Do You Like the Fast or the Food? Things That Break the Budget and How to Avoid Them

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I’m beginning a new series on Thursdays called Items That Can Break the Budget and How to Avoid Them.

You’re in a rush because you didn’t have a menu plan, or life just happened. You decide to get fast food for dinner.  Stop and ask yourself: Am I  getting fast food because it’s fast or because I like the food?  If you’re going for the food, then by all means indulge yourself with your favorite meal.  But if you’re going there because it’s fast, you should be treating that meal as economically as you treat any meal that you prepare in your kitchen at home. Better yet, bring some additional food from home or go through the drive through so you can supplement at home. 


Most fast food restaurants offer a dollar or value menu where you can feed your family very economically.  

For a family of 4 to eat at McDonald’s (because it’s fast) I’d recommend:
4 McDoubles or McChickens at $1 each = $4
2 Large Fries @ $1.76 each = 3.38
2-4 bananas from home @ .40-.80 (or slice apples at home since McDonald’s serves sliced apples)
drink water 

Total cost for a fast food night is about $8 for 4 people.  That sure beats $20 when everyone gets a meal. In essence if you bought 4 meals you’d be paying about $12 to get your family 4 sodas.  IMO not worth it!

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Comments

  1. Back to commenting on blogs – will try FB in a minute, but I seem to have messed up my profile page.

    Anyway…I love this! Although, we still couldn’t eat for $8.00 with my two teens and husband, we could still eat less if we had an attitude of “to hold us over” until we get home!

    Thanks again for all of your help.

  2. Exactly! It’s unfortunate most places only allow 1 coupon per order, so you have to go in & order & pay separately to use multiples. We like to do Sonic’s 1/2 price burger night, or get Arby’s with coupons for adults & off value menu for kids. Pre-teen boys need 1.5 value sandwiches each now. Always comes out of the small eat-out budget allotment!

  3. Very helpful. I’m trying hard to nix the fast food eating all together, but it’s not easy. I’m hopping through from the Alexa hop and following you on GFC.

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