Archive for March, 2009

The Econo Diet – Staying Away From Pricey San Antonio Restaurants

We all know San Antonio has great Mexican food.  We also know the Alamo City is home to a number of other succulent dishes.  Still, lately I’ve been steering clear of everything but Chipotle and Whataburger once.  Why?  The Economy.  I can’t afford to pay $9+ a plate and then on top of that give a 15% tip.  If I’m dining with someone else, which I usually am this quickly adds up to $22 to $24 for two people for one meal.

And this is for most average San Antonio restaurants – Alamo Cafe, Mamacita’s, Golden Wok, Chilli’s, Texas RoadHouse,  Macaroni Grill, Fudruckers, and so on.  In other words, just about every where is pricey.  The really expensive places or potentially expensive restaurants like P.F. Changs, San Francisco Steak House, and that sort are pretty much impossible to eat at, especially for dinner.

Instead, I’ve been eating less and buying less at the grocery store to conserve money.  The great aspect about this is I’ve shed some weight just by avoiding pricey San Antonio cafes and any extra deserts that I used to get.  For example, a flurry from McDonalds, a blizzard from Dairy Queen, or a milk shake from Sonic or Whataburger.  If I do get ice cream, I buy it from H.E.B or Wal-Mart so I get a better value.

Ice cream from places like Amy’s Ice Cream, Marble Slab Creamery, Da Vinci’s, and Cold Stone Creamery (I think) cost about as much for a Gallon of Blue Bell Ice Cream.

San Antonio Homes Faring OK in Market

Although the nationwide housing market has tumbled down, the South Texas landscape is faring better than most.  Sales have dipped somewhat but prices are still hovering relatively close to what fair market value would have been 6 months ago.  You can check prices on San Antonio Homes to see how they stacked up about a year ago.

If you are in the market for selling a home in South Texas, you may want to step up efforts to move it as real estate is expected to decline until the market equilibrium is reached.  Unless you have time to wait until the economy improves, you’re better off taking a 10% loss now than being unable to sell the house within the next few years.