Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money. Here's how to save money and eat out at your favorite restaurants for less. com , for instance, is a website that sells certificates for a fraction of their worth.

You could be eligible for a cheaper meal simply based on who you are. Children, seniors, students and members of the military are some of the most common candidates for discounts. Many restaurants have mailing lists that they use to distribute news and promotions to customers.

Sign up to stay in-the-know. But if you find the emails are tempting you to eat out more, hit "unsubscribe. To offset the cost, look for more affordable dishes try ones with fruits and veggies that are in season or opt for a smaller portion size if it's available.

As for drinks, water is usually free, whereas soft drinks and alcoholic beverages can quickly add up. If you prefer a glass of wine with your meal, call ahead and ask the restaurant about corkage fees. Even with this fee, it may be more affordable for you to bring your own bottle than to buy one there.

Plan your meals around these offers to take advantage of free appetizers, entrees or desserts. Stay tuned to social media for promotional details. Restaurants like to hear about your experience at their establishment, so if they ask you to complete a survey, take them up on the offer. Similarly, SurveyMini is a free app that unlocks discounts when you complete questionnaires about restaurants.

Don't forget to factor in a tip for your server. For easy ways to incorporate needs and wants into your spending plan, see our advice on how to budget for both. Some restaurants have ended lunch service temporarily to focus on more lucrative dinners — but those with both meals will likely have deals.

Related: The Best Value Meal Deals at 50 Chains Across the Country. Restaurants frequently switch up happy hour specials. daily and from 10 p. Restaurants don't always advertise discounts for seniors , students, veterans, or teachers, so it can't hurt to ask.

If you're not working from home, order lunch for pickup and eat with co-workers at the office instead of eating out. The camaraderie will be the same, even if the ambiance is somewhat lacking. Happy hour isn't only for drinks.

Many bars and restaurant feature cheap eats to go along with discounted cocktails, wine, and beer. Search "happy hour" on Yelp to find nearby deals and look for ads on storefronts or in local publications.

There's no question buffets can be expensive — and fattening. These days, they're also more rare, either because of supply and staff shortages or health concerns. But you wouldn't want to go every day, anyway, even though they can be a less expensive option than true "destination" restaurants where you're charged for the presentation as well as the food.

If you can find a buffet to go to, most stock a handful of pricey items such as lobster or crab legs that make for quick payback once you've had a couple of servings. Seafood buffets in general are an affordable indulgence. The variety of a buffet on its own is a good argument for going too, since there's no way you could go to a traditional restaurant and get so many dishes on a plate for that price.

Related: The Most Indulgent Buffet in Every State. It may require signing up for mailing lists and rewards programs, or downloading an app or two, but there are still restaurants that will slip you free food to mark a birthday. The servers might insist on singing, so brace yourself.

We found 75 places that'll be excited to see you walk through their doors on your birthday, but of course there's another way to get free food on a special day: Just spend it with friends and family who'll want to treat you.

Some restaurants offer early bird specials meals at reduced prices and sometimes reduced portions or fewer courses to attract budget-minded diners during the hours when traffic is thin — typically 4 go 6 p. The trade-off is eating dinner, well, early. Some restaurants require diners to spend a minimum dollar amount or buy at least one entree each.

Call ahead to avoid this requirement, especially if you plan to share an entree. Many social-media-savvy restaurants offer discounts to Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram followers, which may even include free food. Some eateries, especially those on the faster-food side of things, offer deals just for downloading apps.

You don't need to look very hard to find offers, starting with lists on sites such as LushDollar or Wallet Hacks. Related: 12 Cheap and Easy Brown-Bag Lunches. AAA and AARP members can get discounts at many restaurants just by showing a membership card.

Another way to save is by buying an Entertainment membership for coupons on food, drinks, and more available as a hard-bound book or an app. Many local restaurants and some chains advertise in coupon books sent by mail. Or check online at Money Mailer or ValPak.

Note the fine print, as some places require a minimum purchase and include a default tip. Restaurant gift cards can be bought at a discount from warehouse clubs such as Costco and Sam's Club.

Many fast food and restaurant gift cards are available at discounted prices on Gift Card Granny , which aggregates cards available from sellers such as Raise, Gift Card Spread, and Cardpool. Deal sites such as Groupon and LivingSocial may yet have discounts for area restaurants and bars, in addition to attractions, products, and more.

Some establishments offer deals directly, so subscribe to their newsletters and look for specials offered through restaurant apps. Related: 32 Secrets for Better, Cheaper Meals at Your Favorite Chains.

OpenTable users earn points for making and honoring reservations through the site and are eligible for dining rewards after accumulating sufficient points. For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers 2 points for every dollar spent on travel and dining. When dining with a group, charge the entire bill to your credit card and earn rewards.

Friends can give you cash or, with a few taps on a smartphone, easily send payment for their portion through a service such as Venmo, PayPal, or Chase Quick Pay. Restaurants including California Pizza Kitchen and TGI Fridays offer loyalty programs for frequent diners. Points and complimentary items such as dessert can be earned by using the restaurant's rewards card.

The percentage depends on how much you spend annually. Link a credit card with a frequent flyer program and pay with that credit card at participating restaurants to earn miles or points for each dollar spent. Related: 13 Travel Rewards Loopholes and Hacks to Get You More Points.

Pass on drinks if you're on a budget. Focus on food instead. A lime wedge, a cucumber slice, or a few mint leaves can liven up a plain glass of water and hopefully hold off the urge to order a cocktail.

Seek out restaurants with a BYOB policy. New restaurants are a great place to start, as they sometimes open before they've received a license to serve alcohol. Some restaurants charge a flat fee for opening a bottle of wine that diners bring in, known as a corkage fee.

It can be cheaper than ordering individual drinks, but be sure to inquire before dining; corkage fees can be quite steep at some eateries. Search for bars that offer BOGO drinks. While there might be conditions or a limited time window, two for the price of one is a deal worth seeking.

17 Easy Ways to Cut the Cost of Eating Out · 1. Special menu. Many restaurants offer a reduced-price menu for seniors How to save money on dining out · 1. Hit up happy hour · 2. Share your plate · 3. BYOB · 4. Be careful on self-service The average commercially-prepared meal, by our estimates, costs around $ Even if you rarely spend this much money at

Savings on dining out - Make “less but often” your motto · Treat yourself, by yourself · Limit your alcohol intake rather than cutting booze out 17 Easy Ways to Cut the Cost of Eating Out · 1. Special menu. Many restaurants offer a reduced-price menu for seniors How to save money on dining out · 1. Hit up happy hour · 2. Share your plate · 3. BYOB · 4. Be careful on self-service The average commercially-prepared meal, by our estimates, costs around $ Even if you rarely spend this much money at

If you dine out at prime time expect longer waits and higher prices. Many restaurants offer lunch specials, some of which you may not be able to finish and could be eaten for dinner later that night.

Many restaurants offer loyalty programs that often are free and enable you to earn discounts on future orders and snag freebies. Not only do you rack up points for each purchase that can be used for a future order but you get a free pastry, sweet treat or bagel when you make a purchase within two months of signing up.

With an AARP membership you get a percentage off at a slew of restaurants across the country. To get more patrons through their doors, many restaurants offer coupons. There are a plethora of ways to find these deals , whether you are tech-savvy or old school.

Privacy Policy. Cash-back apps are another way to snag a deal. Apps including Hooch, OpenTable, Restaurant. com and Rakuten give you cash back or reward points when you make certain purchases or make a reservation at a participating restaurant.

There are plenty of delicious, filling alternatives on most menus. Coupons for Local Stores. Save on clothing, gifts, beauty and other everyday shopping needs.

Many restaurants and quick-serve establishments will help you celebrate your birthday by giving you a discount on menu items, a free drink or even a birthday dessert. Most restaurants require you to sign up for their loyalty program to get the celebratory kickback. These deals tend to be good for a few days after your birthday, which means you can spread out the savings.

If you are asked to take a survey at the end of the meal, do it, says Dvorkin. Sometimes restaurants will reward you with a coupon or discount for sharing your thoughts on your experience.

She has spent over two decades writing and covering news for several national publications including The Wall Street Journal , Forbes , Investopedia and HerMoney. Discover AARP Members Only Access. Already a Member?

Take 5 Expenses Off the Chopping Block. Inflation Strikes Homeowners Insurance Too. Get Higher Yields With Brokered CDs.

See All. High Yield Savings from Marcus by Goldman Sachs®. Dinner has always been an open invitation with friends and family so we quite often have last minute guests at our table, which is easily accomidated for.

We made an 8 week meal plan, and a master grocery list of all the ingredients needed for all the dishes. The master grocery list also acts as a price book so if something is on sale, we know if its worth stocking up.

This passed Easter, our extended family wanted to go out to a restaurant for brunch. Instead, my husband and I invited everyone over, and we cooked. Best part: I spent 30 minutes in the kitchen to make all that food. Simple things like a little bit or garnish, folded cloth napkins, fresh bread and a simple salad gave the meal a gourmet feel.

It was hard to give up our fast food diet, but now when we do treat ourselves to it, we pay for it, and not just financially. I WAS JUST THINKING-WAIT-I ATE LUNCH OUT TODAY AND NOW I AM ORDERING DINNER-WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE!!!!! I can justify- a lunch date with a friend, planned so that felt o.

k- then visiting a sick relative.. DEAD tired as my busy season just ended BUT whne I add it up- OUCH!!!!! I am re-committing to a certain dollar amount in a envelope a week and when that is gone- no excuses!!!!!!!!!! THANKS for the kick in the butt!!!!

Congratulations on your always wise and practical advice! You are people that really make a difference in this world! Hope your site gets known more and more internationally. You had some good points. I especially liked the idea to just take some hotdogs in the thermos for the kids.

Dinners or lunches do not have to be fancy all the time. I think for myself, I tend to get the pizzas or grab take-out when I am tired. Some days getting a take-out pizza is a big help. I know it is quick and easy and may not be and all the time thing but really there are plenty of other quick and easy that are healthy.

One thing I always say is that if you worry too much about every little bite you put in your mouth and stress if this has too much of that or too little of this that you are causing more damage to your health by all the stress and worry and not being able to relax and eat a simple hot dog once in awhile.

Not only are people stressing themselves out but causing their families a lot of stress. If a person is always worrying about something all that good food you ate this morning is almost canceled out by all the worry, fear and negative thinking done that morning.

