Well, let's see...I've been cooking (not just cookies and cakes) since I was 8-years-old. I was the oldest and because of family issues, the cooking became my responsibility. Having said that, I've been cooking for over 50 years, had 3 husbands and raised 8 children and, as a result, have had a lot of time and opportunity to hone my skills.
Early on my major objective was to prepare "a lot" of food economically that would satisfy my siblings who, thankfully, weren't picky eaters. In this environment, going out to eat was sporadic and a "treat."
My first husband thought himself a gourmet but was an amazingly picky eater. Ugh!! Cooking for him was a challenge and lent itself to some sneaky creativity on my part. He relished dining out but, snobbishly, the eatery had to be multiple-star Michelin rated. We lived in Washington, DC at the time, so there were plenty of dining "targets."
Buck just flat-out loved to eat...didn't really matter what. He was night-to-day different from what I had been used to for 10 years with my former husband. What a breath of fresh air! He also liked to cook and we had many delightful adventures in the kitchen. He nurtured my interest in cooking and was a real enabler when it came to buying and collecting cookbooks and cooking tools. Yee! Haw!
We ate out on a regular basis and had many an adventure ferreting out wonderful hole-in-the-wall places where we could savor the delightful flavors and encourage the, sometimes, newbie chefs/owners. At the same time, we created our own once per week date-like meals at home.
Now I have Glenn and he, too, is a lover of tasty eats. His preferences tend more toward basic meat-and-potatoes fare, which has given me the opportunity to search out and create dishes that fit that niche but, also, fit "outside" the average fare. In the 4 years we've been together, I've yet to hear anything but "this is great" or "this is the best x,y,z I've ever had." So far, I'm batting a thousand.
He also likes to dine out and we do so less often than most, but that's largely because truly good restaurants are few and far between where we live. Plus, the nearest restaurant-rich area is an hour or more away.
Okay, so a long reply so far. But over all my years of cooking, I gained skills I never imagined possible and, as a result, it allowed me to understand and appreciate all that goes into what goes into a stellar restaurant meal. There's so much more to slinging hash than just "slingin'."
As for your "cheap" comment, CG, I truly understand. Buck used to say I could make a penny cry. Glenn laughs and says I'm, "cheap, cheap!" So, I also am careful or try to be when it comes to spending money on a meal out. I just went through a recent lunch experience with an area restaurant that ended up with my returning for another lunch that was on the house. The initial meal wasn't what one would consider costly but the dining experience required revisiting with management.
I love to cook, create with food, play in the kitchen and provide myself and my family with an enjoyable eating experience...and I love to eat out and have someone else do it for me.
For me, what it amounts to is...I prefer both worlds.