Now if you have an eight person family you already know the importance of this compounding. I wanted to show an actual numerical value and encourage people to push for these goals of saving <$#> a day.
Some people would also argue that the quality of food can suffer if you cheap it out, but for some people I would disagree.
For some it is easier, you plan on having a $50 meal twice a month? Make it into 1 $40 meal a month and you’ve saved $60 a month (or $2 a day each). For others it might be harder, but it is almost always do-able. You add a pasta or pancake night to your rotation (something dirt cheap), you remove soda from your grocery store list, or you stretch food. There are literally 1000’s of ways to reduce your budget by $2 a day per person.
These savings are about actively deciding to fore-go something you would have normally partaken. You are consciously going without. If you say “I *could* have gone (but had no actual intention of going) to a $100 restaurant, but I am eating at a restaurant that only costs $40 instead”, you didn’t actively save anything. You need to be saying something like “I would have joined my friends/family/girlfriend/boyfriend/etc to go to the $40 restaurant, but I am trying to cut back – I will stay in tonight.”
Maybe you decision is actually to skip that coffee in the morning, pack your lunch, or forego a dessert or a soft drink at a restaurant. Just remember it doesn’t have to actually be $2 a day per person – it just has to average out to be $2 a day per person. You could have one day where you make a big decide that saves you $16 for your family of 4 and the next day you save $0 – you are still averaging $2 per person per day between those two days (16 / 2 = 8 / 4 = $2.)
Push your grocery and dining out budget, make a conscious decision to give up something and be rewarded in the long-term. Might even lose weight as an add bonus to some.
Disclaimer: Always consult a medical professional for any diet adjustments. This article is not to advising to eat lower quantities or qualities of food. Be safe.