Many of us are guilty of feeling too lazy to cook some nights, or needing a pick-me-up to cure a hangover – but how much are our takeaway meals costing us?
The average person in the UK on an annual salary of £25,971 spends £641 a year on takeaways, according to KPMG data.
Raisin UK has calculated the average person spends roughly £1,508 a year on food shops, breaking down to £29 a week – meaning the average percentage spent on takeaways is a huge 42.51%.
It also calculated the top 20 takeaway hotspots in the UK – as in, the areas with the most options – and their favourite cuisine.
But why are people still ordering takeaways even as money is tight?
Chris Tompkins, a life coach and associate therapist for Theara, says that “even in financially sticky situations, there is an omnipresence of tempting social and food cues”.
“This means the individual is fuelled by their emotional desire to eat takeaway and they push their financial logic to the side and revisit that logic after the meal has been consumed. Financial strain is no match for emotional self-control (or lack thereof),” he said.
Plus, he added, takeaways are easy – there are no dishes to be washed or preparation to be done.
So how can you cut down on costs?
- Plan your meals ahead and make sure you have the ingredients in
- Make sure you always have some basic ingredients in your cupboard
- Try “fakeaways” – recreating your favourite takeaway meal
- Have a list of reliable recipes that you enjoy making
Source: Skynews.com