Everyone loves to be waited on. The pure enjoyment of being served food and then have someone clean up is worth the extra you pay. Alas… too bad we can’t afford this luxury for every meal. Now, for some of us, it seems almost impossible to afford a restaurant meal at all in our budgets. If this is you, then review the following ways to still enjoy a night out treat.
1. The first order of business is to take a whole new look at eating out. Going to a restaurant needs to be a treat, not a necessity. Many families use eating out as a way to escape the hassles of the dinner rush. But, eating out costs tons of money, and if you do it on a regular basis the pleasure tends to dissipate. Find some ways to help with dinnertime at home. Precook meals on Sundays, utilize a crock-pot or find quick meals to cook. Then make eating out a treat again. This will allow you more room in your budget for the occasional splurge.
2. Don’t just eat out at dinnertime. Enjoy breakfast or lunch at a restaurant. It is significantly cheaper and just as fun!
3. Break bread together. Sharing is what being a family is all about. So, why not share at the restaurant? Often restaurant meals are too much food for one meal, so you can split a plate instead. This can be a huge savings when one entrée often costs $15 to $20.
4. Watch the alcohol. Drink a beer at home before you go! Restaurants rob you on the price of alcoholic drinks. You can buy a whole six pack for the cost of one beer at a restaurant.
5. Utilize that doggy bag. I can usually recreate a second meal out of restaurant leftovers. Either next day’s lunch or at best, dinner!
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*Coupons: Chuck E. Cheese & Restaurant.com