Is $100 a significant amount, a lot for you? A threshold?

[Timeshare Von]

We're retired so income is pretty much fixed. Years ago I adopted a rule - if you're going out to eat, do not look at the right side (cost) of the menu. If you want to save money, stay home. If you go out, enjoy it! Don't worry about the cost. Still use that principle 30+ years later. Works for us.

Very true! And lately, I'm realizing more and more, the meals my hubby makes are 95% of the time much better than what we can get in restaurants. We more often than not, go out to give him a break from the kitchen (although he really does enjoy cooking) . . . or because there is a specialty item we have a hankering for, that he can't prepare without a lot of work.

I still do the Thanksgiving Day feast, as it is the one family tradition passed down that I want to keep in tact, even though it is now most just him & me.

 

[weems637]

Dinner for 4 at our favorite seafood restaurant near Destin, FL. Made the mistake of not asking the price for the fish of the day before deciding how it was to be cooked. Son followed suit, same fish, different method of cooking. Great dinner, enjoyed by all! Then the bill came in. Those two fish (grouper) dishes, at market price were $75 each! Glad we had already finished dessert before seeing the bill!

 

[rapmarks]

Very true! And lately, I'm realizing more and more, the meals my hubby makes are 95% of the time much better than what we can get in restaurants. We more often than not, go out to give him a break from the kitchen (although he really does enjoy cooking) . . . or because there is a specialty item we have a hankering for, that he can't prepare without a lot of work.

I still do the Thanksgiving Day feast, as it is the one family tradition passed down that I want to keep in tact, even though it is now most just him & me.

If I had someone to cook for me, I would be so happy.
I went out for that lobster roll at ravina Bay on lake delton and the lobster on the roll was less than half a cup, so don’t make the trip for that. Ravina Bay was famous as the place to dine and watch the Tommy Bartlett show for free, but that is gone now.

 

[Tia]

Dinner for 4 at our favorite seafood restaurant near Destin, FL. Made the mistake of not asking the price for the fish of the day before deciding how it was to be cooked. Son followed suit, same fish, different method of cooking. Great dinner, enjoyed by all! Then the bill came in. Those two fish (grouper) dishes, at market price were $75 each! Glad we had already finished dessert before seeing the bill!

I like when they tell you the price for the specials when they tell you about them. Hope the grouper size was big for the $75

 

[AdrienneMarcy]

It’s definitely whether it’s worth it to you or not. Whether you spend $100 on a dinner for two or for tickets to a show for $150 each ticket is a choice that you make— is this worth X amount of dollars for what I get in return? We typically bring prepared-at- home soups, frozen, and such, such as prepared pasta and sauce, frozen, to condos we stay at, through our timeshares we own or exchanged into. Plus our morning cereal, milk, etc. I am loathe to purchase coffee at any overpriced coffee shop, so the coffeemaker in the unit gets a workout. This week, the resort offered coffee all day in the lobby; if the coffee pot was empty they would happily make another pot. We would go to the lobby after 7 am and sit at a table and have coffee and chat with others as they got their cup of coffee. Priceless! We went for a walk along Main Street and had decided to go out for lunch. We looked at menus as we strolled along and window shopped, looking at art galleries, expensive shops, and such, before we decided on a restaurant to dine in. I know $20+ per entree is common now; even $30-40 per entree is not uncommon but we don’t make it a habit. We readily admit it; we’re thrifty. But we do the things we want to do (e.g. cruises, etc.) find the best prices we can for the trips that we want to take, and go along happily. Decide your boundaries and budget, and enjoy the ride!

 

[slip]

If I had someone to cook for me, I would be so happy.
I went out for that lobster roll at raving Bay on lake delton and the lobster on the foll was less than half a cup, so don’t make the trip for that. Ravi a Abay was famous as the place to dine and watch the Tommy Bartlett show for free, but that is gone now.

We used to go there at least twice a year whe. We only lived a couple miles from Ravina Bay. We always enjoyed going there.

 

[Mcguirejazz]

I have never spent $100 for dinner for my wife and myself including tax and tip. I am dismayed that sometimes we spent $20-25 each for dinner. One of our favorite local restaurants in Richmond, VA is El Pope. I don't think there is anything over $13 on the menu. I usually get the shrimp and crabmeat sopapilla with refried beans, Spanish rice and chips and salsa for about $13. I got a mixed drink there once called a Buenos Naches for about $5. It knocked me on my ass. I don't think it is $5 anymore.

