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!