Dining At Restaurants

[LuciluS]

I'm 100% disabled and my husband is OTR Truck Driver who is gone Sun am - Fri. pm. I cannot cook him decent meals on weekends and we eat out. I usually have a Graham Cracker for breakfast and a Yogurt or a Lean Cusine for Dinner while he is gone. Yes, I've lost a lot of weight.

I don't even take a Shower (basin bowl bath during the week) unless hubby is home because of fear of falling which I do anyways as our home is not conducive for a handicapped person. Thank goodness I have really dry skin and hair huh?

Our Attorney told me it wouldn't be a problem showing we eat out. Usually it is less than $20 for the both of us, but that's $40 a week.

You think he knows what he is talking about? The Trustee will be able to see I'm disabled as I use a scooter, wear a brace on my left foot and carry a Cane on my scooter.

I am a smoker (2 cartons a month) and my husband smokes cigars. I haven't determined that monthly expense yet.

We are under Median because I don't have to include my SSD except for when determining the Bottom Number (deficit).

Thoughts???


Luci

[jessegirl]

I'm 100% disabled and my husband is OTR Truck Driver who is gone Sun am - Fri. pm. I cannot cook him decent meals on weekends and we eat out. I usually have a Graham Cracker for breakfast and a Yogurt or a Lean Cusine for Dinner while he is gone. Yes, I've lost a lot of weight.

I don't even take a Shower (basin bowl bath during the week) unless hubby is home because of fear of falling which I do anyways as our home is not conducive for a handicapped person. Thank goodness I have really dry skin and hair huh?

Our Attorney told me it wouldn't be a problem showing we eat out. Usually it is less than $20 for the both of us, but that's $40 a week.

You think he knows what he is talking about? The Trustee will be able to see I'm disabled as I use a scooter, wear a brace on my left foot and carry a Cane on my scooter.

I am a smoker (2 cartons a month) and my husband smokes cigars. I haven't determined that monthly expense yet.

We are under Median because I don't have to include my SSD except for when determining the Bottom Number (deficit).

Thoughts???


Luci

You will be fine. We conitued to go out to dinner a few times a week, You have to live.....

One item I would suggest you give up is the cigarettes, they are ohhhhh so bad for you and very costly too....

[dingdong]

I wouldn't include the money you spend on smoking as a monthly expense on your petitions. Not passing judgement, just not an allowable expense.

[JRScott]

Include the restaurant visits as a grocery/food expense....since it sounds like your skimping in that area......you'll be fine

[UpsideDownMI]

In the eastern district of Michigan cigarette expenses are actually acceptable. Both lawyers that I consulted stated this. I also download various petitions in pacer to study for my case and discovered several that listed tobacco expenses of $150+ per month.

[EricaCallaha]

Eating out is fine. It is part of your food expense. Whether you use it at the grocery store or a restaurant is up to you.

[exhausted]

In mine and my husband's Chapter 7 we were able to use our cigarettes as an expense. Our attorney's assistant warned us that it was very likely the trustee wouldn't allow it. He had seen several people try to use it as an expense. Some got away with it, others the trustee told them to stop smoking and didn't allow it. I guess we, for once, got lucky because the trustee never said a peep about it.

My father who filed 13 five years ago was also able to use his cigarettes as an expense.

Having said that, DH and I have got to quit. With the new taxes taking effect in April, that will push our cigarette expense to just over $500/month. That is more than my husband's car payment. And that is insane.

[debtmonster]

Eating out is fine. It is part of your food expense. Whether you use it at the grocery store or a restaurant is up to you.

But it's easy to spend $500/mo. on dining out! Each time we go to a restaurant we spend about $40-60. If you go to a restaurant 8x per month, that's an easy $400 in expenses. Every time we go to Carabbas we spend about $50 bucks. Same with Red Lobster, Hops, Mimi's Cafe, etc.

They won't have any problem with that?

[LuciluS]

But it's easy to spend $500/mo. on dining out! Each time we go to a restaurant we spend about $40-60. If you go to a restaurant 8x per month, that's an easy $400 in expenses. Every time we go to Carabbas we spend about $50 bucks. Same with Red Lobster, Hops, Mimi's Cafe, etc.

