Well, we dodged a financial diet bullet.

In a last-minute decision to celebrate Valentine’s Day, my boyfriend and I were minutes away from dropping unplanned dollars at a classy restaurant. Luckily, the lack of a reservation directed us to a much better solution. What could have turned into a very expensive V-day dinner, ended up being a much more affordable and tailored meal at home. In exchange for my BF’s amazing cooking services, I supplied the groceries for a filling steak dinner complete with chocolate lava cake as desert. Grand total: $13.92.

Here’s the breakdown…

• Sirloin Strip Steaks $7.83
• Twice Bake Potatoes $2.00
• Corn $0.62
• Baker’s Chocolate $3.47

Impressive, right? We never would have spent that little at a fancy restaurant! The change of plans not only fit perfectly into the realms of the financial diet, but it also made for an awesome night in. I hope you all had a successful Valentine’s Day, and if not, at least it’s over

Keep on keeping on with those financial diets. We’re halfway through the month and there is some saving to be done! There are some awesome user-submitted recipes at allrecipes.com.  It’s a favorite of mine and can lead you to some pretty cool food blogs, as well.  Best of luck!