Cooking all of your meals at home will help you save a lot of money and increase your household budget in the long term. Cooking every day, on the other hand, will easily lose its charm. Even though Americans spend more than $825 billion on restaurants per year, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to eat out. [1] All you have to do is use our restaurant money-saving tips anytime you go out to dinner.
1. Ask for Water
A glass of water might not be as glamorous as a margarita, but it is much healthier and much less expensive. Cocktails, wine, soda, and soft drinks add at least $5 to the bill, but if you get carried away, that may be as much as $50.
2. Find Discounts
You don’t need to cut coupons; instead, check online to see what specials restaurants, especially chains, are selling each week. These concessions can be as easy as a few dollars off an entree or a percentage off a whole meal. Start searching for offers on official Facebook accounts, or merely check for a restaurant’s name plus “promo code” or “coupon” online.
3. Do You Have Kids?
If you’re a parent, take advantage of the fact that certain franchises and local restaurants will let your children eat for free on those nights.
4. Get an Appetizer Instead of an Entree
In most instances, an entree is the same size as an appetizer but costs twice as much. Order an appetizer and add a sandwich or another side to make it look like a whole meal to save money.
5. Share a Meal With Someone
Before the famous food documentary “Super Size Me” was released in 2004, Americans were still supersizing their servings. [2] Food servings have multiplied or even tripled in the last 20 years, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, which is one of the main causes of the obesity crisis. So, if you want to eat well but still saving money, share your meal with a friend.
6. Bring Leftovers Home
Following up on our previous advice, if you aren’t sharing your meal or can’t finish it in the restaurant, we consider bringing leftovers home. You should reheat the leftovers for lunch the next day.
7. Take Your Meals to Go
Part of what makes dining out so fun is finding a seat in a comfortable atmosphere. However, rather than sitting at a bar, you can get more value for your buck by taking your meals with you on the go.
8. Look for Happy Hours
Finally, look for happy hours, deals, and discounts online. Check with the servers about any specials for particular days or times of the week. If you ask your mates, they might be able to help you out.
[1] https://www.restaurant.org/research/restaurant-statistics/restaurant-industry-facts-at-a-glance
[2] https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/wecan/news-events/matte1.htm
