Who else is spending a lot on groceries, entertainment and dining out?

[DawgMan]

As I mentioned in a another recent post, part of my retirement transition plan in 2020 was to take the governor off spending to see how we might spend money without a "budget". While we don't technically budget, I still track overall spending by certain categories. Three of the categories I somewhat merge together are groceries, entertainment, and liquor store. We do like to go out to dinner, but it's not like we hit steakhouses every night. We also do some entertaining, but generally are drinking $20 bottles of wine. Three of my 4 kids (all grown/out of the house) live nearby so dinner can include more than just DW and me. All that said, it looks like we have spent around $40K here so far this year! Man, that feels like a lot to me!! As mentioned, while there have been some special (i.e. more expensive) occasions lumped in here from time to time, I sure don't feel like I'm in complete BTD mode!

Am I on an island here or are some you spending this kind of dough on this stuff?

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

DW and I went out to dinner last night. Nothing fancy, mind you. When we finished our mediocre meal (a locally owned establishment that used to be pretty darn good) we got a bill for nearly $80 (no alcohol). We have figured out that it's pretty tough to have a GOOD, YUMMY meal (with a couple adult beverages) without dropping nearly $200. Going out to eat has gotten damn expensive and we aren't doing it nearly as much as we did a couple years ago.

December isn't quite over, but our monthly groceries (includes Costco and Wal Mart purchases) average is up by about $120 a month this year over 2019 and 2020 averages (which was almost the exact spend, oddly enough). So yes, it's gotten quite a bit more expensive.

 

[Sojourner]

All that said, it looks like we have spent around $40K here so far this year! Man, that feels like a lot to me!!

Are you saying you've spent $40k in 2021 on groceries, entertainment, and liquor? IMHO, that seems like an extravagant amount unless "entertainment" includes things like vacations/traveling. Could you provide a more detailed breakdown of how much you spent on each subcategory (groceries, alcohol, dining out, movies, concerts, other entertainment)?

 

[REWahoo]

Am I on an island here...

Yep, a very remote island far, far from the shipping lanes I travel.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

Groceries yes, good quality groceries that is. After eating out virtually every day and evening of my wo$king life, I am not a fan of restaurants, especially with today's hygiene issues.

Nothing beats a good home cooked meal with quality ingredients, and a good bottle of wine.

We do eat out on odd occasions and as mentioned before one typically gets mediocre meals these days as restaurants focus more on profits as opposed than quality.

 

[OldShooter]

$120/day? I don't think I have the stamina to spend that much.

I don't have an easy way to come up with our number but I'd guess it at less than half that amount, including plenty of wine at home and dining out maybe once a week. But hey, if $120 works for you I don't know why anyone else should care.

 

[skyking1]

Not retired, so take it with a block of salt but we spend about that much all year for The normal items including insurances. Yes you are on an island!

 

[DawgMan]

Are you saying you've spent $40k in 2021 on groceries, entertainment, and liquor? IMHO, that seems like an extravagant amount unless "entertainment" includes things like vacations/traveling. Could you provide a more detailed breakdown of how much you spent on each subcategory (groceries, alcohol, dining out, movies, concerts, other entertainment)?

Well, here is what goes in the 3 different buckets...

Groceries: pretty much what you would think... Publix/Costco/Trader Joes/Whole Foods/local butcher (no beer/wine/liquor). This could be for just wife and I, include the kids over for dinner, or entertaining (i.e. dinner party)... about $19K (vs. a budget of $13.2K)

Liquor: Booze/Beer/Wine bought for the house. Most wine is under $25/bottle and other than an occasional top shelf liquor, most of it is at a very reasonable price point. Again, when entertaining, this number goes up from time to time... about $5K (in-line with budget)

Entertainment: Dinners out, concerts/shows (no travel), again, a few bigger pops in there when say taking a family of 6 out for a celebratory dinner... about $16K (vs a budget of $12K)

My travel expense was big this year as well coming in around $37K

I've noted in the past I anticipate having a bigger annual spend than probably most here, but I was more curious how out of whack my grocery/liquor/entertainment was running. We definitely entertain (at home and out to dinner) more than probably most. I might need to have the wife cut a few coupons!

 

[Ncc1701]

As much as I'd like to support waiters and waitresses, I can no longer justify spending $30-40 on a tip every time we eat out. I mostly do take out orders now with a nominal tip. If we want that "eating out" experience, we'll take the food to the food court in the mall and eat it there.