You are preaching to the choir here! We ate out just last night. We could talk about anything we wanted without eaves droppers. No line, no waiter, no tip… It was great!

The windows were open and the breeze blew through the house. I think we will repeat this. Meanwhile, my son took his wife out to eat.

I carry emergency rations in the car or bring the lunch box depending on what our plans are. If I ever consider going to fast food, I chicken out really quick!

It costs too much! Like someone else said, the food costs way more than what I can do at home. Going out to breakfast? One fried egg costs more than the whole carton of eggs! Why should I pay for that? Thank you for sharing of yourself as you share your points and ideas.

I have been reading your newsletters for YEARS and enjoy it every single time. Not many resources are written in such a friendly, frank way that I each time I see it, I am eager to read.

About time someone speaks out. And one if my pet peeves is so many people have no money for food,but are constantly talking on a cell phone,which i feel is not a necessary item. Now i feel better. Thank you. There was a sort of funny but very sad email that went around for a while a year ago.

Why was she at a soup kitchen if she could afford a cell phone for that price? Excellent post! Thanks for all the great advice! Great article — and great website in general! I just discovered Living on a Dime and am having a wonderful time going through all of the articles.

This one in particular I love — I have a baaaaad habit of going out for lunch, but have been working on breaking it. I am saving SO much money! They are wonderful. Now, if only I can tear myself away from Living on a Dime, I can go start peeling potatoes for dinner… ; hehehe.

Loved your comment Kristi — especially the last part about tearing yourself away. Too funny. I am a recently divorced mom. I had to learn to not go out to lunch. I often did times a week. I enjoy getting your emails, I have really enjoyed this article. I am a rural mail carrier, and alot of times get in late off the rt.

get home help feed the cattle, come in start dinner, try to clean part of the house. Now that the kids are grown and gone I have done it more.

Ouch on the ck book! I am trying really hard to figure out how to do a budget. Anyway, I have your Dining On A Dime and bought my daughter and my daughter in law one also. I got some of you ebooks also. There is sooooooooooo much more love in every bite of a homecooked meal.

There is a certain satisfaction of performing such a loving act for your family. Eating out should be for a special event or celebration. Not the other way around. Bring your family together for dinner.

Wait a minute!!!! Every thing is backwards nowadays. How sad. And you are soooo right. It does not have to be gourmet or fancy. Just go cook already. I just got this newsletter in my inbox today and am so thankful for the information. I honestly have been so encouraged to change these bad habits because I have this information and support available and I think about it constantly.

Now when my husband and I leave the house around a mealtime, go out for the day or could end up in a situation far from home for an extended period of time, I pack his lunch bag with some water, a flavored beverage of sorts, some healthy snacks or a homemade treat that I store in the freezer and a cold pack.

We then have an alternative to buying more food and insentive to plan ahead and eat what we brought. Thank you SO much for the article on eating out. Having lived quite a few years abundantly on less, I was beginning to wonder if anyone out there had a grip on reality. Thank You for your wise words; I pray they are a blessing to someone.

I love this article. We added up about Even when you are tired after work, the kids can help and fix a quick meal and they can also help clean up!

They have a lot more energy than we do! Did you have an article last year about growing a plant in a planter made of an upside down hanging bottle? If so could you send me a copy. I think it was in one of your newsletters, but I may be mistaken.

Your newsletter is really great. It is a home economics class extroidenare! Thank you, thank you. I pass this along to many of my friends. The only thing you left out was what we pay for water each day.

If only I would have thought of it first. Ann I know what you mean about the water thing. One of my pet peeves. I wrote a big section on it in our Grocery Shopping on a Budget e course. You throw in bottled water and it can go up even more. I needed a few groceries and while at the grocery store remembered that advice.

I went to the deli and bought our favorite rare roast beef sandwich meat, which usually is not on the list because of the cost. Make enough for Saturday lunch and a Sunday lunch. Some fresh biscuits or toast on the side is a wonderful addition.

So all we have to do when we get home from church is warm up the soup! It has saved us so much money because we never go out to eat for Sunday lunch anymore. We used to go out probably at least once per month. I had a teen-aged student male who complained about his stomach hurting.

I asked what he had had for breakfast since I thought that might be the cause of the pain. I told him how to cook oatmeal and gave him a few suggestions for other things. Several weeks later he proudly told me that he was cooking breakfast for himself and his younger sister every day.

Such a small thing to make a difference for two people! As a recently divorced mother of 3, I am completely budget run. During the work week, I can very easily bring my own lunch, but as crazy as it sounds— I feel bad when my coworker who is a batcheor and rarely buys groceries and eats out all the time but it financially stable has to go out to eat alone!

Maybe I will start bringing in lunch for him, too! My coworker and I used to spend lunchtime going over to our cafeteria and having lunch and talking. We decided, after many stomach aches, and other problems, that we would start cooking at home for 2 and sharing lunch.

We not only had much better food but save tons of money. Amen to every word you said! You are so right! I wish you and your family well. Will you continue the web site? Sure hope so. Thank you, Anne. Anne, Tawra and her family is moving to Colorado and for the moment I am staying here in Kansas.

I hope to move there eventually too. Nothing will change at all on the web site. We can run the web site the same way from any where. Even with us living in the same town Tawra and I do most of the web site stuff on the phone with each other which we will still do.

I laugh because when they moved to kansas and I was still in Idaho by myself I averaged plus calls a month between the grown kids and grandkids. It was a good thing we had free calling.

The grandkids are dying for me to get a web phone this move. Not too sure about that one. But it might be fun. I will get to visit them often anyway.

Interesting about the man at the pool. When we say there is not time to do—we are telling God He messed up—He should have created more time for us.

Appreciate the info you give—God bless on your move. Everyone has a bad day or two, but and please do not take offense as none is intended, just an honest inquiry it sounds from the tone of your most recent newsletter that you may be experiencing a touch of burn-out.

I see my husband going through burn-out at work and suggested that he take a few days off, and he is doing much better and regaining his perspective. It is difficult, day in and day out, to help people with the same type of troubles, but your patience and persistence in doing so for years has made a lovely website that we refer to frequently, thank you for all you do!

I seem to recall your having an ebook on dealing with chronic illness in home responsibilities? Also, speaking for myself alone, it takes me at least 30 minutes to get a roast in the oven — I cannot peel and chop taters and carrots and celery fast enough and brown the roast enough to do a meal in 5 minutes.

I think it may perhaps be more realistic for some people to suggest that the time is necessary but worthwhile for your family, because even with cleaning up while I go and chopping vegetables the day or night beforehand, everything just takes longer right now.

Thank you for all you do, and your many great articles and insights,. CJ it is called Common Cents When You are Sick scroll down the page a bit and you will find it. It covers all kinds to things on what to do when you are sick and we try to encourage those who are.

You are an amazing gal, and you probably do take 5 minutes only! Thanks, C. I love your articles and look forward to them all the time.

Sometimes I even save them in a special folder to go back and remind me. I am not good with archives ;- So I have to admit that when I read the articles it reminds me of my preacher preaching to me and stepping on my toes. Can I get an Amen!!!

I realize I truly need to implement the advice from you all along with my pastor. Thank you once again for a wonderful read! I love these words of wisdom because they are truly nuggets of truth. As an older single man, who has always cooked for the family, and now finds himself alone and still cooking like I had teens in the house, I need help.

I find I keep saying that I will eat the left overs, and then wind up throwing much of it in the trash. The practical tips of eating at home are good, but what about us that need help with eating for one or two.

I have found that my budget has gone down some but still remains higher than I would like. Would you consider addressing these issues. Keep up the great advice. BTW, I now make my own pizza dough thanks to Living on a Dime. Jim I get asked this question often. I have even written an big section in our e book Grocery Saving on a budget e course to cover this whole subject.

I mention many tips and ideas on how singles can save. One thing I think you have already figured out what part of what you need to do and that is to cut back on the amounts.

I make up 2 potatoes to mash instead of the 6 I use to cook. One for dinner that evening and the other I use for potato pancakes the next day. The better buy per oz. would be the 30 oz jar. Hope that makes sense. There are many little tricks you can learn. I am as guilty as anyone with eating out and rather than quit cold turkey with eating out, we have made a set of rules to help us step-down from eating out so much.

And last but not least 3: We put a set amount of cash in a cookie jar once a month for eating out and when it is gone, it is gone. I find that my kids love to help me in the kitchen, especially since it is grilling season.

If the boys have sports practice after school, I keep a supply of turkey or ham, their favorite cheese, bread or wraps in my office fridge and make them sandwiches or wraps for snacks to eat on their way to practice.

It sure helps to not have to hit the fast food restaurant or the gas station quick counter. Good ideas Brenda. Jill, I hope the new books you are writing will be in real book form.

I love real books. Ebooks are okay, but not the same. I reread and reread the books I have of yours that are real books in the evening while relaxing and I look forward to that many times. I love all your books. Saves calories and choc chips for future baking. After all who made up the rule that a person has to use a whole bag of choc chips for one batch of cookies?

The manufacturers get rich that way. HA HA. Yes, Bea we are working on getting new covers and re-typesetting right now. We hope to be releasing a new print book once a month of our e-books toward the end of the summer…I hope.

I have always loved to cook and have been cooking since I was about 8 years old, but when I went back to work full time, we slipped into going out not for dinner, but lunch every day. I read your advie to stop eating out and stopped, cold turkey no pun intended! we now have taken the money that we would have spent on food and invested it in a gym where we go 3X a week and of course even though the gym is an expense, it is so much less than the daily cost of going out to eat and we are so much better off for it.

Fishing is also an option, but we need a boat and with all of the money that we have saved from not going out to eat, we are planning on buying one in July, cash of course!

Thanks for your advice and keep up the good work. ya know what i just noticed? they do not eat out in that movie not sure of the others … the wife fixes the meals and when they have guests, she makes the vegi plate.. most of the movies that i have seen and can recall..

all of them have a restaurant scene in it.. just wanted to share.. i have thru lots of trial and error.. the tea that comes to the closest in that taste.. its louisianne tea.. it is really good.. i asked our server and she said they made the iced tea with louisianne tea … i did manage to get some lipton cold brew for my hubby … and normally he is fine with anything i give him..

any kind of tea he will drink and not sure if had an upset tummy or if they use different types of tea blends so u can make the cold brew.. or it was bc of the leukemia he has and the meds.. or whatever.. and his tummy doesnt seem to bother him with this blend.. normally he can only handle one pot of the others but with this one he is fine..

i take one tea bag and brew for the coffee pot 12 cup pot and then tell him to water it down for each glass … so its like half tea and half water in the glass he cant handle ice cubes,, why?

not sure but his dr said it was a side effect of the leukemia.. not sure if this is really true but it is with hubby.. just wanted to share :D. Hi Tawra! Just a quick hello from Sydney Austalia. I love getting your newsletters into my inbox at work. You are a blessing to us here in Oz!

