Estimated Monthly Savings: $100
Everyone loves to go out with friends and family. You have to eat, and socializing as you do so is a great way to catch up and enjoy yourself. With these tips, you can save money every time you go out to eat.
Lunch Instead of Dinner= Smaller Portions
The lunch menu of any restaurant offers smaller entree portions than the dinner menu. However, that doesn’t mean that you should double up on your entrees. When you know that your lunch will be relatively small, stick with the meal instead of adding extras like a double entree or appetizers. This keeps your portion under control as well as the cost.
Get an Appetizer Instead of an Entree
Some appetizers offer plenty to eat- so much that you don’t need an entree. Especially fun are the appetizer samplers that provide small amounts of several types of foods. Appetizers cost less than a full meal, and they can be just as filling.
Leave the Drinks at Home, or Bring Your Own
Drinks of any type cost far more at a restaurant than they would at home, and that includes soft drinks. Ordering water at each lunch will save you at least $2 for soft drinks and upwards of $10 for cocktails. If you want tea, order water and bring your own tea bag.
Share a Meal
When it comes to saving money on lunch, it doesn’t get any better than paying only half the bill! For some lunches, such as those at the local pizza parlor, it’s easy to share the meal with a friend and to split the bill. Instead of each of you ordering a small pizza, order a medium and split the bill. This can work for other foods as well such as pasta meals that tend to be quite filling.
