Comments on: Why I hate eating out http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/03/why-i-hate-eating-out.html Financial independence, frugality, self-sufficiency, ecology, capitalism, and voluntary simplicity Sat, 06 Sep 2008 03:08:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Jacob http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/03/why-i-hate-eating-out.html#comment-770 Jacob Sat, 15 Mar 2008 01:51:34 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/03/why-i-hate-eating-out.html#comment-770 @Hannah - Ideally I would, but currently the markets are just not that good. I invest mostly in individual stocks. I use indexes whenever dealing with individual positions becomes too cumbersome (bonds, debts, foreign stocks). 15 years is not a long time for an index but it is a long time for an individual investor. There are periods where indexes have gone nowhere for more than a decade. For instance, the Dow Jones have gone nowhere for the past 8 years. Risk free means predictable. With T-bonds you know the nominal value of the money you will have in N years. What you don't know is how much money this will buy. Nobody knows. I would say if you want your money to work for you, keep learning, there are really no free solutions on the table. The alternative is to keep working for your money. @adfecto - Appreciation depends on whether one's ability to perceive is aligned with what's offered. For instance, for many people poetry is a moving experience, but to me they're mostly just words. Conversely, a coupled set of differential equations might be beautiful to me but to many people they're just gibberish (what is wrong with you people??? ;-P ). I think I feel about food the same way many people feel about participating in sports. They're content to jump on a stationary recumbent and that's it. I'm wondering why riding downhill at 35mph is a challenge, why standing up in the saddle and sprinting takes courage or why companies make baggy cycling shorts. Kinesthetically they want the equivalent of the burger. They are clueless and inexperienced. Pick this one and things will be alright. Same with food here. I've thought about going to restaurants more often so as to remember how different food combinations work but I discovered that as long as I'm not the one cooking I frankly don't care, so I stopped. @Hannah - Ideally I would, but currently the markets are just not that good. I invest mostly in individual stocks. I use indexes whenever dealing with individual positions becomes too cumbersome (bonds, debts, foreign stocks). 15 years is not a long time for an index but it is a long time for an individual investor. There are periods where indexes have gone nowhere for more than a decade. For instance, the Dow Jones have gone nowhere for the past 8 years. Risk free means predictable. With T-bonds you know the nominal value of the money you will have in N years. What you don’t know is how much money this will buy. Nobody knows. I would say if you want your money to work for you, keep learning, there are really no free solutions on the table. The alternative is to keep working for your money.

@adfecto - Appreciation depends on whether one’s ability to perceive is aligned with what’s offered. For instance, for many people poetry is a moving experience, but to me they’re mostly just words. Conversely, a coupled set of differential equations might be beautiful to me but to many people they’re just gibberish (what is wrong with you people??? ;-P ). I think I feel about food the same way many people feel about participating in sports. They’re content to jump on a stationary recumbent and that’s it. I’m wondering why riding downhill at 35mph is a challenge, why standing up in the saddle and sprinting takes courage or why companies make baggy cycling shorts.
Kinesthetically they want the equivalent of the burger. They are clueless and inexperienced. Pick this one and things will be alright. Same with food here. I’ve thought about going to restaurants more often so as to remember how different food combinations work but I discovered that as long as I’m not the one cooking I frankly don’t care, so I stopped.

]]> By: Adfecto http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/03/why-i-hate-eating-out.html#comment-765 Adfecto Fri, 14 Mar 2008 21:27:16 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/03/why-i-hate-eating-out.html#comment-765 Food is an integral part of living. It is not just fuel, it is an experience! "Variety is the spice of life!" Plain and simple, you are missing out on a great avenue to enhance your life by shunning food as a source of enjoyment. Use your rare meals out as a venue to broaden your pallet and indulge. Try things you've never had or combinations you would have never conceived on your own. If you find mental anguish in being presented a menu how can you possibly face the internet. It is a multitude of choices and plethora of information. It is a skill to be able to parse massive amounts of information and multitudes of choices. It is also a valuable quality to be willing to stray outside your comfort zone and try new things. How can a menu pose such a challenge? Wake up, smell the roses, and enjoy some of the finer things in life (and that includes restaurant food). Food is an integral part of living. It is not just fuel, it is an experience!

