How much do you spend?

On Gas?
On a Meal out?
On a meal at home?

DH works fairly close to home (about a 15 minute drive) Has a car that averages 25mpg city, and fills up the rest of the tank about once a week (we don't let it get below half if we can help it)
We put in $20 a week (give or take, that's what it averages out to) We could often eliminate one tank every 3 weeks or so though.

On a meal out, fast food cost our family of three between $13 and $18, Slow food, costs us the same because Bug does not order (she shares with us)

On a meal at home? Are you ready for this? A meal of Tacos (same as we would get at one of the two favorite taco places down the street) cost us about the cost of feeding ONE of us there, between $3 and $6 depending on how elaborate I am.
I know that sounds like a lot for tacos at home, but lets be real.
Summer is over (and my tomatoes are JUST NOW ripening) so I have had to purchase those. That's nearly $1.79 just for one tomato. Taco meat cost me a whopping $1.36 (including seasoning) an onion is pennies. Shells range quite a bit, but they cost about $1 a package and cheese just went up through the roof, what a year ago I could routinely feed my family for on 25 cents worth of cheese NOW cost our family 41 cents almost double. And my saffron rice is still 89cents a tube (which makes up for the cost of the saffron to make it from scratch because I can't ruin the mix,lol)
So total that up, $5.45 give or take a few cents.
While that isn't bad, I think we could do better.

Last night we had a glorious meal of Surf and Turf, ok, a bit elaborate, but DH deserved something special and going out wasn't an option.
Shrimp, on sale $2.66 lb (buy one at $7.99 get two free)
steak $2per pound which is how much we used.
Mushrooms, purchased at Sam's, 33 cents a can
two Onions (same pennies as for the tacos, I got 4-2lb bags for 33 cents each a few weeks ago, they will last half of winter...hopefully, but doubtfully)
baked potatoes, 4 small probably about 10 cents total (out of a 10lb bag for 1.49)
Butter and sour cream, about a quarter.
now to calculate.
$5.39
ok, so now tell me, why do we have think we have to eat like paupers because we don't have money?
That steak dinner cost less than my homemade tacos.
If I didn't buy the stuff on sale, or in bulk (which is how I shop) This meal still would have only cost me less than $12 total.

I know I haven't mastered an inexpensive menu, but at the same time, if you start somewhere in getting those finances in line with your goals, you will be further ahead than if you just wait til you are bringing in more money.