If your rent went up $500/mo and you didn't scream and immediately flee, you are in a high cost of living area. That means eating out is expensive and has gott

If your rent went up $500/mo and you didn't scream and immediately flee, you are in a high cost of living area. That means eating out is expensive and has gotten more expensive in the last 120 days. If you eat out at all - and almost everyone does, quite a bit - then it is likely a big chunk of change. Even if you previously calculated it ("I spend about $200 a month on eating out...") that number is almost certainly wrong now and needs to be recalculated. It's possible parent doesn't eat out ever, just unlikely.