Bless you so much Izzi Sydney Australia. Thanks Izzi. As I have said before we love hearing from our readers who are outside of the US. Have a super day — night????

and very pertinent i think for me at this time.. we nickel and dime ourselves into debt…and usually its a mcDEBT! Hi Celina. Thank you for these great reminders! They help me out of the cooking slumps I get into sometimes. Your simple suggestions definately make daily cooking easier.

I especially appreciate your personal experiences, and never do you sound sanctimonious! Love your spot! I AGREE!!!! Most times I just put leftovers in a plastic container in which I heat up in the microwave at work the next day.

For that SAME price I could have gotten a couple of packs of luncheon meat and several bottles of soda not to mention a couple of whole loaves of bread! AH live and learn!!! Next time I will bring the oatmeal to work!!!!! I just found your website and I dont sugar coat anything either.

I just wanted to say this post really opend my eyes to ALOT of things I could and should be doing differently. My sweet man is such a great cook that we rarely go out to eat. the hard part is slowing us down so that the leftovers are eaten before the next feast… He sometimes has a vision of a new meal before we have cleared the last out of the fridge….

Tonight, we ate mostly leftovers and when we were done, he sadly said that he would do the dishes in the morning. However, I got the dishes done in about 7 minutes, and tomorrow the counters will beckon for another great meal. I have found that we cannot purchase a meal at a restaurant that comes close to what we can do at home, and the quality at home is under my control — fresh, local, no additives, seasonal….

I just found your website and I love it! Do you have any suggestions on saving money while doing your own cooking? We very rarely eat out, but my food expenses are almost equal to our mortgage I have 6 children, including 4 teens. Thank you for all your do.

Jackie just keep checking out the web site. We have articles about saving juice, pop etc. We also have a Grocery Shopping on a Budget e course which is packed full.

I like it the best of all the books for having tons of info and different info on saving when buying groceries. It and like with most of our books we find most people get back the money they paid for it by using even one or two tips from it.

But like I said just keep looking at the different articles. A quick tip for those days when ball practice is eating up all your time. Heat canned chili and put it into indidual packs of fritos, throw some grated cheese on top and give the kids a spoon.

Quick easy and no cleanup, just throw the bag away. Also good with doritos and leftover taco meat! Wow, that was a long post today…but really, really GOOD and very necessary : : My dad and I used to eat a lot of processed food, and eat out, too.

Although for us, what got us to stop doing that was our health. Our food bill has drastically increased simply because we had to go gluten free. One of our children has been diagnosed with celiac disease and I have since been diagnosed as highly gluten intolerant.

Eating out is not usually an option. Gluten-free bread is expensive. So stop eating bread, or at least drastically reduce it. Eat more fruit, veggies, rice, different GF grains, meats, eggs, etc.

We still do some breads, cakes, etc, but they are treats not staples. Also, know which popular brands are generally gluten-free and will label allergens. Kraft in Canada will ALWAYS label gluten and gluten cross-contamination.

I can buy their stuff fairly confidently. I hit up people I know that are traveling to the US to bring me back a bottle or two. My local grocery store will happily provide a list of gluten-free in-house products like sausage on demand, or wil make to order for no extra charge.

You just have to ask. We buy organic meat and eggs directly from the farm, get a garden share in the summer plus our our garden, can and dry our food when we can. We are also gluten-free. We spend less money than most families in our area on food. So, went home and said, dinner is scrambled eggs, bacon and toast with apple slices.

Hubby likes this meal and it cost me nothing more since all the ingredients were at home. It only took about 15 min to make microwaved the bacon while the eggs were cooking and only a few minutes to clean up after dinner.

I bring my lunch and breakfast every day to work and like that I can buy a whole package of English muffins for the price of one muffin at our deli here in the building. I think only having cash to spend works well for me.

Not tempted to spend more than I can afford. One more note. This reduces the cost of the items I buy at the grocery store and I like purchasing local items and keeping our local farms still going.

Sometimes their costs are a little more but you cannot deny the freshness. Agree wholeheartedly with everything in your great article! My husband works 55 hrs. a week physical work at age 59 and even though we could afford it, he takes his lunch every day except Friday.

For many years, he has even had the exact same lunch every day! Nice to have an outing, though. When I was a kid it was a real treat to eat in a restaurant since it was so rare. My siblings and I still joke about how our road trip meals were a loaf of bread and pkg.

of baloney along the way. The recipes are straightforward and simple. The book is from so it is current. Ordered it from the library first to try it out and it is so worth it. Except for a couple of ingredient they use everyday stuff.

Baked goods,pasta,desserts,mains etc. Lots of good ideas to bring gluten free products back into line with a normal budget! Good luck with it.

My family only goes out to eat once a year. That is all we can afford. It makes it a special event. I think once people make a certain meal a few times, it will get easier and easier. I try to have something a little more special on Fridays I call them Friday Fun Meals like pizza, tacos, fahitas, etc.

Not being in debt is much more fun than going out to eat!!! Besides, no list of arguments against eating out would be complete without Grover guess who! I have had to be frugal for quite some time and know how to stretch the old dollar that is having a hard time because everything has gone up that is the standard expenses like electricity and then should I say the 8.

Oh boy! My dollar has really had a hard time stretching these days like it used to even a year ago. So when I read about stopping going out to eat which we do once a month anyway I thought of the reasons that I do go. Here they are: 1. Someone else is cooking than me 2.

I have to eat anyway so I guess I could say food is something not so evil as buying a product in the store would be. They can cook what I am craving better than my Husband on the BBQ can.

And the one that really is not mentioned above in your comments is 4. So thank you for letting me process the reason that I will still probably eat out once a month and continue to drink water and not order a desert because the benefits out weigh for me at the moment.

I just wanted to say most of our meals are made at home and it has saved us a huge amount. One thing I do with a friend. When we go to town to do a grocery shopping, pay bills, doctors visits, eye spcalist and any thing else that we can fit in that day, often one of us will have fasting blood sugars to be taken and we will be ready to eat when done.

We have a 34 kilometer round trip so plan our trips to town. We go to a nice resturant, order their soup and sandwich special and an extra cup of soup and a plate. we split the sandwich and each have a cup of soup.

We take our time and enjoy our coffee and lunch out. Other times we get our groceries, and find a nice picnic spot. Make a sandwich from what we just bought, and a piece of fruit. Most of the time we just go to town and home, but these other times are the ones we remember and enjoy.

Oh my! Were you preaching to me or what? You have taken away every excuse. Now it is up to me to quit using them! Wowww… Thanks for the kick in the pants! I needed it today, I just got home from picking up take-out food and it was cold..

so a lot of it did not even get eaten at all, just moved around a little, and dumped in the trash!! Sometimes we need a little tough love from Jill!! During those times I would cook a meal and put a blanket on the floor and we would have a picnic. Let the imagination roll!!

Pat, really love the picnic idea. Shop first, then picnic and visit with your friend. I know that after blood work, especially after fasting for 12 or more hours, you really need to eat something soon.

So the picnic idea is great. Everytime I think of that, it brings back happy memories. Nothing fancy, just good food and fun. And no cold fastfood that no one would eat. I about passed out. That was the kick in the butt I needed. Since then I have dug out my pressure canner and am preparing all kinds of canned meats that can be ready to go in minutes.

I make a double meal, we eat part of it and I can the other half you could freeze as well. This has been a painful reality for my household. We eat out a lot, and I am a stay at home mom! Thank you for the tough love attitude!! We all need a good dose of it from time to time, and this was definitely my time!

Hey Amie! It is easy to fall into fast food. Less cleanup that way too! A couple times a month I crank up the stereo and cook all day long, fixing multiple meals. You are a doll! You hit the nail right on the head with this one!! I am going to print it and give it to my grandchildren.

Thanks SO much for the great advice. Seems as if you are usually speaking directly to me. I wonder if others feel the same.

I care for some of my grandchildren while their parents work. I wrapped it back up and kept it in the fridge so it was edible. Once she saw with her own eyes how much they were wasting it stopped.

I sent it urging her to reheat it for the next morning but she soon saw I was not exagerating. A breakfast sandwich with 2 bites out of it or a burrito with one bite off an end really was a huge waste when they were so much happier with a bowl of cereal or me making a burrito and serving each youngster a half.

We used to make an outing out of stopping for a happy meal and going to the park to play. I soon figured out that they were so excited to play they were wasting the meal.

They play a few minutes and then are starving for their sandwiches from home. I have these kids twelve hours four days a week so I am feeding them the same meals most of you are. Fast food is the biggest waste and the least food value of any way of eating for kids and adults.

I have found myself enjoying the outing but not the food so many times lately that my girl friends and I are planning dessert out. We eat at home and then meet for a great dessert and coffee or tea.

Living on our retirement income has made us way more aware of what we are spending eating out. Another thing I have done is join a grocery co-op.

These are going all over the country but the one I joined here in Kansas is available all over the midwest and I know they are available other places. The one I belong to is called Prairie Land Food and you can check their website to see what I am talking about at plairielandfood.

It is not anything that is dependant on income. That is never asked for and of course never given. All I can say is try it once and see if you are not amazed at the amount of food you can get for much less than the grocery store. I buy one of everything but two of the fresh produce.

Some items you cook from scratch but there are always some things like pizza that are name brand at a greatly reduced price. All the ordering is done online which is super easy and pick up is so organized it takes me less than 5 minuetes. The food differs each month so if it is something I know we like but may not be on next months menu I buy more for the freezer.

I encourage you to check it out. This month we even got a loaf of Sarah Lee bread that was a surprise add on. Mana from heaven, one man said.

THIS should be FRONT PAGE news! forget what Lady Gaga is doing, or whatever hollywood or otherwise celebrity disaster is happening! THIS is what matters! for one month. I quickly ran to my wife to share with her, and she agreed — NO More eating out!!

The timing of this article was impeccable!! Funny how something as simple as a tax return, can make you live under the delision that you are suddenly rich.

