Author Topic: Eating at restaurants cheaper then cooking at home?  (Read 22059 times)

mm1970

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Re: Eating at restaurants cheaper then cooking at home?
« Reply #50 on: September 24, 2015, 12:22:35 PM »
You should probably live in one of these:
I was going to go with a "tiny house"...

NeverLost

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Re: Eating at restaurants cheaper then cooking at home?
« Reply #51 on: September 24, 2015, 12:28:35 PM »
The other thing I don't understand is your basic unhappiness if you were to do this.  You initial post stated that you really enjoy eating "good food".  I do as well, which is why I struggle each month with my grocery budget.  However sustaining myself and my family on Subway, granola bars and cheap sushi sounds like HELL. Subway is the opposite of "good food" and I feel that you are totally wrong in saying you will be able to find inexpensive, healthy options when your example was taco Tuesday and happy hour bar menus.  9 times out of 10, eating out is less healthy then making real food at home.

Telecaster

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Re: Eating at restaurants cheaper then cooking at home?
« Reply #52 on: September 24, 2015, 12:52:32 PM »

This exactly.  My very general observation (where n=my friends and acquaintances) has yielded Spork's Kitchen Anomaly, which states: The amount of money spent on a kitchen is inversely proportional to the amount of actual cooking that takes place there.

I read some where that the people who get the  fancy kitchen remodels do so because they envision themselves cooking fancy meals in the fancy kitchen one day.   "As soon as a get a fancy kitchen, I'll want to cook fancy meals" sort of thing. 



I live in a nice 2400sqft home with no certificate of occupancy.  It never bothered me.  (But it does have a kitchen.)  CoO's are really just for lenders (to make sure they're loaning money on a house that meets code) and for code authorities.  I live in the country and paid cash and didn't require either of those.
[/quote]

My house doesn't have one either.  The city didn't issue them back when my house was built.   The OP was saying the county might permit the conversion to a multi-family.   Without a kitchen, it is unlikely they would issue such a permit.   

Kaplin261

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Re: Eating at restaurants cheaper then cooking at home?
« Reply #53 on: September 24, 2015, 02:09:01 PM »
The other thing I don't understand is your basic unhappiness if you were to do this.  You initial post stated that you really enjoy eating "good food".  I do as well, which is why I struggle each month with my grocery budget.  However sustaining myself and my family on Subway, granola bars and cheap sushi sounds like HELL. Subway is the opposite of "good food" and I feel that you are totally wrong in saying you will be able to find inexpensive, healthy options when your example was taco Tuesday and happy hour bar menus.  9 times out of 10, eating out is less healthy then making real food at home.

I agree with you, the choices I listed were quick ones that I could think of.

Quote
Perhaps, but it isn't necessary, especially for the sub-divided 2 bedroom duplex you are talking about.
The estimates you are giving are way out of proportion.  Awesome kitchens can be designed in under 100sqft with an eating space, which would fit better in a 2 bedroom duplex.
I agree 300 SQFT for a kitchen + room for a small table and 4 chairs in a small duplex is over shooting. 150 SQFT is probably a more realistic number. 150 sqft that could be used on the rental side to make that 2br a 3br making the rent go up a additional $400

justajane

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Re: Eating at restaurants cheaper then cooking at home?
« Reply #54 on: September 24, 2015, 02:20:54 PM »
OP - is this discussion purely academic or are you really and truly thinking of doing this?

Kaspian

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Re: Eating at restaurants cheaper then cooking at home?
« Reply #55 on: September 24, 2015, 02:21:13 PM »
A lot of the homes in the area are dated and need kitchen remodels or expansions to meet our needs.

...$30k for a complete kitchen remodel plus the cost of 150 sqft dedicated for cooking


^^This is a modern delusion created by HGTV house porn.  I grew up in a 70s kitchen.  There's nothing wrong with them.  And why is there always a rush to get a new house and then immediately smash a room to pieces? 

stlbrah

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Re: Eating at restaurants cheaper then cooking at home?
« Reply #56 on: September 24, 2015, 04:26:37 PM »
People at my work say that all the time. Then in the afternoon they are moaning in pain from diarrhea from the crap they ate for lunch. You're paying for it in one way or another.

