
Your passion for good food and drink isn't just making you fat. It's also making you broke. Dining out is now the biggest reason that Americans blow their budget. That's according to a recent survey of more than 1,123 U.S. workers by Principal Financial Group, which found that 22 percent of the sampled workforce are breaking the bank in order to enjoy some nice meals outside the house. And, eating at home from time to time isn't helping us save much, either. Spending on food and groceries comes in a close second (18 percent) on the shrinking-wallet scale. Taken together, the financial toll of dining in and dining out equals the budget-busting impact of entertainment (15 percent), gasoline (13 percent) and travel (12 percent) combined, according to the survey. Interestingly, the "latte factor," as MarketWatch calls it, isn't as big of a factor as some analysts have suggested, with coffee ranking near the bottom of the overspending list (3 percent).
Perhaps even more striking: the survey also found that food costs are a greater concern (45 percent) than terrorism (36 percent) and ebola (27 percent). The only thing more worrisome than the price of food, according to the survey, is health-care costs (52 percent). And, really, that's a food-related issue, too.
Read more about food costs on Food Republic:
- Naturally, Rapper 2 Chainz Ordered The 24-Carat Gold-Dusted Burger That Costs $295
- Would You Pay $260 For A Fancy-Ass Chocolate Bar From Ecuador?