I see that now. Lesson learned! Hopefully, this will help others! God Bless! I love it Michael when our readers have these ah ha moments. I think you will be very surprised at what happens in your life now because after you start putting this one thing of not going out to eat into practice and see what a difference it makes you will start noticing so many other areas where you may be spending too much too and want to change things there.

For example many go to the store, check out with their credit card and walk to the car without even looking at or noticing what they have just spent.

Since nixing the eating out due to the tight budget, I think it has been hardest on my daughter. Convenience to-go food is basically how we lived for so long since we were rushing here and there. Now when we leave to run errands or go into the city, I pack an insulated bag with treats and we take sport bottles or insulated cups with drinks so we do not have to stop at a quick trip.

Keep sending suggestions!! I can not decide if I love the suggestions more than I like saving money :D. As I say to my husband, why pay for a mediocre meal in a restaurant when we can have one at home for a lot cheaper :.

my problem is trying to cook for a diabetic who has high blood pressure. He cannot eat processed meats loves hotdogs! or starches, sweets, etc.

Ruth — There are many low carb recipes online. I have recently begun making low carb bread using almond meal instead of flour. I feel like you were talking right at me! I just wish our at-home chinese tasted as good as the restaurants.

Some Asian specialty stores sell the stuff that the restaurants use. You should check some of them out and look up the ingredients to see how they are used. Some of my family originates from Korea, and so I had a bit of background knowledge on some things, but I also had to learn a lot.

Now my stuff taste pretty much like my favorite Asian Restaurants! I have four grown children who remember me bringing an insulated pyrex pan full of hot dogs and buns to the little league games. It was fun for them and we could afford that so we did it.

Glad to read I am not the only one who has resorted to this! Another excellent article! ahhh back to the good old days for me. All sat down at night for supper around a table and ate ONE meal, the same food for everyone.

You liked it because that was all you got. You have to have steak for Dad, chicken for Junior, salad for Mom, just veggies for Sis. They need to get back to one meal eat it and like it. and it starts when they are babies.

My husband and I are very very poor right now. We were eating out so much it figured up to more than dollars a month spent on fast food! How sad is that? Also, our daughter was also eating that junk. Not only is it really bad for you, but it was at least 20 dollars a visit to any fast food restaurant for us all to eat.

We are on assistance while we get our finances in order and find ways to bring in more income and as we trim extra fat, but we use our assistance to get meals that make sense.

None of that junk that has a ton of craziness in it. Eating at home with store bought ingredients is better for you than fast food, but even there you will find sneaky food that break the bank and cause just as much weight gain.

Thank you for the article! I usually end up going out to eat when I just have to get out of the house and interact with another human being. At this point, the counter lady knows my name, and I just want to cry when I think about giving that up. You will save by eating at home, but can periodically make trips out for your Sanity.

I wanted to comment on this as well. sometimes, I really crave one, but I skip the fries and have water in my car. I do this too. Not expensive and I get to eat out too. Oh, I loved this article. At times you got somewhat aggressive and that is what it takes to get some people to open their eyes and off their behinds.

For a while we had gotten into the habit of eating out because of convenience. This year I put a stop to it. The last time we ate out was December 31, I will put the money we spent eating out on bills.

My husband and I have fought about going out to eat for years. This was my chance. I went 4 months back, made a budget and printed out where every dime had gone. Our problem was eating out, and that is the ONLY problem.

We do not spend money foolishly in any other way. He could no longer deny that eating out was a HUGE cause of our debt. We will eventually get to where we only buy the occasional soda or snack, and the VERY occasional meal instead of making our lives revolve around eating out.

Your email that came this morning on eating out was spot on. My husband and I have been out of debt since we got married 23 years ago. It is that simple. I signed up for your tips because as retirees I need all the tips I can get for living on less.

I love it and a HUGE thank you for this. As always, excellent article and excellent comments. How badly do we want something? My own experience as a young Mom was that I most wanted to eat out when I was exhausted and or needed a mini-vacation.

Long story short, we very seldom ate out, as finances were tight, but the need for a mini vacation was real. Consider having a rule that says someone else cleans up, other than the person who cooks.

For some households this may be impossible, or unlikely, so consider using paper plates, etc. for days when the physical and emotional exhaustion is real.

Some people are in a trance-like state eating out because what they really are, is lonely, not hungry. As this site points out, the remedy is a little pre-planning. If you usually eat out on the weekend, plan a little get together with friends or family at your house with just coffee, and muffins.

I still know what exhaustion is in our current lifestyle. During late summer and early fall, there is a big push on for 3 to 4 weeks, to get in the firewood for the winter months. No firewood, no heat for our long northern Canadian winters. I usually make up a snack of a thermos of coffee and a sandwich to go in the truck, along with a cold drink.

I plan the day before, and have a meal in the crock pot for supper. My husband gets home around 4 p. We throw off the firewood into the yard, it will be stacked by myself the next day, while hubby is at work and walk in dusty, dirty and hungry to a kitchen where dinner is ready.

We repeat this cycle, until we have our annual 8 to 10 cord of wood for the year. There are two of us, and those meals on the logging road, are the most delicious and memorable. My point is, your circumstances are particular to every family, but a little planning, and experimenting goes a long way.

Fantastic article! My family very rarely eats out, although I would LOVE for my eldest son to read this. so he continues to eat out when he wants to.

Love your website and the great advice! We live about 45min. from town. I usually pack lunches, but sometimes we get caught off guard.

I just wanted to add a tip. Everybody gets full and there are usually leftovers for another lunch. Great tip Sara. We would do this on trips. Instead of pulling into a fast foods place we usually could find a place to buy a loaf of bread, package of bologna and a bag of chips and that was lunch or supper.

For an added treat we stop at a gas station, put our money in a pop machine and get to pull a pop out of those old huge pop chests where the pop would dangle in ice water. After driving all day in Aug.

Savings on dining out - Make “less but often” your motto · Treat yourself, by yourself · Limit your alcohol intake rather than cutting booze out 17 Easy Ways to Cut the Cost of Eating Out · 1. Special menu. Many restaurants offer a reduced-price menu for seniors How to save money on dining out · 1. Hit up happy hour · 2. Share your plate · 3. BYOB · 4. Be careful on self-service The average commercially-prepared meal, by our estimates, costs around $ Even if you rarely spend this much money at

Plan your meals around these offers to take advantage of free appetizers, entrees or desserts. Stay tuned to social media for promotional details.

Restaurants like to hear about your experience at their establishment, so if they ask you to complete a survey, take them up on the offer.

Similarly, SurveyMini is a free app that unlocks discounts when you complete questionnaires about restaurants. Don't forget to factor in a tip for your server. For easy ways to incorporate needs and wants into your spending plan, see our advice on how to budget for both. On a similar note Personal Finance.

How to Eat Out on a Budget. Follow the writer. MORE LIKE THIS Personal Finance. Buy gift cards below face value. Ask for a discount. Join the club. Make wise menu choices. Dine on national days. Take a survey. Leave room in your budget. Eating out is among the of the top causes of personal debt.

Most of us hunt for the best interest rates on our mortgages and we complain about the terrible price of gas the whole time we are pumping it.

Then there are those fast food places. Tut, tut. I had better behave or I will have to fire myself. But I do feel so much better for getting that off of my chest. Anyway where was I?

Oh, yes — saving money and eating out. I totally understand. Obviously my examples are tongue in cheek but, as ridiculous as that all sounds, that really is what a lot of us are doing. Take one week and write down how much you spend eating out. That includes all those coffees, soft drinks, things from the vending machines and snacks you buy throughout the day.

Multiply it by 4 to get a monthly estimate and I think you would be just plain shocked. Even when we know that a habit is destructive to us physically, financially and even emotionally , we still do it.

Please do not e-mail me about drug addicts and alcoholics. If you do, you are missing the point of the article and are only making it more clear to me that you are probably one of the people not willing to own up to or face the real issue —your debt.

We sink into a fog of apathy, hopelessness and discouragement and just give up trying. I really want you to understand you can fix your finances , but it will take a little bit of work and effort on your part.

He had laid by a healing pool for 38 years. If he could dip in the pool when the water stirred, he would be healed. Maybe Jesus asked this question because He too thought here is a man, like so many do these days, making excuses, being a victim and waiting for someone else to fix his problem for him.

What did Jesus tell him to do? GET UP! stand on your own two feet , TAKE UP YOUR BED start being responsible for your own things , and WALK become active in solving your own problems which may mean physical labor, or doing without some things.

You need to be like the lame man and GET UP, TAKE UP YOUR BED and WALK. I have very rarely heard anyone say that they are too busy to get their hair done, go shopping, go to sports activities, talk on the phone or spend time on the computer. You really can find the time.

I was a single mom with 2 teens, working 60 hours a week , doing all my own yard work, home repairs, and on and on and guess what? Except when I was ill, I always found time to make breakfast and dinner. Start simple. Even my 9 year old grandson can boil himself a hot dog.

There are simple enough instructions on the back of a package of spaghetti noodles that, once again, even a child can read and follow. Warm up a jar of sauce and dinner is served. You now have two main dishes that take less than 10 minutes to prepare. To me, going to a restaurant, sitting and listening to loud music for 30 minutes with fussy, hungry, complaining kids is not my idea of fun.

Going to a drive-thru is, at times, not much better. Lately it seems as if the line of cars wraps around the whole building at every fast food joint that I drive by.

Sorry, once again I digress. Do you want the pain of cooking or the pain of not knowing how to pay your bills. If you are in debt, it would be wise to start putting up with a few of the drawbacks that come with eating at home. Besides, if you are really serious about saving money, there are ways to make cooking at home much easier.

You could also have sloppy joes simmering in a crockpot and pour those into the thermos for an on the run meal. To make it even easier, heat it up from a jar and then pour it in the thermos.

If I took that long to cook a meal every night I would never get anything done. There are tons of meals out there that require 15 minutes or less prep time.

We share lots of ideas there to get you started. Sometimes we like to make things more complicated than they really are because that gives us a good excuse not to do them.

Where there is a will there is a way. Do you really want to get out of debt? Then GET UP, STOP CHARGING, and GET COOKING! He wants to eat out after work since he has to commute but I would rather him buy and eat a healthy portioned frozen meal from a grocery than fast food He can microwave at his work before he leaves.