Jeremy E.

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Re: Eating at restaurants cheaper then cooking at home?
« Reply #57 on: September 24, 2015, 04:49:04 PM »
I think this should be in antimustachian wall of shame and comedy

Daisy

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Re: Eating at restaurants cheaper then cooking at home?
« Reply #58 on: September 24, 2015, 10:02:20 PM »
A lot of the homes in the area are dated and need kitchen remodels or expansions to meet our needs.

...$30k for a complete kitchen remodel plus the cost of 150 sqft dedicated for cooking


^^This is a modern delusion created by HGTV house porn.  I grew up in a 70s kitchen.  There's nothing wrong with them.  And why is there always a rush to get a new house and then immediately smash a room to pieces?

+1!!!

Why does every kitchen now have to have granite countertops and stainless steel appliances? They are all carbon copies of each other and not very original.

I recently sold a house I had been living in for about 10 years. The kitchen was nice, I had replaced the appliances recently, but everything was white. It was clean and functional. My realtor said people looking at the house were complaining because they'd have to spend $100k to fix up the kitchen and bathrooms. I was like WTF!!! The kitchen and bathrooms were in excellent condition, but I guess they were "dated". The guy that ended up buying the place told me he really liked the kitchen...that he bought the house since everything was in great condition...so that made my realtor go quiet. She had wanted me to reduce the asking price due to the "dated" kitchen and bathrooms.

A friend was looking to buy a condo at a good price, but then complained that they would have to spend money to modernize the kitchen. I wondered if the kitchen was really non-operational or whether it was just "dated". Sad because they don't make a lot of money. I can find many other things to spend money on than updating to a granite countertop and stainless steel appliance kitchen that you find in every home now.

justajane

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Re: Eating at restaurants cheaper then cooking at home?
« Reply #59 on: September 25, 2015, 06:36:30 AM »
I recently sold a house I had been living in for about 10 years. The kitchen was nice, I had replaced the appliances recently, but everything was white. It was clean and functional. My realtor said people looking at the house were complaining because they'd have to spend $100k to fix up the kitchen and bathrooms. I was like WTF!!! The kitchen and bathrooms were in excellent condition, but I guess they were "dated". The guy that ended up buying the place told me he really liked the kitchen...that he bought the house since everything was in great condition...so that made my realtor go quiet. She had wanted me to reduce the asking price due to the "dated" kitchen and bathrooms.

A friend was looking to buy a condo at a good price, but then complained that they would have to spend money to modernize the kitchen. I wondered if the kitchen was really non-operational or whether it was just "dated". Sad because they don't make a lot of money. I can find many other things to spend money on than updating to a granite countertop and stainless steel appliance kitchen that you find in every home now.

As a first time home buyer, I have to admit I fell prey to this mindset. The kitchen in the house we bought and still live in was "dated" in the sense that the cabinets are that cheap white MDF and the countertops are a black speckled laminate. I definitely marked it as a downside of the home and something I wanted to change. But the longer I've worked in the kitchen, I've thought - who cares? The MDF cabinets are easy to clean, as is the countertop, and if I redid the kitchen, I would likely go with the same white/black theme to match the style of the bungalow home. So why drop all that money on all that when the kitchen is actually perfectly functional and not even that aesthetically unpleasing?

I'm never cooking in there and think, "My food would taste oh-so-much-better and my experience cooking would be oh-so-much-happier if I had a newer kitchen." It just doesn't happen. I have the perfect kitchen work triangle. Really layout rather than aesthetics is what matters. If you have a kitchen that needs to be redesigned because the fridge is super far away or right next to the stove or something else annoying, then redo. But I've seen new kitchens with granite countertops that are a horrible design.

