Money saving tips when dining out
In today’s economy, dining out is something that everyone is having to re-evaluate in their budget. I know my family I have had to do this. But we still look for creative ways to have a night out and enjoy some of our favorite restaurants.
Here are some of the things that we do to either save money or stretch our dining dollar.
Coupons
Of course, coupons have been around forever but people often forget just how much of a money saver they can be especially now when money is tight.
So one of the best places to look is in your local publications like coupon flyers or mailers. Even the local paper will have some good coupons. Or just stop by the restaurant and pickup a carry out menu. Many times they will have coupons that you can cut out and use on the next visit.
Local restaurants have even been able to take advantage of the World Wide Web by posting web based coupons. This has a added bonus of being able to look through the menu and plan your visit ahead of time so you can be sure to only spend what you budget for.
Another great resource is Entertainment book. You can select a local geographic area that you would like to get coupons for and have an entire years worth of coupons for a one time low price. Entertainment books are also great for other services and products so the coupon book can actually pay for itself in just a few uses.
Portioning or sharing meals
I don’t know about the rest of the country but here in the Chicagoland area, portion sizes at restaurants have increased to the point where 1 entree could potentially feed a family of 3. So what my wife and I do is plan on only eating a small portion of whatever entree we order and take the rest home. One time we did this, we were able to stretch the food out for 3 meals. A variation of this is to incorporate the leftovers with other foods you cook at home. So let’s say you have some leftover pork chop sandwich. Why not chop it up and put it into a stir fry dish.
There are other things you can do to make your money go further as well. For example, when you go out with another person, or group of people, instead of getting separate entrees, why not share an entree at the restaurant. Depending on the actual portion size, you might still be able to take food home with you.
Daily Specials
I love daily specials because when I am undecided on what I want to order, I look to what the restaurant is offering that day. Many places will have a regular special based on the day of the week like Friday night fish fry or Monday build your own burger. And of course, you can plan nights out at the restaurant based on the daily special.
If you have other money saving tips for dining out, please leave us a comment about it. We would love to hear how you save money when dining out.