 

[andre10056]

I have never spent $100 for dinner for my wife and myself including tax and tip. I am dismayed that sometimes we spent $20-25 each for dinner. One of our favorite local restaurants in Richmond, VA is El Pope. I don't think there is anything over $13 on the menu. I usually get the shrimp and crabmeat sopapilla with refried beans, Spanish rice and chips and salsa for about $13. I got a mixed drink there once called a Buenos Naches for about $5. It knocked me on my ass. I don't think it is $5 anymore.

One of my paragraphs in my post #29 above was as follows:

I've (we've) always thought that one should eat out at restaurants whenever there might be something you can't cook on your own. So I'm more inclined to eat out at Indian, Vietnamese, and Chinese places. I can't attain the same flavors as those ethnic restaurants. And it just so happens most of those ethnic restaurants are relatively inexpensive despite serving delicious food.

I left out Mexican although that's definitely one that I, like you, go to frequently. And, as you point out, at the right restaurant, the cost is quite reasonable for delicious food..

Those dang immigrants! Giving people good value for their money is un-American!

 

[isisdave]

I don't like to eat food that takes longer to prepare (excluding cooking time that doesn't require supervision, like in the oven) than to eat. Even Thanksgiving dinner, if you compare preparation time (I've done about 45, so I'm pretty good at it) to consumption time including leftovers, is pretty efficient. But some cuisines, like Mexican food, require prep and chopping of lots of ingredients, or supervision while cooking, so I'm happy to go where they chop 50 pounds of onions in the morning and enjoy the fruit of all that work.

 

[WinniWoman]

I see this thread as usual has delved into a catch all. Probably a good thing rather than so many individual threads.

I will never forget the first time we paid $15 for a Cheeseburger and fries. Had just got off a flight to LA for an overnight stay before flying to Maui. Was starved so we went into the hotel lobby and found the restaurant. Looked at the menu and about gagged when I saw the prices. Ended up ordering an over done piece of meat they called a burger. The good thing is it prepared us for sticker shock before we got to Maui. Told her I would never pay that again for a burger. That ended up being a lie as the going price in a decent restaurant can be more than that easily now.

Another recent from was yesterday. We went out looking for a new master bedroom set. The one we have is only slightly over 20 yrs old now but the boss wants something lighter. We were married in 1970 and furnished our whole townhouse including the second bedroom for around $500. A lot of money for a military family only bringing home $400 net mo income! The one place we went yesterday, not a high end shop, was almost $5000 for a king headboard, footboard, frame, 2 side tables, dresser w/o mirror and 2 chests. Talk about sticker shock. But, it didn’t really surprise us with inflation being what it is. Trying another store today but only to check styles since we know it will not be cheap but, we cannot take it with us so we will enjoy it while still here.

We need new furniture badly now. I was just starting to browse on line and can't believe the prices.

 

[b2bailey]

I have never spent $100 for dinner for my wife and myself including tax and tip. I am dismayed that sometimes we spent $20-25 each for dinner. One of our favorite local restaurants in Richmond, VA is El Pope. I don't think there is anything over $13 on the menu. I usually get the shrimp and crabmeat sopapilla with refried beans, Spanish rice and chips and salsa for about $13. I got a mixed drink there once called a Buenos Naches for about $5. It knocked me on my ass. I don't think it is $5 anymore.

I'd like to hear your wife's perspective on this.
Does she share your thriftiness?
Or does she call you a cheapskate?

 

[andre10056]

I don't like to eat food that takes longer to prepare (excluding cooking time that doesn't require supervision, like in the oven) than to eat. Even Thanksgiving dinner, if you compare preparation time (I've done about 45, so I'm pretty good at it) to consumption time including leftovers, is pretty efficient. But some cuisines, like Mexican food, require prep and chopping of lots of ingredients, or supervision while cooking, so I'm happy to go where they chop 50 pounds of onions in the morning and enjoy the fruit of all that work.

I agree.