We are about to redo our dated bathroom not because the fixtures are that bad but rather because the original 1920s stack and plumbing are failing. Oh, and the floor slopes so much that the water doesn't drain and the toilet isn't level. These are reasons to redo a bathroom - not because the tile is coral, although in hindsight I do want to kick people who didn't choose neutral colors. But often people remodel to things that will look terrible in 10-20 years - vessel sinks, anyone?

Spork

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Re: Eating at restaurants cheaper then cooking at home?
« Reply #60 on: September 25, 2015, 09:52:11 AM »

I firmly believe that stainless steel appliances are this decade's version of "harvest gold appliances" and pink or turquoise tile bathrooms.  People will be pointing and giggling at them.  And white appliances will still be okay.

And those out-of-style laminate counters are cheap... and last forever.  I believe we did our entire kitchen and laundry room in "high end" laminate (I use that term loosely) for $300.  My parents' 1964 house has the original laminates and ... they still look mighty good.

nereo

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Re: Eating at restaurants cheaper then cooking at home?
« Reply #61 on: September 25, 2015, 10:27:42 AM »

I firmly believe that stainless steel appliances are this decade's version of "harvest gold appliances" and pink or turquoise tile bathrooms.  People will be pointing and giggling at them.  And white appliances will still be okay.

And those out-of-style laminate counters are cheap... and last forever.  I believe we did our entire kitchen and laundry room in "high end" laminate (I use that term loosely) for $300.  My parents' 1964 house has the original laminates and ... they still look mighty good.

Yup- pretty sure both SS appliances and granite countertops are already "out" for those who really want their kitchen to be in fashion. 

4alpacas

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Re: Eating at restaurants cheaper then cooking at home?
« Reply #62 on: September 25, 2015, 11:13:43 AM »

I firmly believe that stainless steel appliances are this decade's version of "harvest gold appliances" and pink or turquoise tile bathrooms.  People will be pointing and giggling at them.  And white appliances will still be okay.

And those out-of-style laminate counters are cheap... and last forever.  I believe we did our entire kitchen and laundry room in "high end" laminate (I use that term loosely) for $300.  My parents' 1964 house has the original laminates and ... they still look mighty good.

Yup- pretty sure both SS appliances and granite countertops are already "out" for those who really want their kitchen to be in fashion.
Are avocado-colored appliances the new trend?

bacchi

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Re: Eating at restaurants cheaper then cooking at home?
« Reply #63 on: September 25, 2015, 11:30:31 AM »
People still use dining rooms? A small table works fine for food and laptops and bills.

Eric

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Re: Eating at restaurants cheaper then cooking at home?
« Reply #64 on: September 25, 2015, 11:36:51 AM »

I firmly believe that stainless steel appliances are this decade's version of "harvest gold appliances" and pink or turquoise tile bathrooms.  People will be pointing and giggling at them.  And white appliances will still be okay.

And those out-of-style laminate counters are cheap... and last forever.  I believe we did our entire kitchen and laundry room in "high end" laminate (I use that term loosely) for $300.  My parents' 1964 house has the original laminates and ... they still look mighty good.

Yup- pretty sure both SS appliances and granite countertops are already "out" for those who really want their kitchen to be in fashion.
Are avocado-colored appliances the new trend?

Please say yes!  Anyone who knows?

4alpacas

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Re: Eating at restaurants cheaper then cooking at home?
« Reply #65 on: September 25, 2015, 11:43:37 AM »

I firmly believe that stainless steel appliances are this decade's version of "harvest gold appliances" and pink or turquoise tile bathrooms.  People will be pointing and giggling at them.  And white appliances will still be okay.

And those out-of-style laminate counters are cheap... and last forever.  I believe we did our entire kitchen and laundry room in "high end" laminate (I use that term loosely) for $300.  My parents' 1964 house has the original laminates and ... they still look mighty good.