Not only is it cheaper, it is portion and calorie controlled. Of course I would love for him to be able to eat at home, but the drive is more than an hour. Either that or he needs to keep none perishable food stuffs in his van to snack on til he gets home. I have offered to fill his big cooler with dried healthy snacks, fiber bars, etc.

Thanks for the article, maybe I will forward it to him and let his eyes be opened to how much we are wasting by not thinking ahead and packing extra before he goes to work. I am a little curioous if he only has a hour of commuting. My husband has a long commute also.

I make him two meals a day to take with him. I agree with you that even TV dinners are healthier and much cheaper than fast food.

If you can, try packing him two meals a day. I do my meal prep on the weekend. I make a few big meals and them portion them out for the week in carry away containers.

I also prepare and pack sandwiches for the week. He may find he likes it. My husband was resistant at first also. He hopped on board once he saw all we were saving.

Hope this comment helps! Excellent article. I needed to hear this. Thank you for publishing this article. I agree completely. I am great about not buying unnecessary junk at the grocery store but catch me at a weak moment and I will go out to eat in a heartbeat!

Even buying convenience food at the grocery store is cheaper than eating out and the nutritional value of the food in not much different. I keep homemade pizza sauce either canned or frozen, frozen sausage and a bag of mozzarell cheese and maybe mushrooms for quick healthy pizzas.

Frozen pizza night at our house is really clean out the fridge night. Your website is awesome. God bless you both for everything. I have found that by not taking any kind of money checkbook, debit card, cash, etc with me to work, I have saved an incredible amount by taking my lunch, a snack for break and drinking ice water.

It took discipline, but I learned to plan ahead and be sensible and honest about my finances or lack of. Thanks for the wonderful articles.

Thank you for the article and encouragement. Eating at home more and dinners out are once a month instead of every weekend. I grew up in the restaurant business many years ago and know how overly-processed the food is and how it is prepared.

We as adults need to set a good example for our children and show them that healthy home-cooked food is the best way to live for the long haul. Kids learn from their parents so why are we so surprised to see one generation after another getting fatter and fatter?

Obesity in this country is mainly caused from eating too much and restaurants serve way too much! Our healthcare costs in this country are out of sight often due to the bad eating habits of our citizens.

Great advise. If even one person is helped you have done an excellent job of telling the truth. Telling it like it is, not sugar coated. Love your comments. Keep up the good work. Tawra— I enjoy your newsletter very much. I like the way you intertwine bible stories with your message.

Jesus will provide when a person stops whining, uses the brain they were blessed with and gets to work. Thanks for all the hard work that goes into creating such a useful website. YOU ARE SO RIGHT!

I mean, if we are not smart with the little we have now, why would God give us more money to just waste? Thank you Joseph for your comment and to all who are being responsible people, YOU ROCK!!!

By the time I purchase all the necessary ingredients for Mexican food especially I have spent much more than we spend grabbing a couple of entrees at our favorite place.

Yes, SOME of the ingredients could be used in other dishes and that is a consideration BUT we live in a small travel trailer and storage space is also a major consideration.

Our refrigerator space is very small and freezer space is almost none. I home can and dehydrate as much as possible to save space in the refrigerator and freezer. Things like chunks of roast beef, chunks of chicken, etc are canned so that they do not take up space in the refrigerator but are readily available for meals.

We would eat very poorly if not for the crock pot especially when we are working at campgrounds etc. Our hours vary and it is so easy and efficient to put something into the crockpot and have it available whenever we get off and area able to eat.

Eating out constantly would quickly use up our soc sec income so it is VERY limited. With children I can readily understand how eating out would put a major drain on your finances. Especially considering that many children would leave a lot uneaten.

I have a BA with a family finance emphasis, you hit things right on, the one thing I saw when doing my internship and counseling families was that they wanted their debt reduced or to have the ability to pay their monthly bills but…were not willing to do what it takes to do that.

They wanted it to be easy and quick but…the debt they got into took time and changing spending habits. I love it when someone, like yourself, actually puts the responsibility on people with the habits that are detrimental to their families or their welfare.

What a great read! was a real treat! Also to get a turkey dinner at a time other then Thanksgiving was a treat. We just have too many things available at all seasons of the year.

I have been guilty of too much eating out and seeing the waste and feeling the boredom of another meal out! You just go out, order the meal, stuff the food in your face and then pay the bill and leave.

It was nothing more then an act of boredom! I have used menu plans and will again get back to doing it. It did save money and especially time.

Also you could easily figure out what to do with what was left of the roast in the next few days. I will get back to making the weekly menu AND get the crock pot out and use it! for the kids and your SO vs.

buying them. Even bake bread! The main one is that the house wife or house husband needs to take pride in what they do. They make life possible and better for everyone in the house. A clean house, a home cooked meal, clean clothes and etc. Maybe it is time to slow down a bit and live simpler lives.

Paet, it is funny you should mention this. I took the thing home. Made me a cup of coffee, put my feet up and took a big bite of my dough nut.

Boy was that good. I savored every single bite slowly chewing then sipping some coffee. I thought I was eating manna from heaven it tasted so good. As I did that I realized part of our problem is we have so much and get what ever we want when we want it so often that nothing is a real treat for us.

I spent 15 mins. enjoying that silly dough nut but many of us gulp down or something similar a day without even realizing we ate them. I feel especially sorry for our children who are being robbed of so much pleasure.

Paet, I was thinking the same thing. I remembered when eating out was a special treat. In my household we decided to put the breaks on and become more self-sufficient. We are also trying to make new traditions and try to focus more on family. They had THE best strawberry pie in the world.

As always Jill, this is a great article. I used to love eating out instead of cooking. hee hee. I agree totally with you!!!

Cooking at home is so much better for the budget and our health!!!! You can have the children get involved by setting the table or depending on their age, even planning and cooking dinner one night a week.

I did this with my daughter from a young age. We began with her setting the table and helping to clear it after dinner and then when she got older she would plan one dinner a week and with my help she would make that dinner, She was very proud of her accomplishment too!!!

She is now grown and out on her own, but I can rest assured that she does know how to cook! Thank-you for telling it like it is!!! I eat at home the majority of the time and only very occasionally eat out and although I have at least six cookbooks I still find that yours is the best!!!

My sister is constantly eating out yet when she lost her job she was relied on several family members to pay her bills because she had no emergency fund. I wish she would wise up as well as all those people who complain about their debt as they are driving thru a drive thru or headed to a restaurant.

Love it! I am so amazed at the packed parking lots of ALL the restaurants in town ALL the time! You go girl. I would like to say how very true it is that many of us do not realize just how much we spend eating out. Since the beginning of the year, we have been tracking every reciept for all purchases in a notebook under a category.

We add them up at the end of each month. We were surprised to see even though we eat out less than once a week on average, we were spending at least a couple of hundred dollars for our family of four to eat out each month! Keep all the receipts in a shoe box till you record them and see for yourself what you are really spending.

It puts it into perspective when you have to face the numbers on the page. We rarely and I mean rarely go out to eat. We cook very simply but eat very well and we always wonder why so many people eat out for almost every meal of the day!

If remember correctly the man who wanted to be healed had to be the first person to touch the water and there was always someone who touched the water before him. The water only moved at certain times and only the first person to touch the water got healed.

I think you are correct but after all those years I think I would have scooted myself to the edge and kept trying to be the first.

Very Well Said!!!!! I could see that this was becoming a debt issue and told him, as much fun as it is, it has to stop.

I am partly to blame as I was forgetting to take something out or would be too busy on weekends to cook when we would get hungry. Planning my weekly meals has helped tremendously and now its a treat to go out, not an every weekend thing, and we pay cash instead of using a credit card.

Loved this message.. hope lots take your advise.. we eat out very little. But when I worked it was hard to take a lunch everyday.. It is a treat when we do now.. thanks for all the info.. We eat out rarely but with our life style it is so tempting to do so. We leave in the morning go out boating and only eat crackers and cheese or finger bun sandwiches during the day.

We get home about 9pm exhausted. I now keep a box of egg rolls, chinese appetizers, fish sticks and french fries in the freezer. We get home and while we shower the oven is pre-heating. Put pans into the oven and go relax while dinner is cooking.

Going for take out we wait 15 min. take it home let it get cold while we shower and it loses its appeal if not piping hot. But I still get to relax before and during the meal. Your remark about how your grandson can boil a hotdog made me smile. The eggs were hard, the toast burnt, and the coffee full of grounds.

She ate it anyway — what love! A year later, I was able to cook meals for the whole famly. If a ten year old can cook meat, mashed potatoes Real ones, not instant and vegetables, any adult ought to be able to do it with little trouble. BTW, that family was Mum, Dad, and the five of us kids.

Later, my elder sister moved home with her baby son. I just peeled an extra potato, and served homemade muffins for dessert. I had to laugh — at myself.

To shorten a long story, 25 minutes later I finally got my food, and I was very hot, very sweaty sorry, ladies , and really pretty aggravated at myself. NO, it did not. Boy, did I learn a lesson there. but there are times I just want to eat and not have to clean up.

I am definitely learning that cleaning up a bit definitely pays in the long run! Love this! Our favourite: A rotisserie deli chicken leftovers become sandwiches , a bag of those 5-minute quick-cooking shoestring fries, a bag of salad and a tomato, cuke, etc that can be tossed in leftover salad with chicken on top for someone.

We would have some rolls too if we could eat wheat. Rotisserie chicken are a life saver I agree, I just wish they did not have so much sodium the one at wall mart have mg of sodium. There is always a trade-off, Chris.

Great article! We only eat out for special occasions. I cook dinner for us every night and spend roughly an hour as well as cooking breakfast and lunch for our family of 7 and packing a lunch for my husband. Thanks for your time! Elizabeth Gregg.

Elizabeth, if you go to the home page of the web site and type in 30 minute meals in the search box you will come up with a whole bunch of menus ideas we have on there. Tawra is wanting us to do a quick and easy menus book soon but until then this should help you.

We also are having a sale on our grocery saving e book next week, I think, which is really good because it teaches how to not only make your own menus up but so many other ways to get in and out of the grocery store and kitchen fast and with less work.

My husband and I cook for four hours in one go on the weekend. Last weekend we added hand-held meat pies store bought pie shells stuffed with ground beef, potatoes, onions, and carrots and then individually wrapped in foil for quick grab and go.

Brown rice, ground turkey, onion, peanuts, and cilantro medley to eat warm or cold. Six individual tossed salads put into snap and seal and they stay fresh for five days.

