Everyone has their favorite place to dine out. From drive throughs to fancy sit down meals to carryout and delivery, it’s a luxury to take a night off from the kitchen. But the expense can add up quickly if you’re not paying attention. These smart strategies will help you save money while dining out.
Plan on It
The majority of overspending occurs by accident – or when we find ourselves hungry, angry, lonely, or tired (HALT). One of your best strategies to prevent overspending on dining out is to make a plan for it rather than being caught off guard and making a rash decision. Build the experience into your meal plan. Decide where you’ll go in advance. Check out the menu options in advance. You’ll actually look forward to the experience instead of stressing out about where to go.
Use a Cash Budget or App to Manage Spending
When you can, use a cash budget or an app to manage your spending to put guardrails on your spending. Set aside cash each month that’s expressly for the purpose of dining out. Or load money to your restaurant’s app. That way you know exactly how much you’re spending and when it’s gone, it’s gone. Bonus: most apps also allow you to accrue rewards points for spending.
Buy Gift Cards Under Face Value
I’m also a big fan of purchasing gift cards to use for the purpose of dining out. Again, this helps you manage a specific amount of money. But even better, places like Sam’s Club and Costco sell gift cards under face value. For instance, a couple of weeks ago, I purchased $40 worth of Fazoli’s gift cards for $30 at Sam’s Club. I also love the deal on Outback Gift Cards – $74.88 for $85 and they can be used at Bonefish and other restaurants, too. Costco often features fewer discounted restaurant gift cards but usually for regional restaurants. Locally, you can find Cake Bake and Sullivan’s Steakhouse there.
Sign Up for Rewards
If the place where you’re dining has a rewards program, sign up stat. Most are free (never pay for any that aren’t) and allow you to collect points for every visit. Plus, you’ll likely receive offers for coupons or discounts. And you’ll probably score something for free on your birthday. Use an email address designated specifically for coupons/deals/freebies so that you don’t bog down your most used inboxes with ads.
Check the App and Web
Before you place your order, be sure to do a quick sweep of your app or a quick internet search for coupons. It never hurts to double check before you place your order so you don’t miss out on saving money!
Dine During Off Hours
You may also want to dine during non peak hours. Not only will this reduce wait times and crowded spaces, but you may also be able to take advantage of Early Bird dining discounts. If you’re not sure if your favorite restaurant has off hour discounts, just ask! It may be a lesser advertised fact.
Compare Costs
In the end, it’s smart to compare costs before you click order, especially when it comes to delivery services. Sometimes you can end up paying twice the amount for your food. Be sure you check regular menu prices with third party delivery like Grubhub, DoorDash, or Uber Eats. In the end, it may be smarter to drive and pick up the order yourself than to pay more for convenience. We all have days when it is a nice perk, but if you can dine out twice for the same amount of money, that’s an even nicer perk.
You can still dine out while on a budget. But spending a few extra minutes intentionally strategizing your plan can go a long way to save you extra dough. And you just might enjoy the meal a little bit more too.
My book is now available: Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After. You can also check out The Debt Free Devotional
This post contains an affiliate link. That means when you get a great deal, learn about a way to save, or maybe even something for free, I may end up making a small commission. All prices are subject to change.