Yup- pretty sure both SS appliances and granite countertops are already "out" for those who really want their kitchen to be in fashion.
Are avocado-colored appliances the new trend?

Please say yes!  Anyone who knows?
#4 of the 17 kitchen trends listed on HGTV (http://www.hgtv.com/design/rooms/kitchens/17-top-kitchen-design-trends-pictures)


Like kitchen cabinets, sinks are trending away from basic white or stainless steel. This eye-catching green apron-front sink by Kohler was designed by tastemaker Jonathan Adler. A colorful sink is a great way to pop in a small amount of color in a neutral kitchen or make it more of a focal point by using the same hue in the backsplash.

Eric

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Re: Eating at restaurants cheaper then cooking at home?
« Reply #66 on: September 25, 2015, 11:55:59 AM »
If they're trendy now, I'm excited that I'll get to rent a place with an avocado kitchen in ~20 years.  I had a ridiculously pink bathroom a few years ago, but it's not the same.  :)

zolotiyeruki

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Re: Eating at restaurants cheaper then cooking at home?
« Reply #67 on: September 25, 2015, 02:58:49 PM »
#4 of the 17 kitchen trends listed on HGTV (http://www.hgtv.com/design/rooms/kitchens/17-top-kitchen-design-trends-pictures)
...

Like kitchen cabinets, sinks are trending away from basic white or stainless steel. This eye-catching green apron-front sink by Kohler was designed by tastemaker Jonathan Adler. A colorful sink is a great way to pop in a small amount of color in a neutral kitchen or make it more of a focal point by using the same hue in the backsplash.
*barf*

Avocado?  Are you kidding me?  This is a joke, right? Please tell me this is a joke.  Do the marketing guys at these companies seriously sit around a table and brainstorm ideas about "how can we get people to throw away their perfectly functional, visually appealing kitchen stuff and buy new stuff?

sol

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Re: Eating at restaurants cheaper then cooking at home?
« Reply #68 on: September 25, 2015, 03:21:34 PM »
Do the marketing guys at these companies seriously sit around a table and brainstorm ideas about "how can we get people to throw away their perfectly functional, visually appealing kitchen stuff and buy new stuff?

Um, yes?  This is exactly what they do, in a literal sense.  That's the whole point of marketing teams. In any industry.

Spork

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Re: Eating at restaurants cheaper then cooking at home?
« Reply #69 on: September 25, 2015, 03:33:22 PM »
Do the marketing guys at these companies seriously sit around a table and brainstorm ideas about "how can we get people to throw away their perfectly functional, visually appealing kitchen stuff and buy new stuff?

Um, yes?  This is exactly what they do, in a literal sense.  That's the whole point of marketing teams. In any industry.

Yes, I was wondering why the question was so specific to kitchen stuff.  Throwing out functional stuff is pretty much the point.  Look at the whole fashion industry.  While I still wear last year's bought-on-sale blue jeans... every one else's pants are no longer trendy (and "not functional").

And just like fashion, everything that goes out of fashion comes back.  There seems to be a 50s flashback trend going on.  Wifey has been into that era for pretty much as long as I have known her, making her suddenly (and momentarily) trendy.

Eric

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Re: Eating at restaurants cheaper then cooking at home?
« Reply #70 on: September 25, 2015, 03:38:32 PM »
#4 of the 17 kitchen trends listed on HGTV (http://www.hgtv.com/design/rooms/kitchens/17-top-kitchen-design-trends-pictures)
...

Like kitchen cabinets, sinks are trending away from basic white or stainless steel. This eye-catching green apron-front sink by Kohler was designed by tastemaker Jonathan Adler. A colorful sink is a great way to pop in a small amount of color in a neutral kitchen or make it more of a focal point by using the same hue in the backsplash.
*barf*

Avocado?  Are you kidding me?  This is a joke, right? Please tell me this is a joke.