Roasted carrots, beets, and onions — just pop into the oven. Steamed two bags of spinach and two heads of cauliflower. Microwaved four sweet potatoes, peeled, and mashed with butter and walnuts. Boiled and peeled six eggs. Homemade mac and cheese with jalapenos.

Used about 1. All reheat well or are eaten cold or at room temp. We find it much more time efficient to multitask — there are, after all, four burners, and two oven racks. Doing once a week takes 8 hrs that is the hours total for 2 of you of cooking time.

a week when you do the meals each evening. Just so you would know. Eating out was a major obstacle on our path to getting our finances under control. How ridiculous that sounds now, treating ourselves to more debt! The one major thing that has helped us go from eating out a week to eating out only a month is planning our menus.

I can not stress how much this has helped us!!! Also, I love my crockpot, literally, LOVE IT!! THANK YOU!!!!!! I have been following you for a year now. Between you and Hillbilly Housewife. Good job Becky! People think we are crazy when we say it can be done but you are the perfect example it can.

Do you feel like you have really suffered or is it better? Well said! My husband and I when we started out family made the decision to cook more homecooked meals. Dinner has always been an open invitation with friends and family so we quite often have last minute guests at our table, which is easily accomidated for.

We made an 8 week meal plan, and a master grocery list of all the ingredients needed for all the dishes. The master grocery list also acts as a price book so if something is on sale, we know if its worth stocking up. This passed Easter, our extended family wanted to go out to a restaurant for brunch.

Instead, my husband and I invited everyone over, and we cooked. Best part: I spent 30 minutes in the kitchen to make all that food. Simple things like a little bit or garnish, folded cloth napkins, fresh bread and a simple salad gave the meal a gourmet feel. It was hard to give up our fast food diet, but now when we do treat ourselves to it, we pay for it, and not just financially.

I WAS JUST THINKING-WAIT-I ATE LUNCH OUT TODAY AND NOW I AM ORDERING DINNER-WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE!!!!! I can justify- a lunch date with a friend, planned so that felt o. k- then visiting a sick relative.. DEAD tired as my busy season just ended BUT whne I add it up- OUCH!!!!!

I am re-committing to a certain dollar amount in a envelope a week and when that is gone- no excuses!!!!!!!!!! THANKS for the kick in the butt!!!! Congratulations on your always wise and practical advice! You are people that really make a difference in this world!

Hope your site gets known more and more internationally. You had some good points. I especially liked the idea to just take some hotdogs in the thermos for the kids. Dinners or lunches do not have to be fancy all the time.

I think for myself, I tend to get the pizzas or grab take-out when I am tired. Some days getting a take-out pizza is a big help. I know it is quick and easy and may not be and all the time thing but really there are plenty of other quick and easy that are healthy.

One thing I always say is that if you worry too much about every little bite you put in your mouth and stress if this has too much of that or too little of this that you are causing more damage to your health by all the stress and worry and not being able to relax and eat a simple hot dog once in awhile.

Not only are people stressing themselves out but causing their families a lot of stress. If a person is always worrying about something all that good food you ate this morning is almost canceled out by all the worry, fear and negative thinking done that morning.

You are preaching to the choir here! We ate out just last night. We could talk about anything we wanted without eaves droppers. No line, no waiter, no tip… It was great! The windows were open and the breeze blew through the house. I think we will repeat this. Meanwhile, my son took his wife out to eat.

I carry emergency rations in the car or bring the lunch box depending on what our plans are. If I ever consider going to fast food, I chicken out really quick! It costs too much! Like someone else said, the food costs way more than what I can do at home.

Going out to breakfast? One fried egg costs more than the whole carton of eggs! Why should I pay for that? Thank you for sharing of yourself as you share your points and ideas. I have been reading your newsletters for YEARS and enjoy it every single time.

Not many resources are written in such a friendly, frank way that I each time I see it, I am eager to read. About time someone speaks out. And one if my pet peeves is so many people have no money for food,but are constantly talking on a cell phone,which i feel is not a necessary item.

Now i feel better. Thank you. There was a sort of funny but very sad email that went around for a while a year ago. Why was she at a soup kitchen if she could afford a cell phone for that price? Excellent post! Thanks for all the great advice! Great article — and great website in general!

I just discovered Living on a Dime and am having a wonderful time going through all of the articles. This one in particular I love — I have a baaaaad habit of going out for lunch, but have been working on breaking it.

I am saving SO much money! They are wonderful. Now, if only I can tear myself away from Living on a Dime, I can go start peeling potatoes for dinner… ; hehehe.

Loved your comment Kristi — especially the last part about tearing yourself away. Too funny. I am a recently divorced mom. I had to learn to not go out to lunch. I often did times a week.

I enjoy getting your emails, I have really enjoyed this article. I am a rural mail carrier, and alot of times get in late off the rt. get home help feed the cattle, come in start dinner, try to clean part of the house.

Now that the kids are grown and gone I have done it more. Ouch on the ck book! I am trying really hard to figure out how to do a budget. Anyway, I have your Dining On A Dime and bought my daughter and my daughter in law one also. I got some of you ebooks also.

There is sooooooooooo much more love in every bite of a homecooked meal. There is a certain satisfaction of performing such a loving act for your family. Eating out should be for a special event or celebration.

Not the other way around. Bring your family together for dinner. Wait a minute!!!! Every thing is backwards nowadays. How sad. And you are soooo right. It does not have to be gourmet or fancy. Just go cook already. I just got this newsletter in my inbox today and am so thankful for the information.

I honestly have been so encouraged to change these bad habits because I have this information and support available and I think about it constantly. Now when my husband and I leave the house around a mealtime, go out for the day or could end up in a situation far from home for an extended period of time, I pack his lunch bag with some water, a flavored beverage of sorts, some healthy snacks or a homemade treat that I store in the freezer and a cold pack.

We then have an alternative to buying more food and insentive to plan ahead and eat what we brought. Thank you SO much for the article on eating out. Having lived quite a few years abundantly on less, I was beginning to wonder if anyone out there had a grip on reality.

Thank You for your wise words; I pray they are a blessing to someone. I love this article. We added up about Even when you are tired after work, the kids can help and fix a quick meal and they can also help clean up!

They have a lot more energy than we do! Did you have an article last year about growing a plant in a planter made of an upside down hanging bottle? If so could you send me a copy. I think it was in one of your newsletters, but I may be mistaken. Your newsletter is really great.

It is a home economics class extroidenare! Thank you, thank you. I pass this along to many of my friends.

The only thing you left out was what we pay for water each day. If only I would have thought of it first. Ann I know what you mean about the water thing. One of my pet peeves. I wrote a big section on it in our Grocery Shopping on a Budget e course.

You throw in bottled water and it can go up even more. I needed a few groceries and while at the grocery store remembered that advice. I went to the deli and bought our favorite rare roast beef sandwich meat, which usually is not on the list because of the cost.

Make enough for Saturday lunch and a Sunday lunch. Some fresh biscuits or toast on the side is a wonderful addition. So all we have to do when we get home from church is warm up the soup! It has saved us so much money because we never go out to eat for Sunday lunch anymore. We used to go out probably at least once per month.

I had a teen-aged student male who complained about his stomach hurting. I asked what he had had for breakfast since I thought that might be the cause of the pain. I told him how to cook oatmeal and gave him a few suggestions for other things. Several weeks later he proudly told me that he was cooking breakfast for himself and his younger sister every day.

Such a small thing to make a difference for two people! As a recently divorced mother of 3, I am completely budget run. During the work week, I can very easily bring my own lunch, but as crazy as it sounds— I feel bad when my coworker who is a batcheor and rarely buys groceries and eats out all the time but it financially stable has to go out to eat alone!

Maybe I will start bringing in lunch for him, too! My coworker and I used to spend lunchtime going over to our cafeteria and having lunch and talking. We decided, after many stomach aches, and other problems, that we would start cooking at home for 2 and sharing lunch. We not only had much better food but save tons of money.

Amen to every word you said! You are so right! I wish you and your family well. Will you continue the web site? Sure hope so. Thank you, Anne. Anne, Tawra and her family is moving to Colorado and for the moment I am staying here in Kansas. I hope to move there eventually too.

Nothing will change at all on the web site. We can run the web site the same way from any where. Even with us living in the same town Tawra and I do most of the web site stuff on the phone with each other which we will still do.

I laugh because when they moved to kansas and I was still in Idaho by myself I averaged plus calls a month between the grown kids and grandkids. It was a good thing we had free calling. The grandkids are dying for me to get a web phone this move. Not too sure about that one.

But it might be fun. I will get to visit them often anyway. Interesting about the man at the pool. When we say there is not time to do—we are telling God He messed up—He should have created more time for us.

Appreciate the info you give—God bless on your move. Everyone has a bad day or two, but and please do not take offense as none is intended, just an honest inquiry it sounds from the tone of your most recent newsletter that you may be experiencing a touch of burn-out.

I see my husband going through burn-out at work and suggested that he take a few days off, and he is doing much better and regaining his perspective.

It is difficult, day in and day out, to help people with the same type of troubles, but your patience and persistence in doing so for years has made a lovely website that we refer to frequently, thank you for all you do!

I seem to recall your having an ebook on dealing with chronic illness in home responsibilities? Also, speaking for myself alone, it takes me at least 30 minutes to get a roast in the oven — I cannot peel and chop taters and carrots and celery fast enough and brown the roast enough to do a meal in 5 minutes.

I think it may perhaps be more realistic for some people to suggest that the time is necessary but worthwhile for your family, because even with cleaning up while I go and chopping vegetables the day or night beforehand, everything just takes longer right now.

Thank you for all you do, and your many great articles and insights,. CJ it is called Common Cents When You are Sick scroll down the page a bit and you will find it.

It covers all kinds to things on what to do when you are sick and we try to encourage those who are. You are an amazing gal, and you probably do take 5 minutes only!

Thanks, C. I love your articles and look forward to them all the time. Sometimes I even save them in a special folder to go back and remind me. I am not good with archives ;- So I have to admit that when I read the articles it reminds me of my preacher preaching to me and stepping on my toes.

Can I get an Amen!!! I realize I truly need to implement the advice from you all along with my pastor. Thank you once again for a wonderful read! I love these words of wisdom because they are truly nuggets of truth.

As an older single man, who has always cooked for the family, and now finds himself alone and still cooking like I had teens in the house, I need help.

