Make Sure You Follow These Nine Tips When Eating Out at a Restaurant

We all need to have some fun in our lives. Going out on the town or to a nice restaurant is something we should all try and do. Luckily, there is no need to break the budget when going out. The list below provides 9 tips to help you eat out on the cheap.

Tip 1: Limit eating out to once a week: It is always tempting to eat out more often, but unless you are a millionaire, it will eat in to - pardon the pun - your budget!

Tip 2: Choose carefully from the menu: If you are big on steaks, remember that there is a big difference in price between sirloins and rib eyes. If you are on a budget go with the cheaper steaks and save yourself some money.

Tip 3: Buy wine by the bottle: If you are planning to have a few glasses of wine with your dinner companion(s), it is often cheaper to buy by the bottle rather than by the glass. Alternatively, bring your own and pay the corkage fee (average fee is around$4). We quite like bringing our own wine; you get to choose a bottle that you like.

Tip 4: Don't forget about the pub: Pub's offer great value counter meals and drinks at good prices. Many have a great atmosphere, especially when "the big game" is on. So don't rule out pubs as a great place to eat.

Tip 5: Choose a favourite restaurant to patron frequently: The main benefit is that as the owner gets to know you, they are more likely to give you a discount (generally between 5 and 10 percent). You also get better service even during busy times. KFC and McDonalds don't fall into this category!

Tip 6: Try different restaurants: Opposite to the tip above we know! But when new restaurants first open up they often have discounts to attract new customers. Take advantage of this. You will get a cheaper meal (often 10 - 20 percent cheaper), and will get to try a new place that you may become one of your favourites.

Tip 7: Skip dessert when you are eating out: The dessert menu at many restaurants is over priced. Enjoy a great shared entree and a main course, and grab an ice-cream cone from McDonalds or a tub of ice cream on the way home. Do this, and you will save $10 to $20 each time you visit a restaurant.

Tip 8: Set a eating out amount: When going to a restaurant and looking at the menu, it is easy to get carried away and spend a large amount of money. Next time you go out for dinner, before you walk into the restaurant, set a price that you and your partner or family are happy to spend. Once in the restaurant choose your dishes around this price. 5 bucks for the lot of you narrows the choice, and probably means you should get some greasies instead. Or try the salvation army.

Tip 9: Eat out for lunch instead of dinner: Lunch is generally cheaper than dinner when you eat out. If you can have lunch instead of going out for dinner then you will save yourself some money.

About the author: Rusty O'Conor is an affiliate marketer with eight years experience. His areas of expertise include SEO, articles, ezines, blogs and PPC. Rusty is particularly interested in the areas of goal setting, time management and financial and money management. Rusty is married with three young children, is an Australian national and currently lives as an expat in the Middle East. If you want to check out all his money saving tips visit http://www.1000moneysavingtips.com or http://www.1011moneysavingtipsebook.com

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