They won't have any problem with that?

We don't spend that amount. We have a family restaurant who has food on the menu that is NOT FRIED, as my husband is a Cardiac Patient. It is inexpensive. We both can eat for less than $20.

We did spend $58 on March 6th for my birthday. That was a gift from my husband.

Our grocery bill is still higher than the National Average for Arkansas. But Hubby buys the groceries and buys Good Food (grapes, strawberries, 1% milk, low fat cereal to take with him on the Road). I intend to break each receipt out and show his groceries as Over The Road Truck Driving Expenses.

Luci

PS Hubby is usually only home Friday night through Sunday AM. I can't expect him to cook and I'm physically unable to stand and cook a decent meal. I've done it a few times and always end up in bed due to the nerve pain.

[LuciluS]

In mine and my husband's Chapter 7 we were able to use our cigarettes as an expense. Our attorney's assistant warned us that it was very likely the trustee wouldn't allow it. He had seen several people try to use it as an expense. Some got away with it, others the trustee told them to stop smoking and didn't allow it. I guess we, for once, got lucky because the trustee never said a peep about it.

My father who filed 13 five years ago was also able to use his cigarettes as an expense.

Having said that, DH and I have got to quit. With the new taxes taking effect in April, that will push our cigarette expense to just over $500/month. That is more than my husband's car payment. And that is insane.

I understand what you are saying. I've tried, o my Lord, many, many times to quit. It's hard when you stay at home due to being disabled. My husband refuses to quit Cigars. As a Truck Driver he gets bored and will eat, so he smokes (doesn't inhale, but get 2nd hand smoke) Cigars.

Driving a truck is one of the most lowest paying job there is, if you breakdown the hours he works, it is way less than the minimum wage. He may have to sit in his truck at a Mill for 5-6 hours to get loaded. One time in Mansfield, LA, at a Paper Mill, he was in line for 19 hrs to get unloaded. He couldn't sleep as Truck Drivers behind him would drive around him to keep in line.

He gets paid .31 a mile which is low. However, his small trucking company pays for his health insurance and our Dental Insurance. When he was off work 7 1/2 mths. in 2007 for bypass and pacemaker surgery, the owner of the company paid his health insurance which amounts to over $500 a mth. I'm on Medicare and have a Supplement.

He never has any trouble getting off for his or my medical appts. His company is very good to him and that means a lot.

Luci

[debtmonster]

We don't spend that amount. We have a family restaurant who has food on the menu that is NOT FRIED, as my husband is a Cardiac Patient. It is inexpensive. We both can eat for less than $20.

We could hardly buy lunch on $20 around here. The last time we went to an Indian restaurant to buy lunch it was around $39 with tip.

When I last went to Zaxby's for lunch it was $17 (for both of us).

Last time I went to the grocery store (Super Walmart) we spent $200 in one week for produce and stuff for 2 people.

The cost of everything has skyrocketed. I remember orange juice being $1.50 or so for 1/2 gallon. Here it's like $3.80 now. Milk is almost $4/gallon. The cost of everything has doubled or tripled in the past 10 years or so for us.

We have gone out to eat a few times per month. I know each time we could NEVER eat for under $20 for a dinner out. Any Italian restaurant or anything is usually $50+ with tip.

When we go to Carabbas, we order an appetizer. My wife will sometimes have a steak dinner and I'll have veal. Our plates alone are like $16-17 each. The appetizer is like $7 bucks. Add $6-7 for tip.

I rarely eat burgers. Maybe a few time per year.

My wife and I are usually always together. I rarely buy lunch alone.

We could EASILY spend $500-600/mo. on food at today's high costs for 2 people.

[debtmonster]

I understand what you are saying. I've tried, o my Lord, many, many times to quit. It's hard when you stay at home due to being disabled. My husband refuses to quit Cigars. As a Truck Driver he gets bored and will eat, so he smokes (doesn't inhale, but get 2nd hand smoke) Cigars.