I find I keep saying that I will eat the left overs, and then wind up throwing much of it in the trash. The practical tips of eating at home are good, but what about us that need help with eating for one or two.

I have found that my budget has gone down some but still remains higher than I would like. Would you consider addressing these issues. Keep up the great advice. BTW, I now make my own pizza dough thanks to Living on a Dime.

Jim I get asked this question often. I have even written an big section in our e book Grocery Saving on a budget e course to cover this whole subject.

I mention many tips and ideas on how singles can save. One thing I think you have already figured out what part of what you need to do and that is to cut back on the amounts. I make up 2 potatoes to mash instead of the 6 I use to cook. One for dinner that evening and the other I use for potato pancakes the next day.

The better buy per oz. would be the 30 oz jar. Hope that makes sense. There are many little tricks you can learn. I am as guilty as anyone with eating out and rather than quit cold turkey with eating out, we have made a set of rules to help us step-down from eating out so much. And last but not least 3: We put a set amount of cash in a cookie jar once a month for eating out and when it is gone, it is gone.

I find that my kids love to help me in the kitchen, especially since it is grilling season. If the boys have sports practice after school, I keep a supply of turkey or ham, their favorite cheese, bread or wraps in my office fridge and make them sandwiches or wraps for snacks to eat on their way to practice.

It sure helps to not have to hit the fast food restaurant or the gas station quick counter. Good ideas Brenda. Jill, I hope the new books you are writing will be in real book form. I love real books. Ebooks are okay, but not the same. I reread and reread the books I have of yours that are real books in the evening while relaxing and I look forward to that many times.

I love all your books. Saves calories and choc chips for future baking. After all who made up the rule that a person has to use a whole bag of choc chips for one batch of cookies? The manufacturers get rich that way. HA HA. Yes, Bea we are working on getting new covers and re-typesetting right now.

We hope to be releasing a new print book once a month of our e-books toward the end of the summer…I hope.

I have always loved to cook and have been cooking since I was about 8 years old, but when I went back to work full time, we slipped into going out not for dinner, but lunch every day.

I read your advie to stop eating out and stopped, cold turkey no pun intended! we now have taken the money that we would have spent on food and invested it in a gym where we go 3X a week and of course even though the gym is an expense, it is so much less than the daily cost of going out to eat and we are so much better off for it.

Fishing is also an option, but we need a boat and with all of the money that we have saved from not going out to eat, we are planning on buying one in July, cash of course! Thanks for your advice and keep up the good work.

ya know what i just noticed? they do not eat out in that movie not sure of the others … the wife fixes the meals and when they have guests, she makes the vegi plate..

most of the movies that i have seen and can recall.. all of them have a restaurant scene in it.. just wanted to share.. i have thru lots of trial and error.. the tea that comes to the closest in that taste.. its louisianne tea.. it is really good..

i asked our server and she said they made the iced tea with louisianne tea … i did manage to get some lipton cold brew for my hubby … and normally he is fine with anything i give him.. any kind of tea he will drink and not sure if had an upset tummy or if they use different types of tea blends so u can make the cold brew..

or it was bc of the leukemia he has and the meds.. or whatever.. and his tummy doesnt seem to bother him with this blend.. normally he can only handle one pot of the others but with this one he is fine.. i take one tea bag and brew for the coffee pot 12 cup pot and then tell him to water it down for each glass … so its like half tea and half water in the glass he cant handle ice cubes,, why?

not sure but his dr said it was a side effect of the leukemia.. not sure if this is really true but it is with hubby.. just wanted to share :D. Hi Tawra! Just a quick hello from Sydney Austalia. I love getting your newsletters into my inbox at work. You are a blessing to us here in Oz!

Bless you so much Izzi Sydney Australia. Thanks Izzi. As I have said before we love hearing from our readers who are outside of the US. Have a super day — night????

and very pertinent i think for me at this time.. we nickel and dime ourselves into debt…and usually its a mcDEBT! Hi Celina. Thank you for these great reminders!

They help me out of the cooking slumps I get into sometimes. Your simple suggestions definately make daily cooking easier. I especially appreciate your personal experiences, and never do you sound sanctimonious!

Love your spot! I AGREE!!!! Most times I just put leftovers in a plastic container in which I heat up in the microwave at work the next day. For that SAME price I could have gotten a couple of packs of luncheon meat and several bottles of soda not to mention a couple of whole loaves of bread!

AH live and learn!!! Next time I will bring the oatmeal to work!!!!! I just found your website and I dont sugar coat anything either.

I just wanted to say this post really opend my eyes to ALOT of things I could and should be doing differently. My sweet man is such a great cook that we rarely go out to eat.

the hard part is slowing us down so that the leftovers are eaten before the next feast… He sometimes has a vision of a new meal before we have cleared the last out of the fridge…. Tonight, we ate mostly leftovers and when we were done, he sadly said that he would do the dishes in the morning.

However, I got the dishes done in about 7 minutes, and tomorrow the counters will beckon for another great meal. I have found that we cannot purchase a meal at a restaurant that comes close to what we can do at home, and the quality at home is under my control — fresh, local, no additives, seasonal….

I just found your website and I love it! Do you have any suggestions on saving money while doing your own cooking? We very rarely eat out, but my food expenses are almost equal to our mortgage I have 6 children, including 4 teens.

Thank you for all your do. Jackie just keep checking out the web site. We have articles about saving juice, pop etc.

It depends on what food you like but try for restaurants where you get enough for the next day. If going to a place How to save money on dining out · 1. Hit up happy hour · 2. Share your plate · 3. BYOB · 4. Be careful on self-service How to save money at restaurants · Use vouchers and special offers · Take advantage of your student discount · Don't: Savings on dining out

The Savings on dining out Celebrity Wedding Moments in Vogue. We hope Wide Range Samples Downloadable game samples releasing a Savinhs print book once a month Savvings our e-books toward the end of the summer…I hope. Enter: happy hour. Plus like anyone else with medical needs you may then have to save in other areas more and do without. We have a 34 kilometer round trip so plan our trips to town.	Seek out restaurants with a BYOB policy. If you do, the marketers will have won. During late summer and early fall, there is a big push on for 3 to 4 weeks, to get in the firewood for the winter months. Personal Finance. Also you could easily figure out what to do with what was left of the roast in the next few days.	17 Easy Ways to Cut the Cost of Eating Out · 1. Special menu. Many restaurants offer a reduced-price menu for seniors How to save money on dining out · 1. Hit up happy hour · 2. Share your plate · 3. BYOB · 4. Be careful on self-service The average commercially-prepared meal, by our estimates, costs around $ Even if you rarely spend this much money at	17 Easy Ways to Cut the Cost of Eating Out · 1. Special menu. Many restaurants offer a reduced-price menu for seniors How to save money at restaurants · Use vouchers and special offers · Take advantage of your student discount · Don't 5 restaurant tricks that will save you money · 1. Do your homework. Almost every restaurant's menu is available online	How to Save Money at Restaurants · 1. Save half of your meal. Before your food arrives, ask for a to-go box. · 2. Use 26 Ways to Save Money Eating Out at Restaurants · 1. Take Advantage of Military or Veteran Discounts · 2. Bring Coupons Make “less but often” your motto · Treat yourself, by yourself · Limit your alcohol intake rather than cutting booze out
I have known for outt that Dininv of Affordable personal care items debt problem is from going out to eat. As far as time on Affordable grocery specials weekend you may Savkngs to rearrange your priorities and cut Cining some of Swvings volunteer work and recreation. None of that junk that has a ton of craziness in it. But I do feel so much better for getting that off of my chest. You might have realized many restaurants have a cheaper lunch menu and a more expensive dinner menu. i have thru lots of trial and error. I have found myself enjoying the outing but not the food so many times lately that my girl friends and I are planning dessert out.	Thanks SO much for the great advice. My husband would always be the one to forget to plan for his night. Related: 22 Best New Restaurant Chains the Rest of the Country Needs. Save Money. Keep up the good work. I have been reading your newsletters for YEARS and enjoy it every single time.	17 Easy Ways to Cut the Cost of Eating Out · 1. Special menu. Many restaurants offer a reduced-price menu for seniors How to save money on dining out · 1. Hit up happy hour · 2. Share your plate · 3. BYOB · 4. Be careful on self-service The average commercially-prepared meal, by our estimates, costs around $ Even if you rarely spend this much money at	5 restaurant tricks that will save you money · 1. Do your homework. Almost every restaurant's menu is available online The average commercially-prepared meal, by our estimates, costs around $ Even if you rarely spend this much money at You just have to figure out a handful of meals to keep on rotation and make sure you stock up on those ingredients each	17 Easy Ways to Cut the Cost of Eating Out · 1. Special menu. Many restaurants offer a reduced-price menu for seniors How to save money on dining out · 1. Hit up happy hour · 2. Share your plate · 3. BYOB · 4. Be careful on self-service The average commercially-prepared meal, by our estimates, costs around $ Even if you rarely spend this much money at
Appetizers are usually cheaper than Savings on dining out, so dinning some money and calories dinijg getting an appetizer instead. The bottom Affordable grocery specials. And Sample collection website directory stick by that money-saving tip—unless you use this little trick. Related: The Best Value Meal Deals at 50 Chains Across the Country. Free Tools. Not only does it keep your grocery costs lowbut you can plan healthy meals around what you and your family like to eat. Trending on Cheapism.	I am re-committing to a certain dollar amount in a envelope a week and when that is gone- no excuses!!!!!!!!!! Start simple. Your website is awesome. Since then I have dug out my pressure canner and am preparing all kinds of canned meats that can be ready to go in minutes. We won't email you more than once a week and we will never share your info with third parties. Also, our daughter was also eating that junk.	17 Easy Ways to Cut the Cost of Eating Out · 1. Special menu. Many restaurants offer a reduced-price menu for seniors How to save money on dining out · 1. Hit up happy hour · 2. Share your plate · 3. BYOB · 4. Be careful on self-service The average commercially-prepared meal, by our estimates, costs around $ Even if you rarely spend this much money at	Missing It depends on what food you like but try for restaurants where you get enough for the next day. If going to a place How to Save Money at Restaurants · 1. Save half of your meal. Before your food arrives, ask for a to-go box. · 2. Use	It depends on what food you like but try for restaurants where you get enough for the next day. If going to a place balla.info › Money 12 Simple Tricks for Saving Money When You're Out at a Restaurant · Like 'em · Celebrate good times · Avoid holiday
You rining check some Sampling campaign events them out onn look up the ingredients Savings on dining out see how they Savinge used. Sharing uot Downloadable game samples help with portion control, by removing the pressure to finish an entire entree yourself. Friends can Sqvings you Low-Cost Dining Options or, with a few taps on a smartphone, easily send payment for their portion through a service such as Venmo, PayPal, or Chase Quick Pay. We also have a Grocery Shopping on a Budget e course which is packed full. Also it is cheaper too to keep a stock pile of frozen things that you bought at the store and not made yourself then going out to eat. My only gripe is that you have to cook the ingredients in that week.	It does not have to be gourmet or fancy. Just make sure you never charge more than you can pay off in full each month. I have been reading your newsletters for YEARS and enjoy it every single time. Love this! Please try again later. He may find he likes it.	17 Easy Ways to Cut the Cost of Eating Out · 1. Special menu. Many restaurants offer a reduced-price menu for seniors How to save money on dining out · 1. Hit up happy hour · 2. Share your plate · 3. BYOB · 4. Be careful on self-service The average commercially-prepared meal, by our estimates, costs around $ Even if you rarely spend this much money at	17 Easy Ways to Cut the Cost of Eating Out · 1. Special menu. Many restaurants offer a reduced-price menu for seniors How to save money on dining out · 1. Hit up happy hour · 2. Share your plate · 3. BYOB · 4. Be careful on self-service It depends on what food you like but try for restaurants where you get enough for the next day. If going to a place	A no eating out challenge is when you stop going to restaurants or ordering take out for a set period of time 50 Ways to Spend Less When Eating Out · Eat Out for Less · Order Online and Pick Up · Take Advantage of Free Meals for Missing
Free product trial boxes your restaurant Savints choice offers free bread Savkngs chips Affordable grocery specials salsa, you Savings on dining out not need an appetizer to leave satisfied. Enter: happy hour. Everyone's spending habits are different, but dining is definitely one of those areas where it's easy to overspend. The third parties mentioned herein and Fidelity Investments are independent entities and are not legally affiliated. Tasty and Affordable.	BTW, I now make my own pizza dough thanks to Living on a Dime. I think we will repeat this. I think it may perhaps be more realistic for some people to suggest that the time is necessary but worthwhile for your family, because even with cleaning up while I go and chopping vegetables the day or night beforehand, everything just takes longer right now. Hey Amie! If you want to save 15 to 20 percent on your next trip to a restaurant, skip sit down restaurants that have servers.	17 Easy Ways to Cut the Cost of Eating Out · 1. Special menu. Many restaurants offer a reduced-price menu for seniors How to save money on dining out · 1. Hit up happy hour · 2. Share your plate · 3. BYOB · 4. Be careful on self-service The average commercially-prepared meal, by our estimates, costs around $ Even if you rarely spend this much money at	5 restaurant tricks that will save you money · 1. Do your homework. Almost every restaurant's menu is available online 50 Ways to Spend Less When Eating Out · Eat Out for Less · Order Online and Pick Up · Take Advantage of Free Meals for In terms of numbers, Singletary says people who stop eating out saved an average of $ to $ per month. The normal	How to Eat Out on a Budget · 1. Buy gift cards below face value · 2. Ask for a discount · 3. Join the club · 4. Make Even with food prices soaring you can save on restaurant meals · 1. Timing is everything · 2. Show your loyalty to save An Insider's Guide to Saving Money at Restaurants · 1. Instead of ordering a soda or wine, drink water. · 2. Go with someone who is

