Eating Out 🍲

Eating at home is cheaper, healthier, and cleaner but sometimes you just want to be lazy or try something new. It's very possible to eat out for less than $10 without resorting to fast food. Here are a couple smart ways to spend and save money while eating out.

1. Order a Cup of Water

Yay water! It's FREE!

Also, if you're trying something new you don’t want a coke distracting your taste buds from the taste of the food. But if you really want soda, just buy a litter on the way home.

2. Order To-Go (then size up)

Let's say you bought a small salad. When ordering to-go you can ask them to put it in a large box instead. Sometimes the people taking care of your order are too busy and just fill the container. You can get more than what you paid for, yay! Also, you don’t have to tip the waiter since you don't have one.

3. Lunch Specials

You can get a pretty good meal from the lunch specials and for a decent price! Restaurants usually offer a side salad or soup along with the dish. Mondays and Tuesdays typically have good stuff because business tends to be slow those days, and it helps bring people in.

4. Happy Hour

Happy hour is the best hour. You can buy drinks and food for half the price! I've had deep fried Mac & Cheese for $3 and Mac & Cheese with pulled pork for $5. I don’t have a Mac & Cheese problem, those are just my most memorable cheap purchases.

5. Share

When I eat out I have the urge to try everything, but that's way too expensive. What you can do, if you have company, is share a bunch of small plates and then split one entrée. You’ll save money while getting a good amount and variety of food.

6. Get the Large

This is more economical if you're sharing. It's okay to get a large depending on the item and its prices. An example would be ice cream or a sandwich where the prices of 2 smalls would often cost more than a large.

7. Appetizers

I usually don’t order appetizers with my meal however, I do like to get an appetizer as my meal. This is sometimes cheaper than getting an entrée and you feel full from getting to taste a bunch of different things.

8. What’s On the Menu

Most restaurants have an online menu by now. Before going to a restaurant, I like to check out the menu on my phone to see the type of dishes they are offering as well as the prices. You can also check out pictures people have posted in the google reviews to get an idea of what the restaurant might be like. Some restaurants also have social media accounts where they post pictures and sometimes deals.

9. Don’t do Big Holidays

Fixed-price menus are seen a lot during the holidays lately like mother's day and Valentine's day. They try to make pricing a three-course meal at $50 per person sound like a deal when it's not. On a regular day, the entrée is actually priced at around $15, so you're paying $25 for one person's dessert and appetizer. Wanna know what's super romantic/thoughtful? Not being tricked into buying an overpriced meal. 

10. E-Clubs

A lot of chain restaurants have some sort of e-club or rewards program. By Joining the rewards club of your favorite restaurant or one you frequently go to, you could get free dessert or appetizers. Some even give you free food on your birthday! One I definitely recommend is the Starbucks rewards club.