Even with the best intentions, there are going to be nights when the thought of cooking a meal seems to require superhuman strength. You’ve worked all day, you’re exhausted, the kids are demanding every ounce of your attention, the dog has to be walked, and your husband isn’t even home from work yet. It can be very tempting to pile everyone in the car, drive to a local restaurant and enjoy someone else’s cooking. The good news is that there are ways to take your family out to eat without breaking your budget.

If you depend on eating out for the majority of your family’s meals, don’t set yourself up for failure by eliminating the trips entirely. Ease yourself into it- start by reducing the number of times your family goes out to eat to only once per week. Next month, decrease your meals out to twice a month, and so on, until you are only dining out for special occasions. On average, a family of four spends $30 when going out to eat- holding off can add up to big savings over the course of a month and year. Also avoid ordering alcoholic beverages when dining out- you’ll save anywhere from $5-12 on the final bill.

Look into daily specials at area restaurants. Many restaurants offer half price appetizers during off-peak hours, such as early evening or after 9pm, in addition to specials that correlate with different days of the week. Other specials include “Buy 1 Get 1 Free” promotions- this can cut the price of your total bill by as much as 50%! There are even opportunities to receive discounts if you are a senior citizen, student, or other distinction. Many restaurants advertise by running coupons in the local paper, direct mailings, and fliers- even the back of grocery receipts. National restaurant chains frequently include coupons in magazines that offer dollars off your total meal with a minimum purchase.

Be conscious of portion sizes. Instead of wasting a large meal on one person, split an entrée between two of your children or with your spouse. The serving size of one entrée is usually much larger than the standard serving size portion recommended by the USDA . Many restaurants will do this free of charge or for a nominal “plate fee” of $1-2. Make sure you bring home any extra leftovers to be used for subsequent meals- you can easily get two meals for the price of one this way.

When choosing a restaurant, frequent venues that are known to be family friendly- these restaurants are more accommodating to children and usually offer inexpensive options for younger kids.

Posted in Home Budget

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