Five Money Saving Tips for Eating Out and Spending Less
Follow these quick and smart money saving tips for eating out and spending less. You’ll still enjoy your experience just as much, and your wallet will thank you in the end:
1. Go out for lunch. Sometimes the prices on the lunch menu are a fraction of what you’ll pay at dinner for almost the same thing.
2. Watch what you drink! Restaurants make a larger margin on beverages than they do on food. Do you really need that bottled water or cocktail?
3. Eat less. Try choosing a salad, side dish or appetizer. Let your waiter know you are looking for something light; you just don’t want to end up with something so small that you end up ordering a huge dessert.
4. Share dessert. Speaking of huge desserts, you may have noticed that dessert prices and sizes have steadily grown larger. Find a partner and be sure to ask for two spoons.
5. Share a large entrée or take half of it home for tomorrow’s lunch. The best way to do this is to visually divide your plate in portions before you start eating. If you plan on taking it home, order something that reheats well such as soup or a braised dish and skip delicate foods like salad or seafood.