Report: Dining out may be cheaper than cooking at home

It might be a better deal to have dinner at a restaurant tonight  than to stay in and cook.

According to a report by Bank of America-Merrill Lynch, we spend almost four-and-a-half percent of our paychecks dining out.

Why?

Well, supermarket prices are soaring about six-percent each year.

That's about two-and-a-half times as fast as the cost of restaurant meals.

Consider the following comparisons we found on MSN today: a 10-ounce rib-eye dinner  including soup, salad and asparagus costs $17.99 at Outback Steakhouse.

Cook that meal at home  and, you'll spend about $20.50.

Seafood Alfredo at Olive Garden which includes unlimited salad and bread sticks costs $15.50.

You'll spend nearly $4 more  to cook that meal at home.