 

[Aerides]

If I were ignoring prices, and cooking near-gourmet every night, and often entertaining multiple other adults in my home, and dining out more than once a week, I could see how expenses could get high. $40k is super high, but, still, if that included a lot of prime steak and high end seafood, good wine, not impossible.

I host thanksgiving for typically just 6 of us, and that meal, including a charcuterie to start, multiple wines, can easily run me $300. It's too exhausting to do often though!

But if you're having your adult kids over and putting out a spread, a few times a week, there are far worse ways to spend ones money.

 

[RetiredHappy]

As long as you can afford it, just not worry about it. Our spending is a little embarrassing to post. Lunch at restaurants every day - bills range between $40 to $120 depending on where we go. Dinner out once a week - $150 to $250. Sometimes we take friends out and we are staring at a $400 bill. We host dinners a couple of times a month. We only shop the best cuts of meat and buy organic produce as much as we can. We vacation 3 months a year, and golf if we are travelling on land. Country club membership and golf alot. We just go with a ballpark on our annual expenses.

 

[DawgMan]

If I were ignoring prices, and cooking near-gourmet every night, and often entertaining multiple other adults in my home, and dining out more than once a week, I could see how expenses could get high. $40k is super high, but, still, if that included a lot of prime steak and high end seafood, good wine, not impossible.

I host thanksgiving for typically just 6 of us, and that meal, including a charcuterie to start, multiple wines, can easily run me $300. It's too exhausting to do often though!

But if you're having your adult kids over and putting out a spread, a few times a week, there are far worse ways to spend ones money.

I feel it's definitely high, especially our grocery bill. DW does most of the grocery shopping so I may need to reapply the governor there. I am guilty of perhaps picking up a few more tabs than I should out at dinner. Part of this little experiment this year was too see what would happen without a budget and now I know! I wanted to see how completely out of whack we were and you all have so far confirmed it!

 

[DawgMan]

As long as you can afford it, just not worry about it. Our spending is a little embarrassing to post. Lunch at restaurants every day - bills range between $40 to $120 depending on where we go. Dinner out once a week - $150 to $250. Sometimes we take friends out and we are staring at a $400 bill. We host dinners a couple of times a month. We only shop the best cuts of meat and buy organic produce as much as we can. We vacation 3 months a year, and golf if we are travelling on land. Country club membership and golf alot. We just go with a ballpark on our annual expenses.

Well there you go... I'm not alone after all!

 

[tb001]

Not alone. We’re not at that level of spend but if we didn’t have young kids/Covid, our budget would be higher than it is now. I think our food budget, which includes restaurants, Costco, etc… is around 24k. I’ve been working on shaving it down, but when left to drift, up it goes.

 

[Koolau]

Yep, a very remote island far, far from the shipping lanes I travel.

Yeah, I'm on an actual Island and do not spend in that neighborhood. (By the way, I don't criticize anyone else's spending.)

Yesterday, We took our local friends to Old Spaghetti Factory. With tip (generous) I dropped $130 for 5 people. A great meal, quality food, excellent service. I loved it - especially the spumoni ice cream at the end. I won't drop that much on a meal for at least a month. Each to his own and YMMV as always.

 

[Aerides]

I wanted to see how completely out of whack we were and you all have so far confirmed it!

Curtailing ones spending to meet the expectations of others is as silly as overspending to keep up with the Joneses. If you can afford it and it doesn't hurt, go for it! I'll bet you had more fun, enjoyed your family, and helped support lots of restaurants.

 

[NW-Bound]

We cannot eat and drink that much. My wife eats so little. I would die if I ate more.

Just last weekend, we had our children over for dinner. Only the males, myself, my son and my son-in-law could finish the 1-lb prime steak from Costco. The women each did 1/2 of the steaks. We shared the 1-lb of Japanese A5 Wagyu as appetizer.

After that dinner, I went on no-meat meals the next day. Told myself never again a 1-lb steak. Too much of a good thing. My wife said, "I told ya".

Nope. Can't eat or drink that much anymore.

And going out to restaurants can be fun if done sparingly. We cannot go out each day, even if someone else offers to pay for it. It would quickly become a chore.

 

[tmm99]

Like others have said, why worry if you can afford it?

 

[RobbieB]

I'm not worried in the least. The freezer has 4 SRF tenderloins, 4 pounds of King Crab center legs, 2 (14 oz) lobster tails and a pound of bluefin tuna.

