The Simple Things

I just finished my lunch on this quiet Sunday.

It was a very nice lunch – tuna salad [with celery and onion] on whole wheat toast, baby carrots, olives, and a glass of milk. I thoroughly enjoyed it. But I realized something while eating, as I compared it to my dinner on Friday.

That day, I traveled to the closest ‘large’ town to do my grocery shopping. I also went to the library and decided to treat myself to dinner with some of my ‘fun money’. Lately, I had been craving a Subway sandwich, so I went there and ordered a foot-long sub. [Then I succumbed at the register to their $1 special on chips AND cookies, and ending up purchasing both as well.]

The plan was to take my bounty home and enjoy it in comfort, but first I had to get gas and then drive home [approximately 40 minutes]. I was already pretty hungry, and the thought of driving all the way home and then having to unload and put away groceries on my empty tummy did not appeal. So, I decided to purchase a snack from the Arby’s connected to the gas station. [Mozzarella sticks and curly fries]

All fueled up and with delicious fried food filling the car with a wonderful aroma, I headed home. As I drove, I dove into the curly fries and mozzarella sticks. Here’s where the problem begins:

They were only okay. Not bad, but not really that good. Rather disappointing, given the $6 I’d spent on them. But no worries, I had my sub to look forward to, along with Cheetos and some of Subway’s FABULOUS cookies.

I made it home, dutifully carted in my groceries and put them all away. I also changed into comfy clothes and got situated on the couch in my living room. [I don’t actually have a table – I eat on a TV tray on my couch.]  After searching through the available movies on Amazon Prime, I settled on “Much Ado About Nothing” [a delightful movie version of the Shakespearean classic, starring Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson.] As the movie began, I happily unwrapped my sub sandwich and commenced to eating.

And again, it was only okay.

This part of my Friday dinner-fest had cost almost $10, so I was understandably annoyed that it wasn’t the cornucopia of delight I had anticipated. Sad to say, I didn’t even finish the sandwich [that’s how ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ it was].

Today, as I compare my humble tuna sandwich to Friday night’s extravaganza, I realize that sometimes, the simple things are the best. Did I enjoy my food on Friday? Sort of. But I actually enjoyed my lunch today far more – with the added bonus that I made it from ingredients already on hand, so it cost me nothing out-of-pocket today. Plus, I now have tuna salad ready to go for lunch tomorrow, and I bagged baby carrots for the week’s lunches as well.

I’m sure that this will happen again [and again], but I’m hoping to use this experience as motivation to NOT spend so much money on meals out. Sure, sometimes they are every bit as wonderful as anticipated, but more often than not, they are not truly worth the $$$ it takes. [Amy Dacyczyn, author of The Tightwad Gazette, labeled this phenomenon as the WOW factor. My lunch today cost perhaps $1.60ish, compared to the $16 I spent on Friday. Was Friday’s food 10 times better than today’s? Definitely not!]

Hence, my realization that sometimes, it IS the simple things. I do love to eat out, but I need to recognize that it’s not always worth the money it costs. A simple meal, prepared at home, can provide just as much [if not more] satisfaction than a meal purchased at a restaurant. And by making the simple choice more often, I can reach my goal of becoming debt-free sooner.

That is definitely worth it!

What simple things have you discovered?

The Intelligent Zebra