The ‘dining out’ budget category can quickly spiral out of control. When we are always on the go, eating out seems like the perfect solution to save time and have an enjoyable mealtime experience. I’ve seen many people blow their budget in this area because they’re not paying close attention to what they are really spending at restaurants.
I’m not advocating that you always eat at home and never dine out. Where’s the fun in that? Instead I’m going to give you some great tips to spend your dining dollars wisely without blowing the budget.
1. Take advantage of kids eat free nights. Many restaurants have one day a week (typically a Tuesday or Wednesday) or one day a month when kids eat free with a paid adult entrée. This will easily help families cut their dinner tab by 25 – 30%. Just search ‘kids eat free,’ with the name of your town, to see which restaurants near you have these promotions.
2. Skip the alcohol or imbibe during happy hour specials. Alcohol is notoriously overpriced at restaurants. Many times a glass of wine at your favorite dining spot costs as much as a bottle of wine at the liquor store. If you must have a drink, take advantage of happy hour specials when you’ll save as much as half off.
3. Drink water with your meals. Soft drinks can easily run $2 a drink. You can easily save over $400 a year.
4. Purchase discounted gift certificates at site like Groupon and Living Social. You could save up 50 percent or more on your next restaurant tab this way. Sign up on their respective websites to receive sale notifications. You may even discover a new favorite dinner spot this way. Just be sure to check the fine print before you buy, as some of these discounted gift certificates do have restrictions on when and how you can use them.
5. Make your favorite restaurant meals at home. Thanks to the proliferation of recipe websites and Pinterest, chances are very good that someone has perfected a copycat recipe of your favorite restaurant meal. You’ll likely save calories in addition to money by cooking at home. Dim the lights, bring out the linen napkins, and add some candles for restaurant ambiance.
6. Eat out for ‘linner.’ My husband and I like eating out on the weekends at our favorite Mexican restaurant around 2 p.m.. Since it’s in between lunch and dinner time, we’ve dubbed it ‘linner.’ The nice thing is that we usually get in on the lunch special prices and the restaurant is less crowded, which means better service. This is an easy way to save 30 -50 percent.
7. Split an entrée with your spouse. Restaurant portions are huge. Rather than taking leftovers home that will languish at the back of your refrigerator and eventually end up in the trash, split an entrée with your spouse. You can order an extra salad or appetizer and still save a good deal of money with no food waste.
8. Put your ‘dining out’ budget on cash. By doing this you’ll think twice about spending your dining dollars, plus you’ll know exactly how much you have left for the month. It’s a simple and effective way to rein in your restaurant spending.
Christine Luken is the Financial Lifeguard and a veteran Meal Planner. She helps individuals, families, and entrepreneurs design a financial road map to help them arrive at their Preferred Financial Destination. You can find Christine’s blogs, podcasts, and videos on her Financial Lifeguard website.