Eat Out Without Sabotaging Your Budget!!

I love to eat out! I know, I know, cooking at home is probably half the cost of eating out, but for me, if I can’t eat out once in a while, life wouldn’t be worth living!

According to the National Restaurant Association, wholesale restaurant food prices rose 7.3% in 2007, the largest increase in three decades. I don’t even want to know what the increase will be in 2008. If you’re like me and want to eat out once in a while, here are a few tips for saving a little dough and not completely blowing your budget.

Watch for coupons. When you are scanning that Sunday paper for those valuable grocery coupons, keep an eye out for dinning coupons. Purchase an “Entertainment Book”, or join Restaurant.com for some great values. Do a Google search for on line printable coupons. When we are going to eat out, my husband will say “Where do you want to go?” and I always say “Let me see what restaurants we have coupons for.”

Split a meal! Typically, restaurants serve huge portions. Order one meal and split it with your partner.

Control yourself!! Eat half your meal, and box up the rest. Today’s left overs are tomorrows lunches!! Now your meal price was just cut in half!

Always order Water! Most beverages are around $2.00 each, for a family of four, that’s $8.00 just for beverages!

Always, always, skip dessert! With desserts running around four bucks each, who need them? Save the calories, save the fat, save the dough!

Go with the lunch bunch! Lunches are always cheaper! At our favorite Mexican restaurant, for the exact same meal, lunch is $2.00 an entree cheaper!

Choose wisely. You don’t have to go to the most expensive place in town to have a great meal or a good time. Choose a moderately priced restaurant and save.

Sign up and join the club! Sign up for restaurant emails, I get tons of coupons and even free meals by signing up for e-mails from all my favorite places to eat, including fast food. Many establishments have reward programs that offer point’s for dollars spent that can be redeemed for free meals or complimentary items such as an appetizer or dessert. Don’t forget to join the birthday clubs, most offer a free entree for the birthday person!