One of my favorite restaurant meals is Vietnamese pho (the latter word pronounced in Vietnamese as "fuh", not "foe" so that if you see the name of a restaurant as "Pho Cue" or Pho King", it's an insiders' joke).

It is delicious beyond belief. It's a beef noodle soup with different cuts of beef like thin cuts of "rare steak" plus "tendon" plus "tripe" plus "brisket" plus "flank" (all of which may be served in a "combination" pho). The broth is amazing, so nuanced, so flavorful. And then you rip off small pieces of fresh herbs like Asian basil and culantro (not cilantro), and add that to the bowl as well as fresh bean sprouts. And then season with a bit of hot sauce and/or hoisin (plum) sauce.

But you need to spend 8 or more hours simmering the broth with its beef bones, cardamon, star anise, and whatever! And keep skimming/sifting the top to separate out the rendered beef fat (called "tallow") and coagulated protein "scum", etc. I'm not going to do that! Of course, a restaurant has kitchen employees who will stop by the vat of broth and do whatever has to be done but that's their job in addition to what else they do during their 8 hour (or whatever) day.

Boston restaurants in Little Viet Nam in a section of the Dorchester neighborhood (where MSNow anchor Lawrence O'Donnell, CNN anchor John King, the New Kids on the Block, and the Wahlberg brothers among many others grew up) used to charge pre-Covid for an extra large bowl about $8. Now it's $15 or so.

Still worth it in my opinion because I'd never spend the time to make it myself.

By the way, there is also an excellent Vietnamese restaurant in Boston's Chinatown, which is near the Marriott Custom House. Pho Hoa on Washington Street.

Last point: I've tried pho in many different cities but few are as good as Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and DC. Some are downright horrible (Pittsburgh comes to mind). So don't get pho unless there is a significant population of Vietnamese in town. Hence, I think California as well as Houston, Texas should have great Vietnamese restaurants.

 

[klpca]

So, how many of us tuggers would bite on an owners update for $100?

That's what we were offered at Worldmark Windsor and at first I thought they were joking. When I realized that they were serious, I actually laughed out loud.

 

[rickandcindy23]

So, how many of us tuggers would bite on an owners update for $100?

That's what we were offered at Worldmark Windsor and at first I thought they were joking. When I realized that they were serious, I actually laughed out loud.

Some friends were offered $100 at Marriott's Maui Ocean Club, and they own Abound, enrolled after they purchased Ko Olina in about 2005, directly from Marriott. They wanted to see the new Lahaina villas, but $100 was an eyeroll offer. I told them I could get them exchange at the Lahaina/Napili Villas sometime, just let me know.

 

[smileyface]

There is a post on TUG about someone spending $100 for the first time on Lunch.
(I didn't want to hijack that post, so I started this separate thread.)

$100 is a number I think about often.

So, the TUGger spent their first Lunch at that number...... I haven't spent that much yet.

I play GOLF often (not that well, but immaterial) ..... $100 is a number that I set as a MAX for me. Inflation has made this difficult, as I have played golf for more than 50 years. I have done well with that threshold, but it is simply a matter of time............... there is no "penny candy' anymore....and no Phone booth 10 cent call......etc.

I spent $95 (+ tax = $100) in the 80's once.

I had friends bring me to their Private Course..... we never discussed how much....so I gave then $100 each for me/DW.

A recent vacation I paid $125 for DW....but I was 'comped'...... so I have never paid "more than $100" for golf for ME.

A different $100 story. When Larry Holmes fought Marvin Frazier, a friend braggingly said Larry would lose....I thought that was absolutely an unlikely occurrence. He confidently said if I put up 4-1 odds, his $25 would cost me $100 if I lost . Again, $100 was a LOT for me, but with an audience present, I wanted to WIN this bet. Fortunately for me, 2 minutes 57 seconds later, I (actually quite humbly) was in the process of collecting his $25. Let's just say the crowd was happy that I had accepted his 'bravado' body language that he often portrayed. That was more of my motive.....I certainly didn't want to lose the BIG number of $100.

One last $100 story.....I flew into the Arizona airport.....and had a few minutes to go into a sports store. At the front of the store....marked down....a Cowboys Leather jacket!!! Originally $299, now $100.

That remains the FASTEST $100 I have ever spent.