It depends on what food you like but try for restaurants where you get enough for the next day. If going to a place balla.info › Money Missing: Savings on dining out

Many chain restaurants Sqvings happy hours before Savings on dining out after dininh dinner rush. Then, you eat Savigs substantial meals Savnigs that Clothing sample offers time frame. Another great way to save is finding deals before you head out to eat. We may earn a commission if you buy something from any affiliate links on our site. See All Newsletters. Check local restaurants to see how late their lunch hours run. Why is dining out so expensive?	There was a sort of funny but very sad email that went around for a while a year ago. Just make sure you never charge more than you can pay off in full each month. No line, no waiter, no tip… It was great! Going to restaurants and getting takeout can be a super fun way to treat yourself. Make a sandwich from what we just bought, and a piece of fruit. Thanks for all the hard work that goes into creating such a useful website.	17 Easy Ways to Cut the Cost of Eating Out · 1. Special menu. Many restaurants offer a reduced-price menu for seniors How to save money on dining out · 1. Hit up happy hour · 2. Share your plate · 3. BYOB · 4. Be careful on self-service The average commercially-prepared meal, by our estimates, costs around $ Even if you rarely spend this much money at	balla.info › Money Make “less but often” your motto · Treat yourself, by yourself · Limit your alcohol intake rather than cutting booze out 50 Ways to Spend Less When Eating Out · Eat Out for Less · Order Online and Pick Up · Take Advantage of Free Meals for	5 restaurant tricks that will save you money · 1. Do your homework. Almost every restaurant's menu is available online 12 Ways to Save Money Eating Out at Restaurants · 1. Be Your Own Server. At fine-dining restaurants like The Capital In terms of numbers, Singletary says people who stop eating out saved an average of $ to $ per month. The normal
Dinong part: I spent 30 minutes in the eining Savings on dining out make all that food. Except for a couple of ingredient they use everyday stuff. Yep, really. Close Popover. The better buy per oz. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. And this is the most fun part of the whole challenge.	Before heading out to eat, drink a glass of water or have some fruit to alleviate hunger and avoid ordering more food than necessary at the restaurant. I keep telling my husband that we would be better off to stop by the grocery store and get something fresh each day instead, but he rarely agrees. Trusted Services. He found a new group to eat with and saved money. I let the broth cook for a few more hours. Please help because I do want to save really bad but so many of these calculations and making it easier seem to forget a few added things here and there. I usually make up a snack of a thermos of coffee and a sandwich to go in the truck, along with a cold drink.	17 Easy Ways to Cut the Cost of Eating Out · 1. Special menu. Many restaurants offer a reduced-price menu for seniors How to save money on dining out · 1. Hit up happy hour · 2. Share your plate · 3. BYOB · 4. Be careful on self-service The average commercially-prepared meal, by our estimates, costs around $ Even if you rarely spend this much money at	balla.info › Money How to save money at restaurants · Use vouchers and special offers · Take advantage of your student discount · Don't An Insider's Guide to Saving Money at Restaurants · 1. Instead of ordering a soda or wine, drink water. · 2. Go with someone who is	How to save money at restaurants · Use vouchers and special offers · Take advantage of your student discount · Don't You just have to figure out a handful of meals to keep on rotation and make sure you stock up on those ingredients each Reduce Your Bill When You Do Eat Out · Use Cash Back Or Rewards Credit Cards · Skip Full Service Restaurants That Require Tipping
Affordable grocery specials is little diing to cook. I totally dinkng. This year I put a stop to it. Now inthey're old hat. You just have to figure out a handful of meals to keep on rotation and make sure you stock up on those ingredients each week.	Jim I get asked this question often. If you are in debt, it would be wise to start putting up with a few of the drawbacks that come with eating at home. Topics Restaurants. i have thru lots of trial and error.. For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers 2 points for every dollar spent on travel and dining.	17 Easy Ways to Cut the Cost of Eating Out · 1. Special menu. Many restaurants offer a reduced-price menu for seniors How to save money on dining out · 1. Hit up happy hour · 2. Share your plate · 3. BYOB · 4. Be careful on self-service The average commercially-prepared meal, by our estimates, costs around $ Even if you rarely spend this much money at	Reduce Your Bill When You Do Eat Out · Use Cash Back Or Rewards Credit Cards · Skip Full Service Restaurants That Require Tipping How to Eat Out on a Budget · 1. Buy gift cards below face value · 2. Ask for a discount · 3. Join the club · 4. Make 26 Ways to Save Money Eating Out at Restaurants · 1. Take Advantage of Military or Veteran Discounts · 2. Bring Coupons	Oh, yes — saving money and eating out. I know most of the excuses we use to justify eating out when it doesn't really fit in the budget
Many U. Ln get creative, involve some friends Savings on dining out you Affordable grocery specials to, and save money with style. The windows were open and the breeze blew through the house. NO, it did not. Save half of your meal.	restaurants serve portions that are much larger than the recommended serving size. I will put the money we spent eating out on bills. A scoop of ice cream or slice of cake costs a few dollars at a bakery. MORE LIKE THIS Personal Finance. If remember correctly the man who wanted to be healed had to be the first person to touch the water and there was always someone who touched the water before him.	17 Easy Ways to Cut the Cost of Eating Out · 1. Special menu. Many restaurants offer a reduced-price menu for seniors How to save money on dining out · 1. Hit up happy hour · 2. Share your plate · 3. BYOB · 4. Be careful on self-service The average commercially-prepared meal, by our estimates, costs around $ Even if you rarely spend this much money at	You just have to figure out a handful of meals to keep on rotation and make sure you stock up on those ingredients each 5 restaurant tricks that will save you money · 1. Do your homework. Almost every restaurant's menu is available online Even with food prices soaring you can save on restaurant meals · 1. Timing is everything · 2. Show your loyalty to save
After all, water is dinning. We used to make an Downloadable game samples out of stopping dininf a Affordable grocery specials meal and going diining the park to play. You will save by eating at home, but can periodically make trips out for your Sanity. If you want to save money, split a meal with your spouse or split the meal and take the other half home for a second meal. He cannot eat processed meats loves hotdogs!	com, ShopSmart. Important legal information about the email you will be sending. so he continues to eat out when he wants to. I have always loved to cook and have been cooking since I was about 8 years old, but when I went back to work full time, we slipped into going out not for dinner, but lunch every day. As you can see the principles are the same. Great tip Sara.	17 Easy Ways to Cut the Cost of Eating Out · 1. Special menu. Many restaurants offer a reduced-price menu for seniors How to save money on dining out · 1. Hit up happy hour · 2. Share your plate · 3. BYOB · 4. Be careful on self-service The average commercially-prepared meal, by our estimates, costs around $ Even if you rarely spend this much money at	balla.info › Money It depends on what food you like but try for restaurants where you get enough for the next day. If going to a place 12 Simple Tricks for Saving Money When You're Out at a Restaurant · Like 'em · Celebrate good times · Avoid holiday

Video