|
|
|
|
|
|
It’s best not to eat out; eating in is always less expensive. But, if you have to eat out for your sanity or if you are traveling, here are 13 penny-pinching hints.
- Use coupons. Grab a traveler’s guide and cut out the restaurant coupons they advertise in it.
- Groupon features a daily deal on the best stuff to do, see, eat, and buy in a variety of cities across the United States. Be sure to get the best deal by placing a bid there and get 50-90% off!
- Check out Restaurant.com Gift Certificates: Save up to 60% off your next meal!
This site offers $25 gift certificates for $10. Plus they often often great specials that reduce the price of the certificates even more! There are restrictions.
- Go to restaurant chain websites and check for specials.
- Use senior discounts. Some restaurants designate 50 as eligible for senior discounts, and then the age ranges up to 65.
- Go to the restaurant between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Usually restaurants have happy hour or early bird specials for less.
- In fact, eating lunch out is less expensive than eating dinner out.
- Make an appetizer your entrée, for less.
- Avoid alcoholic drinks and sodas. Go with water to save your pennies.
- Desserts are also expensive. Go have an ice cream locally or have dessert at home.
- Split an entrée with someone else for half the price for two meals.
- Buffets are less expensive.
- Box up leftovers so you can make a second meal out of the price you paid for one meal out.
Share and Enjoy
Instead of going out to eat constantly at chain restaurants, which are both expensive and serve unhealthy foods, and provide disgustingly gargantuan portions, pick one or two nights a month to eat at a a locally owned and run restaurant, one that is not part of a chain. For example, this could be a small Italian restaurant down the street from you, run by Giovanni and his family. Or got a local deli and order some fresh, healthy sandwiches. Eating at a local restaurant or deli will save you time, money, and hassle, and will expose you to your neighbors and the community around you.