they gleefully talk about how they save money while traveling by eating off the dollar menu at fast food places

Ick! So much for trying to find local color when traveling.

And yeah -- being cheap about food seems so not worth it to me (though I guess I am guilty of occasionally griping about the price of certain things when Megan and I go grocery shopping!). But for the most part, I'd really rather spend money on groceries and a moderate amount of eating out than on any number of other things (new clothes I don't really need, expensive bath products, etc.).

Also, ooh, this makes me want to read The Green Glass Sea.