching anything online is limited as well as social media. Not to mention all the money I saved not having to pay a cable bill all those years. It honestly was the best decision I ever made.
This is a great list! Thank you.
However, if you live in a third world country (which I do) or are visiting another country, ordering drinks at a restaurant is necessary. If they have bottled water it costs the same as a soda. Sometimes Coca-Cola is the safest, most healthy choice. Do not drink any “free” water. That could come with a nice dose of amoebas!
I really agree about soda drinks or coffees. I used to drink coffee in my job place at least 2 or 3 times per day. I realized that I was spending near 100 euros every month. I would can pay a family holidays with that money. From then I take my coffe or tea from house in a warmer thermo.
That is a great addition to the list.
Agreed . Love these recommendations.
I agree with them all except lunch! Our family opts to eat out for lunch instead of dinner since it’s smaller portions and lower costs. But it’s for planned outings and budgeted, so that helps!
As a retiree, my retiree friends and I enjoy eating out for lunch for the same reasons!
That was my wife’s same response when I told her about the list. I told her I was speaking more of people who eat out at work for lunch as opposed to taking their own.
When I travel, my “souvenirs” are mostly foods and beverages that I can’t find where I live, and I usually consume them before I return home, so they’re practical and don’t take up space in my luggage. I also like to go to grocery stores to buy food for meals rather than go to restaurants for every meal.
I read but also love lots of YouTube & Netflix. As long as what you do is time well spent & enjoyed by you, do it!