I wish they would outlaw cigarettes. I CANNOT STAND THEM. They make people broke. They are nothing but a slow suicide. I think if you're going to smoke anything, it should be WEED! At least weed has a "purpose". It DOES SOMETHING for you. Cigarettes don't do anything but create an addition. At least weed makes you high and that can be fun. I can't say I have an opinion on cigars. I know most people don't smoke them as often as cigarettes.

That's one reason I am scared to leave the state of Florida. Lots of other states allow people to smoke in restaurants. They have the smoker and non-smoker section. It makes no difference. That smoke still gets all over the place. I remember when I was in Georgia a few years ago, I saw that they still has smoking and non-smoking sections and the whole place stunk inside.

My wife's mother died from lung cancer and she didn't even smoke. She worked for a guy who did for about 20 years. She died from the 2nd hand smoke. So he basically killed her. I'd was gonna say he got away with it, but he also died from lung cancer himself.

[LuciluS]

Debtmonster:

You live in Florida - A Big Tourist State! I understand what you are saying.

We are fortunate (I guess) to live in a Poor State, Arkansas and about 40 miles West of Little Rock. Yes, our groceries have gone up and I feel the National Standard, even for Arkansas, is too low.

I won't have 12 mths of receipts, but I will have about 9 1/2 mths. worth. I'm making an Excel Spreadsheet for each month and attaching all my receipts to it. Hubby may have up to 15-20 receipts a week. Gonna bury the Trustee in paperwork, even though we are under Median LOL!

Luci

[debtmonster]

Debtmonster:

You live in Florida - A Big Tourist State! I understand what you are saying.

We are fortunate (I guess) to live in a Poor State, Arkansas and about 40 miles West of Little Rock. Yes, our groceries have gone up and I feel the National Standard, even for Arkansas, is too low.

I won't have 12 mths of receipts, but I will have about 9 1/2 mths. worth. I'm making an Excel Spreadsheet for each month and attaching all my receipts to it. Hubby may have up to 15-20 receipts a week. Gonna bury the Trustee in paperwork, even though we are under Median LOL!

Luci

I don't collect receipts. We have always thrown them away. If the judge wants to see anything, they can look at our checking account. We never pay cash for anything. I get paid electronically, so I PAY everything electronically. I use a debit card for 99% of everything. The trustee will see everything on the bank statements. All the money that went in and all the money that went out.

[LuciluS]

I wish they would outlaw cigarettes. I CANNOT STAND THEM. They make people broke. They are nothing but a slow suicide. I think if you're going to smoke anything, it should be WEED! At least weed has a "purpose". It DOES SOMETHING for you. Cigarettes don't do anything but create an addition. At least weed makes you high and that can be fun. I can't say I have an opinion on cigars. I know most people don't smoke them as often as cigarettes.

That's one reason I am scared to leave the state of Florida. Lots of other states allow people to smoke in restaurants. They have the smoker and non-smoker section. It makes no difference. That smoke still gets all over the place. I remember when I was in Georgia a few years ago, I saw that they still has smoking and non-smoking sections and the whole place stunk inside.

My wife's mother died from lung cancer and she didn't even smoke. She worked for a guy who did for about 20 years. She died from the 2nd hand smoke. So he basically killed her. I'd was gonna say he got away with it, but he also died from lung cancer himself.

I'm not going to get into a Battle with you over my Cigarette Smoking. I do not even smoke in our home or my husband's truck because I don't like the Odor it leaves behind. I'm am highly allergic to 'Weed', as you call it and it is ILLEGAL in Arkansas.

As I've told everyone else, you haven't Walked (which is not easy for me) in my Shoes, as they say, being 100% disabled.

Arkansas is a Non-Smoking State. No smoking anywhere and they just raised the tax on cigarettes to $11.60 a carton in March. Gee, Article in paper today, prediction on cig tax is off for the month of March (and it's still March) by about 100 million dollars. Wonder why? Some have quit, BUT most are going to Missouri or Oklahoma to buy their cigarettes. It's called a Sin Tax.

I don't believe there is anyplace in the Bible where smoking is a Sin. Yes, I KNOW I need to quit, but Again, nobody has walked in my shoes and going from working as an Accountant to being disabled due to a car wreck has not only been physically debillating (sp? in hurry) (6 surgeries), but mentally, I just cannot describe in words what it has done to me.

Luci