Eating out is great when you don’t have time to cook meals at home. Yet, dining out all the time can cost quite a lot. To get a handle on how much you are spending every week, get receipts and add them up at the end of the week.
You just might be surprised how much you spend each week at restaurants and fast-food chains! Now that you are over your initial shock, there are several cheapest-ways-to eat-out hacks you can use for dining out on a budget.
Hack #1: Skip Dinner Dining
Most restaurants have a lunch menu featuring many of the same items they offer at dinner but for a fraction of the cost. Dine out at lunch or order a meal to go that you can take home after work and reheat.
Hack #2: Get It “To-Go”
Ordering takeout can save some money since you aren’t expected to tip as much as you do when you dine in. Plus, you may discover you get more food when ordering “to-go,” which could turn into two meals instead of one!
Hack #3: Skip the Soft Drinks
Most restaurants make a huge killing on soft drinks even when they offer “free” refills. Instead of spending $3+ dollars on a soft drink, drink water instead.
Hack #4: Get Online and Look for Coupons
Many restaurants offer deals and coupons through various restaurant websites like Groupon or OpenTable. Take the time to check these out. You may come across a great deal like two full entrées with sides for a discounted price!
Hack #5: Utilize Coupons
Many fast-food restaurants send out coupons monthly. They also have featured deals through their respective apps like BOGO offers.
Hack #6: Skip Delivery
Instead of having your food delivered to your door from your favorite restaurant, go pick it up yourself. The cost of using a delivery service is more expensive than regular menu prices, plus there’s that $3+ delivery charge and tip.
Hack #7: Find Out When the Weekly Specials Are Offered
Some restaurants may offer weekly specials on their slowest days of the week. Ask your favorite restaurant if they have weekly specials and on which days. You could get a complete meal including appetizer, entrée, and dessert for the same price as the entrée.
Hack #8: Take Advantage of “Happy Hour” Specials
Many restaurants run daily “Happy Hour” specials from around 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. like half-price appetizers, lunch prices on entrées, etc. By dining out earlier, you could order several appetizers and share these for a complete meal and save money too!
Hack #9: Don’t Forget About “Late Night” Deals
Some restaurants also offer “Late Night” deals when they are open later to get people to come in and dine. By hitting the gym first and eating dinner later in the evening, you could find some great deals.
Hack #10: Take Advantage of Senior Citizen Discounts
If you qualify, many restaurants have “early bird” specials and discounted pricing on popular menu items just for seniors.
Hack #11: Pay for Your Meal with Your Cash Back Rewards Card
You could get up to 3% back on your dining purchases with the right cash back rewards card, like our Kasasa Cash Back debit card.
By using these hacks, you will wonder why you didn’t these cheapest ways to eat out sooner!
To open our Kasasa Cash Back free checking account with a debit card, please feel free to stop by the nearest branch of our Texas credit union, The People’s Federal Credit Union, or call us at (806) 359-8571 today!
