People on low incomes get more fun out of simple everyday pleasures such as eating a chocolate bar or watching television while those earning over US$100,000 a year prefer eating out as an enjoyment.
Women see eating out as a way to build and nurture a relationship, discuss problems or support a friend.
With consumers eating out less and eating at home more, there is evidence that they are still allowing themselves the occasional indulgence - and chocolate is a relatively inexpensive indulgence.
The Great Recession has created a newly frugal consumer willing to forsake the luxury of eating out in order to pay the bills.
"Instead of trying to save a little bit on everything," he says, "focus on your two biggest discretionary expenses," like eating out and drinking, in his case.
There are also ways I can still save, including eating out less (we eat out 1-3 times per week, mostly fast food like pizza or Taco Bell or Wendy’s, all of which I can do without).
We all know that brown-bagging is an instant money-saver, but many of us still fall prey to eating out far more often than we can afford to.
Nearly 40 percent of the survey's 38, 000-plus respondents said they were coping with the shaky economy by eating out less often, and by patronizing less expensive restaurants.
There are many problems with living in the desert; lack of fertile soil for farming, arid temperatures and sand getting into food when eating outside.