“Variety is the spice of life!”

Plain and simple, you are missing out on a great avenue to enhance your life by shunning food as a source of enjoyment. Use your rare meals out as a venue to broaden your pallet and indulge. Try things you’ve never had or combinations you would have never conceived on your own.

If you find mental anguish in being presented a menu how can you possibly face the internet. It is a multitude of choices and plethora of information. It is a skill to be able to parse massive amounts of information and multitudes of choices. It is also a valuable quality to be willing to stray outside your comfort zone and try new things. How can a menu pose such a challenge?

Wake up, smell the roses, and enjoy some of the finer things in life (and that includes restaurant food).

]]> By: DNA http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/03/why-i-hate-eating-out.html#comment-697 DNA Sat, 08 Mar 2008 21:57:30 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/03/why-i-hate-eating-out.html#comment-697 Bob raises many good points, to which I'll add a reference to the article in the Wall St. Journal today which details how restaurants are changing their menu mix to reduce the ratio of high-priced meat and imported ingredients to domestic grain-based food (aka, high-margin pasta): http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120493352022320755.html?mod=home_we_banner_left Bob raises many good points, to which I’ll add a reference to the article in the Wall St. Journal today which details how restaurants are changing their menu mix to reduce the ratio of high-priced meat and imported ingredients to domestic grain-based food (aka, high-margin pasta):
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120493352022320755.html?mod=home_we_banner_left

]]> By: Bob http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/03/why-i-hate-eating-out.html#comment-695 Bob Sat, 08 Mar 2008 18:20:03 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/03/why-i-hate-eating-out.html#comment-695 I agree with you - far too many choices. I go to restaurants only for special occasions and usually under duress. Call me a curmudgeon. I hate waiting around to get a table, get served, deal with servers who are often too "chipper". Tipping is a pain too. I detest high end restaurants the most - I sometimes see these chefs on food channel prodding and poking the food with their icky fingers. Oh the sublimity of the home - dinner with friends and the cheeriness of a good but modestly priced red wine. I get a good bottle for $8 - just about the price of a glass at many restaurants in Canada. And how about the noise of t.v.'s and piped music when you eat out? Enough said. I agree with you - far too many choices. I go to restaurants only for special occasions and usually under duress. Call me a curmudgeon. I hate waiting around to get a table, get served, deal with servers who are often too “chipper”. Tipping is a pain too. I detest high end restaurants the most - I sometimes see these chefs on food channel prodding and poking the food with their icky fingers. Oh the sublimity of the home - dinner with friends and the cheeriness of a good but modestly priced red wine. I get a good bottle for $8 - just about the price of a glass at many restaurants in Canada. And how about the noise of t.v.’s and piped music when you eat out? Enough said.

]]> By: Kiran http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/03/why-i-hate-eating-out.html#comment-694 Kiran Sat, 08 Mar 2008 16:23:06 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/03/why-i-hate-eating-out.html#comment-694 I hate subway for the same reason. As I am not a professional sandwich maker, why should I have to pick the items that goes on the sandwich. There is no way I could pick the optimal toppings/dressing. I refuse subway, I go to Jimmy Johns. Another bad thing is that a restaurant probably has upwards of a dozen things that sound good, and half of those are at prices that I'm willing to pay. So each time I'll try something different. Even though the first time I ordered the thing that sounds the best, and it is what tastes best to me. The inefficiency of choice. I hate subway for the same reason. As I am not a professional sandwich maker, why should I have to pick the items that goes on the sandwich.

There is no way I could pick the optimal toppings/dressing. I refuse subway, I go to Jimmy Johns.

Another bad thing is that a restaurant probably has upwards of a dozen things that sound good, and half of those are at prices that I’m willing to pay. So each time I’ll try something different. Even though the first time I ordered the thing that sounds the best, and it is what tastes best to me.

The inefficiency of choice.

