Everyone’s complaining about the rising cost of living but there are precious few signs that anyone’s changing their habits. Restaurants are still busy; food delivery outlets and takeaways are booming. Clubs are always packed and you’ll rarely snare a good seat at the cinema because teenagers and couples have got there first. Finding a parking space at the supermarket is even more challenging.
Maybe it’s about show – people don’t like admitting they’re feeling the pinch. Scratch under the surface, however, and you’ll find people are adapting smartly to leaner times. We’ve spoken to the public to get their tips on tricks that can ensure you’ll still eat like and king – and pay like a peasant.
Stelios, a 40-something bachelor from Nicosia carried out a little experiment to see if he could have a healthier lifestyle while spending less. “I calculated that I was spending about €150 on food a week, mostly eating out as cheaply as possible. I decided one week to go the weekly Wednesday ‘laiki agora’ (municipal market) at the Oxi roundabout in old Nicosia and spend €150 of food to last me a week. I bought the richest fruit and vegetables, the most exciting ingredients, spices and fancy olives, dry fruits, nuts, and still had some money left”. He filled his cart with more food than he could ever eat in a week – and had managed to spend only €100.
Rena also lives alone and is not a fan of the local market. She has her own secret of frugal living. “I don’t know too many people who go to markets for a daily trip. Living alone with a few ‘group’ dinners, I spend on average €60 a month on groceries. It all comes down to buying in bulk, watching sales, having a freezer and eating leftovers”.
And, we are assured, it is still possible to dine out affordably. Marina, a 26 year-old government official, told the Cyprus Mail: “It was my birthday last week so I took my five closest friends out to an Arabic Restaurant. We had a mixed grill for five, two large salads and a variety of dips, four or five big bottles of beer and a narghile. We were full and there was lots of food left and yet I paid just 108 euros, which wasn’t bad at all. It’s just a matter of knowing where to go.”
Costas, a 30-year-old bank employee said: “We have been ordering a lot of food for delivery this month because of the Euro 2008 [football championships]. We sit down and watch the football and wait for the pizza or souvlakia to be delivered.”
Surprisingly, delivery charges remain €1.20 despite the increase in fuel prices. And where souvlakia are concerned many people believe that it is cheaper just to order them than make them yourself.
But many suspect that while they’re paying the same amount at restaurants and take-aways since the euro prices were introduced, portions are now smaller. Nectarios, a 36- year-old IT manager told The Mail: “We still eat out like before. At first restaurants took advantage of the changeover to the euro to increase prices but now they’ve stopped doing that in case they lose out to the competition. Instead, though, they’re serving smaller portions for the same price.”
David, a 27-year-old software programmer, agrees: “We pay the same amount of money in restaurants but we get less. I could literally count the chips on my plate when I went for dinner at a well-known franchise restaurant in Nicosia last week!”
Marilena, a 32-year-old psychologist, does not blame the restaurant owners because she believes that they too suffer from high prices like everyone else. “Eating out is expensive but if you consider the amount the restaurant owners pay to buy the basic goods and the fact that they have to make a profit, it is excusable,” she argues.
Restaurants alone are not the only profiteers. Night-club owners don’t have to pay alcohol tax any more but they’re charging as much as ever for their drinks.
Elena, a 24-year-old newlywed said: “We don’t go out as often as we used to because we are saving up for our summer holiday. If five or six of us go to a club and order a bottle of vodka or whisky we’re charged €120 something that cost them €10- €15. Talk about a rip off!”
What clubbers like Elena now often do is gather as a group at one friend’s house before going out. Each brings a bottle of drink bought at a supermarket. They get merry before moving on to a club where they just have a drink or two. Result: a good, inexpensive night out.
Is it really cheaper to cook at home than to eat out?
Most people believe eating out is costlier. Buying and cooking some ground beef, for example, is generally cheaper than buying a hamburger out. Others argue that the economies of scale make it cheaper to eat fresh, well-prepared food in restaurants than at home.
Depending on where you live, what you eat, and how well you cook, it’s possible that dining out is more cost effective than preparing your own meals. Eating at home also requires more planning and personal effort. But it is generally more cost-effective and healthier if done wisely.
Joanna told the Cyprus Mail: “My partner and I don’t aren’t in the kitchen but we save time cooking meals from scratch and it’s certainly much cheaper than eating out. Most of the food we have goes straight from the freezer to the oven; some get defrosted and goes on the grill, etc. We spend a few euros a month buying ‘extras’ to go with the meals, but that’s mainly a rice or pasta side and frozen veggies. We no longer find chicken in the fridge that’s past its prime or rotten veggies”.
Harry, a 28 year old interior designer told the Cyprus Mail: “I used to eat out a lot — all through college, even more when I was at university, and for several years thereafter. When I started cooking at home more, I noticed that I was saving more money, but also I was refining important cooking techniques that would allow me to make very high quality meals. Now I eat out very rarely — maybe once every two weeks — and more often than not I’m disappointed by the meal, even at supposedly very good” restaurants. Amazingly, I really have come to the point where I can make most of my favourite meals much better than a restaurant does. And the good thing is that homemade food is far less expensive”.
Recession coming? A list of cheap eating resources
Now is a good time to take another look at cutting costs in the kitchen. Here’s a list of some useful budget cooking and eating websites. Most are aimed at people cooking for families. Food storage tips are super-useful.
www.betterbudgeting.com/frugalrecipelist.htm
www.rebeccablood.net/thriftyo
www.theculinaryreview.com
A couple of restaurants have long running promos. For oodles of noodle deals, go to the Wagamama website and sign up to its ‘member’s area’. You’ll then get access to its promotions room, full of 2-for-1 and other vouchers, updated weekly. Pizza Hut has always got offers of buy 1 large pizza get a medium one free, which is ideal for large families or parties. KFC also has good value deals now with the EURO 2008.
Flyers in the post and TV ads are the best sources to keep you up-to-date with offers at supermarkets, restaurants, fast-food joints. There are always buy-one-get-one-free offers on household products and food.
Buying in bulk is the new trend. With stores like Smart and Migro you can buy almost anything in big quantities at a good price. This is an excellent solution especially for large families.
CINEMA
“We don’t really visit the cinema anymore because we can get everything online or on DVD”
“I don’t feel like paying €7 to sit in a room packed with noisy teenagers, plus cinema means popcorn and popcorn means refreshment, so we are talking about another €5 euros. Multiply all that by four or five if you’re going as a family.”
The alternative choice would renting a DVD for €1.50, [WE PAY 2.50 AT OUR PLACE, SO CHECK WITH ANNA WHAT’S THE AVERAGE COST] popcorn seeds €0.60, 2 cans of soft drinks at €1.50 and there’s always sunflower oil at home. All for a total of less than four euros. Lastly, silence while watching a film is priceless! And you don’t get that at the cinema.