And 12 ounces of caviar will be arriving tomorrow -

 

[Retch The Grate]

Doesn't seem out of line to me, we are in the bay area, cook a lot, and spend $200-300 a week on groceries, eating out or ordering delivery can easily. be another $100-300 a week, recreational chemicals used to be more expensive but DW had to give up alcohol, but that still can cost $2500 a year, which is $25k a year, not including occasional big expenses like throwing big parties (4-6 a year at about $800 each when the pandemic isn't happening), Michelin starred outings, concerts, etc. which probably put us at $30k, and my FIRE budget is set at $40k for that category to avoid any compromising.

 

[Starsky]

If you have a big family, entertain a lot, and like to pay for everything, $40K isn't that much, especially now, when everything is pricier post-COVID.

If you're talking about Michelin outings, you obviously aren't on a budget; so $40K is really a pittance. Why be such a tightwad, Dad?

 

[skyking1]

I'm not worried in the least. The freezer has 4 SRF tenderloins, 4 pounds of King Crab center legs, 2 (14 oz) lobster tails and a pound of bluefin tuna.

And 12 ounces of caviar will be arriving tomorrow -

whew, that sounded a little light for you, Robbie. Good thing there is a shipment inbound.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

As I mentioned in a another recent post, part of my retirement transition plan in 2020 was to take the governor off spending to see how we might spend money without a "budget". While we don't technically budget, I still track overall spending by certain categories. Three of the categories I somewhat merge together are groceries, entertainment, and liquor store. We do like to go out to dinner, but it's not like we hit steakhouses every night. We also do some entertaining, but generally are drinking $20 bottles of wine. Three of my 4 kids (all grown/out of the house) live nearby so dinner can include more than just DW and me. All that said, it looks like we have spent around $40K here so far this year! Man, that feels like a lot to me!! As mentioned, while there have been some special (i.e. more expensive) occasions lumped in here from time to time, I sure don't feel like I'm in complete BTD mode!

Am I on an island here or are some you spending this kind of dough on this stuff?

We used to spend that much. Then we compared our spending to the Consumer Expenditure Survey and that was a wake up call for us to reign in our spending in some categories, especially groceries. We've been optimizing expenses ever since. The 80/20 for groceries for us was simply changing where we shop. Our neighborhood has gotten pricey over the years so we realized just changing where we shop can save 2/3 off the grocery budget. We still shop at Whole Foods, but I do that last. We go to a couple of less expensive stores first and often can get the same items as WF for a much lower cost. I've upped our spending to around $6K now on groceries a year, but that used to cost $18K for the same foods. A little extra effort is worth it to me to save $12K a year on food.

We don't drink a lot and what we do buy we get at Grocery Outlet. The ones near us have a lot of overstock wines from many of the Napa and Sonoma wineries at good prices.

For entertainment we buy a lot of annual passes, seat filler memberships, college event tickets, winery passports on Groupon, etc. so we can go to museums, plays and concerts a few times a week (pre-Covid) and it doesn't cost too much out of pocket. We do spend more when our kids are visiting on restaurants and entertainment or when we go out with friends or attend club events. Otherwise we're cheap dates. A college symphony, a Broadway touring play on free seat filler tickets or wine tasting with a passport bought during a Groupon sales are really fun outings for us.

 

[W2R]

I don't think I am spending any more than usual on groceries, entertainment, and dining out. That is partly because I'm still recovering and tending to rest more than exercise. So, I haven't been eating much lately. I haven't resumed cooking of anything more complex than a sandwich. Sometimes we just warm up some soup, or get take-out.

As for entertainment, there really isn't as much going on as there once was. Several local seasonal/holiday events have been cancelled.

Really, we hardly leave our house(s) these days. F quit his "fun retirement job" when it became less fun. We have slipped a little farther back into Introvert mode, I suppose. But, we're happy. Thank goodness we live next door to each other.

 

[Sojourner]

While we don't technically budget, I still track overall spending by certain categories. Three of the categories I somewhat merge together are groceries, entertainment, and liquor store.
...
All that said, it looks like we have spent around $40K here so far this year! Man, that feels like a lot to me!!

Even though $40k seems like a lot to me, too, it could be a lot or a little, depending on your overall SWR. If FIRECalc says you can safely spend $200k/year, then $40k for entertainment, dining out, groceries, and liquor seems reasonable. But if your annual safe spend is only $90k/year, well that's a different story. It still might be fine, though, if you are being frugal in other areas to keep your overall spending in the "safe" zone.

What percentage of your annual safe spend does this $40k represent?