]]> By: Ron@TheWisdomJournal http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/03/why-i-hate-eating-out.html#comment-679 Ron@TheWisdomJournal Sat, 08 Mar 2008 03:43:23 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/03/why-i-hate-eating-out.html#comment-679 My solution: hand the menu to the server and say, "Surprise me." I'm like you, the choices are overwhelming and since there are very, very few things I don't like, I've never been disappointed! The other people sitting at my table are usually horrified and THAT alone is worth the price of admission! My solution: hand the menu to the server and say, “Surprise me.” I’m like you, the choices are overwhelming and since there are very, very few things I don’t like, I’ve never been disappointed! The other people sitting at my table are usually horrified and THAT alone is worth the price of admission!

]]> By: Merry Maid http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/03/why-i-hate-eating-out.html#comment-677 Merry Maid Fri, 07 Mar 2008 23:47:40 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/03/why-i-hate-eating-out.html#comment-677 As a consequence of having Aspergers (a learning disability), if I have to do 20 things to accomplish a goal or do the same thing 20 times (folding laundry, loading the dishwasher), I get very stressed and overwhelmed! Sometimes it's to the point that I shut down. When I was a kid, I was considered "lazy." Meal planning and following a recipe are the worst! So I feel your pain. I avoid activities that involve too many steps. You are not alone! As a consequence of having Aspergers (a learning disability), if I have to do 20 things to accomplish a goal or do the same thing 20 times (folding laundry, loading the dishwasher), I get very stressed and overwhelmed! Sometimes it’s to the point that I shut down. When I was a kid, I was considered “lazy.” Meal planning and following a recipe are the worst! So I feel your pain. I avoid activities that involve too many steps. You are not alone!

]]> By: Amy http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/03/why-i-hate-eating-out.html#comment-674 Amy Fri, 07 Mar 2008 21:16:34 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/03/why-i-hate-eating-out.html#comment-674 You remind me of the guy in a video we watched in health class in seventh grade. Everywhere he went he ordered cheeseburgers. Everywhere. We ended up finding out that he couldn't read. (Eventually he learned and moral of the story: learn how to read.) You remind me of the guy in a video we watched in health class in seventh grade. Everywhere he went he ordered cheeseburgers. Everywhere. We ended up finding out that he couldn’t read. (Eventually he learned and moral of the story: learn how to read.)

]]> By: Hannah http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/03/why-i-hate-eating-out.html#comment-673 Hannah Fri, 07 Mar 2008 21:11:35 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/03/why-i-hate-eating-out.html#comment-673 It's a pet peeve for me whenever there is an obligatory/work-related event where I have to eat out. I guess one can't alienate one's co-workers or the boss, but still, it's a nuisance. I like your idea of ordering just one basic item... I'll start to try that! Jacob, on an unrelated note, I wanted to know if you invest all your money in the stock market (whether through individual stocks or index funds) or if you put a percentage in "risk-free" investments like bonds/T-bills. I ask because I have managed to save a small sum, and want to know how much I should put in an index fund (as opposed to a bond/T-bill). Given a long enough time frame, won't an index fund's returns always beat risk-free investment returns (I'm looking 15-yr), and does that mean the index fund is virtually risk-free? I would really appreciate your thoughts, and apologies in advance for the amateur-ish question. I'm still in the process of learning :) Regards, Hannah It’s a pet peeve for me whenever there is an obligatory/work-related event where I have to eat out. I guess one can’t alienate one’s co-workers or the boss, but still, it’s a nuisance. I like your idea of ordering just one basic item… I’ll start to try that!

Jacob, on an unrelated note, I wanted to know if you invest all your money in the stock market (whether through individual stocks or index funds) or if you put a percentage in “risk-free” investments like bonds/T-bills. I ask because I have managed to save a small sum, and want to know how much I should put in an index fund (as opposed to a bond/T-bill). Given a long enough time frame, won’t an index fund’s returns always beat risk-free investment returns (I’m looking 15-yr), and does that mean the index fund is virtually risk-free?

I would really appreciate your thoughts, and apologies in advance for the amateur-ish question. I’m still in the process of learning :)

Regards,
Hannah

]]> By: AJ http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/03/why-i-hate-eating-out.html#comment-669 AJ Fri, 07 Mar 2008 19:21:29 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/03/why-i-hate-eating-out.html#comment-669 Mmm... Chipotle Mmm… Chipotle

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