Let’s save on eating out
We love, love, love, eat out. We didn’t know how much until we realized we had $51,000 in credit card debt, much of which came from dining out. That’s why we’ve found five unique ways to save money when eating out.
How to save on eating out
Eating out doesn’t have to put a strain on your budget. Over the years of becoming and remaining debt-free, we’ve learned how to save money on eating out. Similar articles can be found on blogs all over the internet. That’s why we’ve done our homework and come up with two unique ways to save on dining out that you won’t find anywhere else.
Learn about the most unique ways to save when dining out:
Topics covered include how to save money when eating out
1. Split meals
Our favorite and most frequently used tip is to divide meals between each other. This helps us save both money and calories, which happen to be both goals. The restaurants we go to most often are Garbanzo’s, Chipotle, and a local place called Spicy Bombay.
We can split a simple meal at any of these locations and spend less than $12 total, $6 each. Chipotle is usually more expensive because in addition to the naked burrito bowl we share, we also buy salsa, guacamole, and chips.
2. Eat drinks and drinks out and have dinner at home
Another one of our favorite ways to save money when eating out is to eat the expensive course at home. We usually ride our bikes or walk to a favorite restaurant, share an appetizer and a drink each, and then grab something fresh to grill, like steaks or salmon fillets, for dinner on the way home.
This is another healthy appointment that helps us not to break our budget. We go for a walk or ride and our main course is something healthy from the grill, accompanied by a fresh vegetable or two. Add a bottle of wine and we think it’s a perfect evening.
You can also turn this on its head by eating your main course at home and then going somewhere or biking for dessert.
3. Use cash only
If you have read 4: The four principles of a debt-free lifeYou know we believe cash is king. Studies show that using cash saves between 12% and 18%, as people tend to overspend 12% to 18% when using credit or debit cards.
In this episode of Queer money™, David shares our formula for including tax and tip on your meal when using cash only. This way you won’t be left out.
4. Restaurant tour
You won’t find this money-saving recommendation anywhere else when dining out. Choose three to five restaurants to visit in one evening. Choose the cheapest option in advance for each course you want at the three to five restaurants you plan to visit.
Sync a few courses with each restaurant’s specials and find coupons online or at Groupon to make your culinary excursion even cheaper. It’s fun to do this with your friends or your husband, but remember: the more people you include, the more likely you are to overspend because it turns into a party.
5. Order efficiently
Our final recommendation and second unique recommendation when eating out is to order efficiently. For this reason, I rarely eat chicken or spaghetti when we eat out. There’s no point in paying top dollar for something you can easily make at home, like a salad that costs $15 at a restaurant. There’s also no reason to spend a lot on foods that are low in calories and nutrients, like iceberg lettuce, which costs $0.80 at the store.
To save money when eating out, order efficiently and get your money’s worth.
Now go out, eat out and have fun with your partner or friends because now you have a plan to save on eating out.
Instead of the 7 Day Debt Free Challenge, sign up for the credit card payoff plan