Food Blogger Eats In, Loses Weight, Saves Money, Writes Book

Cathy Erway

In 2006, Cathy Erway started Not Eating Out in NY, a blog dedicated to eating in in a city where eating out (or at least ordering out) is the culture. And after two years she saved $7,200, lost 10 pounds, and now she has a book deal. Basically, the exact opposite of what happened to us during the same time frame.

The Post profiles her today, where she talks about everything from the money she has saved (her budget is around $25 a week), how much healthier eating in has been for her, and her slip ups (she admits to a drunken slice of pizza!) There was obviously a lot of pressure to go out. "[My friends] would tease me from time to time, but they were cool," she says. Most of the time she would go out and bring her own food, or just not eat. Unfortunately, her boyfriend wasn't as supportive as her friends, and they broke up under the strain of her new lifestyle. That's right, this guy broke up with a woman who cooked for them every night. On the bright side, the money she saved allowed her to move out and get a one bedroom in Crown Heights.

Erway finally broke the spell after getting lunch with her mother, and decided that she needed to expose herself to new cuisines. However, she still eats in most nights, and can probably afford the night out with all that extra cash. We suggest she spend that $7,200 on 100 of the suckling pigs at Maialino and kindly send one to our office.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jaya Saxena in Food on February 17, 2010 1:18 PM

Comments [rss]

Lautaro

Marry me?

Willie Nillie

I would lick all o' dat.

GREGORYABUTLER

But she says she doesn't eat out!

Spirit of 76

One of my friends and his wife eat out or have delivery or take-out about 98% of the time. And he wonders why they can't seem to ever build up any savings in the bank. Well, between that food budget and living on the UES.

MonkSalve

There is the off-chance the boyfriend split for other reasons...

babyhitler

I've recently started to eat out less. I need to keep my youthful good looks and health and Now everytime I see pizza and burgers and any food cooked in oil all I can see is Pancreatic CANCER, High blood Pressure, Hyperthyroidism and Diabetes. Now all I've been eating is Apples, oranges, salad with vinegar, carrot sticks, celery, Tofu tubs and hard boiled eggs and brown rice. that's it. everyday. You can actually eat tofu everdamn day. Now all I got to do is start working out again. that girls blog isn't very helpful cause all her food looks kind complicated and takes a lot of time.

JMH

She's cute.

I'm just saying.

10:02am

I'm sure that her food is delicious, but if I ate like that I'd go into a hypoglycemic rage.

Rocknrope

Go make me a turkey pot pie.

KiljoyWasHere

I didn't think restaurants would let you bring your own food.

robingee

Person spends less on food, saves money. That deserves a book deal.

hotstepper

considering Dan Brown and J. K. Rowling are the titans of contemporary literature, the bar is obviously pretty low.

right now i'm working on a book showcasing all the time i save by clipping my toenails on the train during my morning commute...random house and harper collins have already come knockin.

Rocknrope

How much was your advance?

hotstepper

the advance was pretty solid actually.

the publishers provided me with a cutting edge tactical belt containing finely-crafted instruments used to continue my research:

http://tinyurl.com/y8p35ed

elpollodiablo

I'll buy this book simply to find out how to survive in NYC on a $25 food budget!

GREGORYABUTLER

Two words

ramen

noodles

Greenpoint60

On $25 she has to be real skinny

Wza

This thread...is making me hungry.

Greenpoint60

Smart gal

brawny

Well, if she likes staying in every night and eating alone, I have a great idea on how to save even more - move out of the city.

Cannibal

very good, why live in NYC if you dont appreciate the EATS???

JacqueMehoff

and, she only lost 10 pounds? what was the diet, beer?

I lost that much just getting a bicycle last summer.

the hurdle for me was to lose anything above that.

but then being poor and not eating helps.

hey, if you can do your little story and make money, all the power to you ma'am.

Ernesto

Well, she is skinny as is. Not like she can lose any more, unless she wants to model for Ralph Lauren.

JacqueMehoff

OK, sir.

Kojak

That's true. Besides, no fat person has the will power to follow this type of diet cold turkey. They'd revert back to their gluttonous ways the second they pass by a Hot Dog cart.

lornagrl

I'm surprised she only saved $7,200 in two years. Seems she would save a heck of lot more than that's barely $10 a day I spend WAY more than that.

Kojak

Good for her! But I don't think I can survive on $25 a week.

Clarice City

I lived on a budget like that for years. I ate lots of ceral and home made watercress dumplings- and then my toes nails began falling out. Really, they did.

Kojak

I'd also like to add that her Ex-Boyfriend is a wimpy douchey girlieman.

Gothamist_Cynic

I survived on 20 bucks a week when I first moved to NYC. It can be done.

wobbleSmith

i would definitely save money if i could keep up with home-cooked food. and i'd be healthier. less fat, less indigestion. but fuck it, i don't want to spend an hour cooking when i get home at 8. i want to sit around, dammit!

i need to get me one of those oppressed wifeys so as my food can be good and ready when i get home.