Hey man!  It's rude to barf at others preferences, especially when that other is me.

sheepstache

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Re: Eating at restaurants cheaper then cooking at home?
« Reply #71 on: September 25, 2015, 03:55:33 PM »
#4 of the 17 kitchen trends listed on HGTV (http://www.hgtv.com/design/rooms/kitchens/17-top-kitchen-design-trends-pictures)
...

Like kitchen cabinets, sinks are trending away from basic white or stainless steel. This eye-catching green apron-front sink by Kohler was designed by tastemaker Jonathan Adler. A colorful sink is a great way to pop in a small amount of color in a neutral kitchen or make it more of a focal point by using the same hue in the backsplash.
*barf*

Avocado?  Are you kidding me?  This is a joke, right? Please tell me this is a joke.

Hey man!  It's rude to barf at others preferences, especially when that other is me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWoWHzq21tA

Eric

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Re: Eating at restaurants cheaper then cooking at home?
« Reply #72 on: September 25, 2015, 05:26:26 PM »
#4 of the 17 kitchen trends listed on HGTV (http://www.hgtv.com/design/rooms/kitchens/17-top-kitchen-design-trends-pictures)
...

Like kitchen cabinets, sinks are trending away from basic white or stainless steel. This eye-catching green apron-front sink by Kohler was designed by tastemaker Jonathan Adler. A colorful sink is a great way to pop in a small amount of color in a neutral kitchen or make it more of a focal point by using the same hue in the backsplash.
*barf*

Avocado?  Are you kidding me?  This is a joke, right? Please tell me this is a joke.

Hey man!  It's rude to barf at others preferences, especially when that other is me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWoWHzq21tA

Wow.  Gold!  I'm crying over here.

Pinch of salt

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Re: Eating at restaurants cheaper then cooking at home?
« Reply #73 on: September 25, 2015, 06:41:34 PM »
I realise this is just a hypothetical situation (or so I wish), but if you're serious about this, my main concern is what you are teaching you child. Or actually that you are not teaching your child to cook or use appliances, instead that eating out is the norm. My two cents.

nereo

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Re: Eating at restaurants cheaper then cooking at home?
« Reply #74 on: September 25, 2015, 08:17:47 PM »
I now have a strange urge to run out and:

1)  Buy a big old truck; and
2)  Fill it with as many avocado and harvest gold colored kitchen appliances and fixtures as I can locate in a 100 mile radius; and
3)  Set up an Ebay store and watch the bucks roll in as all those people who ripped out their 1970s kitchens in the past two decades come crawling back to restore the glory of the disco era.

You could absolutely make money doing this (and other people do exactly this).  "Retro-chic" and "restored" and all that.

Quote
If they're trendy now, I'm excited that I'll get to rent a place with an avocado kitchen in ~20 years.  I had a ridiculously pink bathroom a few years ago, but it's not the same.  :)
@ Eric - did it have the pepto-bismol pink toilet too? Because I think you and I may have had the exact same toilet.  Or color.  EVery single person who walked into my bathroom burst out laughing.  The polite/shy ones waited until the door closed, but they still laughed.

Eric

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Re: Eating at restaurants cheaper then cooking at home?
« Reply #75 on: September 25, 2015, 09:05:15 PM »
@ Eric - did it have the pepto-bismol pink toilet too? Because I think you and I may have had the exact same toilet.  Or color.  EVery single person who walked into my bathroom burst out laughing.  The polite/shy ones waited until the door closed, but they still laughed.

Tub, toilet, countertop, sink, everything.  Truly one of a kind. (or so I thought!)

4alpacas

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Re: Eating at restaurants cheaper then cooking at home?
« Reply #76 on: September 25, 2015, 10:26:41 PM »
@ Eric - did it have the pepto-bismol pink toilet too? Because I think you and I may have had the exact same toilet.  Or color.  EVery single person who walked into my bathroom burst out laughing.  The polite/shy ones waited until the door closed, but they still laughed.

Tub, toilet, countertop, sink, everything.  Truly one of a kind. (or so I thought!)
http://savethepinkbathrooms.com/