So TUGgers, it may be a different amount of money for you than $100....perhaps $10, $25....$500, $1000..... but what are your stories of a particular threshold or limit for YOU.?

Sorry about the long post, but I hope it generates some fun reminiscing.

This is a fun discussion. I'm Canadian, so it's a bit different for me, but I always think in terms of 100.00 and I mean 100.00 anything. I think that is going to change because when we go on vacation, I'm always surprised at how much it costs to go out for lunch, dinner, drinks, etc. We don't play golf because we have a cottage and boat, so that takes up all the extra money, plus we are retired now. (N.B. I was prepared for retirement, lots of planning.)

I have a funny story about going out for drinks at a beach bar 1 afternoon in Grand Cayman. The waiter was from Mexico and was very knowledgeable about tequila. I don't drink tequila, but he was such a good salesman, I said OK. He brought me about 5 different types of tequila on a board and spent at least 30 minutes, describing each one and their origin. It was very interesting and educational.

We had some tacos with it, on Taco Tuesday, and when it came time for the bill, the tequila flight was 35.00 Cayman, which is 42.00 U.S. plus a tip. That's without any food. So even though I felt great, I learned a lesson.

I love the discussion and I think you are a very good storyteller!

 

[EZ-ED]

Interesting question. I use to hit my banks ATM for $40, now it's $200 for pocket money. Times are a changing.

 

[rapmarks]

Wisconsin Dells attractions, Aquavia Lumina, a light show in a canyon at the wilderness resort. Usually takes an Hour, about a mile walk in the dark, down into the canyon, listening to the story and watching the light show
Took my three grands, spent over $100 for tickets. Practically ran through the place, spent about 25 minutes in the canyon. They were just not interested and this elderly grandma needed Tylenol when I got home.

 

[#1 Cowboys Fan]

Wisconsin Dells attractions, Aquavia Lumina, a light show in a canyon at the wilderness resort. Usually takes an Hour, about a mile walk in the dark, down into the canyon, listening to the story and watching the light show
Took my three grands, spent over $100 for tickets. Practically ran through the place, spent about 25 minutes in the canyon. They were just not interested and this elderly grandma needed Tylenol when I got home.

So, the $100 number in my Original post...... was NOT money well spent??

 

[Brett]

So, the $100 number in my Original post...... was NOT money well spent??

Well, it depends. What was your score on that private golf course?
I can shoot 100 on a public golf course costing $20

 

[#1 Cowboys Fan]

Well, it depends. What was your score on that private golf course?
I can shoot 100 on a public golf course costing $20

Oh, it was quite some time ago, so I don't remember.

But, as usual, I don't expect it was very low.

That's one of the main reasons why $100 is a large amount for golf...... I'm not that good!!!

 

[rapmarks]

Well I refused to buy a tomato today. I picked the kind that said $2.29 a pound. The cashier Rang it up at $4,98 a pound and one small tomato was$2.39. I told her nope, that’s the wrong price, but she didn’t want to check, and I said keep it.

 

[joestein]

I consider myself fairly frugal but I buy what I want at the grocery store without much worry. I will scan the sale ads and stock up on anything that's a good deal and we use often. Having said that, we now live in a rural area and all my produce comes from farm stands at least 6 months of the year. I'm definitely buying my lettuce direct from a farmer these days.

I shop sales at the supermarket. If I need something, I need it, but I try to mostly shop sales. We also tend to go to at least 2 or 3 different stores each weekend to maximize savings.

 

[joestein]

We need new furniture badly now. I was just starting to browse on line and can't believe the prices.

Have you thought about looking at Costco. The furniture in the store is usually an excellent value.

 

[WinniWoman]

Have you thought about looking at Costco. The furniture in the store is usually an excellent value.

We don’t have one close by.

 

[smileyface]

Wisconsin Dells attractions, Aquavia Lumina, a light show in a canyon at the wilderness resort. Usually takes an Hour, about a mile walk in the dark, down into the canyon, listening to the story and watching the light show
Took my three grands, spent over $100 for tickets. Practically ran through the place, spent about 25 minutes in the canyon. They were just not interested and this elderly grandma needed Tylenol when I got home.

I hear you! I'm 71 and in the same boat! Kids are so sophisticated now. What do I know, I'm just their Nan!