Tough Choices

The scene went something like this ...

     End of the day, both our heads throbbing, I ask my wife, "Why don't we just grab something to eat on the way home."
     She agrees, if only because we're both still shell-shocked from teaching a bunch of 10- and 11-year-olds just a week from summer vacation. 
     We head to the parking lot, pull out, and head for home.  Along the way begins the inevitable discussion.
     "We pass right by Subway.  You want that?"
     She frowns.  "We had a coupon for it, but it's at home."
     "It's fine," I say.  "We've only got $99 charged on the credit card so far this cycle."
     "Yeah, but it's so expensive."
     We fall into silence for a couple of minutes before she says, "We could do Little Caesars.  It's not too far out of the way."
     Well, she's right, but it's also right near the interstate, and by the time we get there it'll be the start of rush hour.  Heavy traffic and beginnings of a migraine don't go well together, so I hem and haw and finally say, "What about Arby's?  That's always good when we've got a headache."
     She's quiet for another moment, then drops the bomb.
     "We could just eat something at home."
     When it comes right down to it, she's the one who more often than not has to reign in our spending.  I'm not a spendthrift by any stretch of the imagination, but I don't mind spending five or ten bucks here or there, especially if it's for something for both of us.  Part of me enjoys eating out as long as it's simple, so suggesting something at home causes a wrench in my gut, but in the interests of marital harmony (not to mention I just want to get home to take some Excedrin), I agree.
  
And you know what?  The meal we ate at home (frozen pizza, about $2 from Meijer with some green pepper thrown on top) was every bit as easy as eating out would have been.  It may not have been terribly healthy, and not as tasty as eating out (if only because there wasn't as much dripping fat and lard), but between the pizza and a few pain pills, the headache is gone, and I feel like I can get back to my life.

In the heat of the moment (especially when we're tired and don't feel our best) making decisions that are better for our finances can be hard, but like most things, I've found we have less "buyers remorse" if we go the frugal route, and we usually don't suffer on the fun side of things.  Anybody have a similar situation they want to share?  Comment section's below -- comment away!