Eva and her flatmate Ben often ordered dinner after work. One Sunday, they looked at their receipts and were surprised by how much they had spent. They decided to cook at home for the next five workdays.
Their first plan was too ambitious. They chose five new recipes and made a long shopping list. On Monday, they spent nearly an hour cooking, and dinner was not ready until nine. Ben said he could not do that every evening.
They changed the plan. On Tuesday, they cooked a large pot of vegetable soup and kept some for Wednesday. On Thursday, they made eggs and salad. Friday was different: a friend invited them to dinner, so they took some fruit and ate at her home.
At the end of the week, they had spent less on food. More importantly, they had found three simple meals they both liked. They did not promise never to order dinner again. Instead, they decided to plan a few easy meals each Sunday and leave room for changes.