Money Saving Monday! Save Money Eating Out...

I found an article in allyou Magazine with great ideas on how to save money when you are eating out.

Enjoy your fav restaurant without putting a dent in your wallet...

Many restaurants roll out discounts on food and drinks during happy hour and sometimes they even serve free snacks. If you miss the happy-hour window, share an entree with a friend so you can split the cost.

Don't order wine at restaurants. Enjoy a glass at home with friends before you go out to dinner.

A family of 4 can save money by purchasing 2 meals and splitting them. Between the entrees, bread and an appetizer, you will be quite satisfied.

Frequent sites sach as halfoffdepot.com, the greenhalf.com and restaurant.com, which sell restaurant gift certificates at a lower price than the retail value. You can also get great bargains from deal-a-day sites, like livingsocial.com

*All You Exclusive!! 25% off gift certificates at restaurant.com. Valid June 18-July 31. Use code ALLYOU

Keep a box of restaurant coupons. Inside, put all the deals you get from the internet, newspaper or mail. When it is your turn to pick where to go, flip through the coupons for the best one :)

You will find that sometimes it isn't really worth it to order kids meals if your child doesn't eat much. Give them something from your plate, it is usually just enough. Also stick to water most of the time..it's better for you than soda and, of course, it's free!



Save even more by...

Skipping Dessert: Restaurants mark up sweet treat, which aren't always homemade. The eatery might buy a cake for $11 and charge its customers $6 to $8 per slide. Bake brownies or a pie beforehand, then enjoy dessert at home after dinner.

Staying in on Holidays: Cook at home instead of eating out on Mother's Day, New Year's Eve and Valentine's Day. Many restaurants raise prices by as much as 20% on those days (and the portions are often smaller, too).

Signing up on a daily deal site: Websites such as groupon.com and socialbuy.com email members about a local discount, and if a certain number of people sign up, they all get the deal. You can find dining coupons for up to 70% off!

Doing online research: Check the websites of your favorite restaurants (both national chains and local places) to learn which days they offer specials such as 25-cent chicken wings on Tuesdays or half-off margaritas on Thursdays.