Going out to eat can be a delightful social event and a fantastic chance to indulge in favored dishes or to discover new culinary delights. Despite being enjoyable and convenient, frequent dining out can make a significant dent in your wallet. This can be problematic if you’re budgeting or saving for other purposes. If dining out isn’t contributing positively to your finances, perhaps it’s time to revisit your spending habits in this area. Eating out often presents a daily temptation and can be challenging to curb, but we have assembled some useful strategies to help curtail both the frequency and cost of dining out.
1. BUY FOODS YOU TRULY ENJOY
Often, we end up purchasing grocery items that we feel lukewarm about, resulting in stronger temptations to eat out where food may seem more enticing. To counter this, make a list of all the foods you genuinely love and enjoy. Start incorporating these into your grocery list, alongside other nutritious options. For instance, I personally enjoy fresh salmon, ground turkey for tacos, and versatile chicken wings. I also include vegetables that my family enjoys, such as cauliflower, broccoli, and kale. The appeal of dining out diminishes when there’s a satisfying home-cooked meal waiting.
2. EXPERIMENT WITH NEW RECIPES
If the allure of trying novel dishes draws you to restaurants, why not try cooking different cuisines at home? Many excellent free recipe websites and apps, such as Yummly and Tasty, offer a plethora of unique recipes. Dining out often affords a wide choice of dishes, but you can cultivate the same variety at home by cooking a diverse range of meals.
3. SCHEDULE AND PREPARE MEALS IN ADVANCE
Eating out often seems convenient as it absolves us from prepping and cooking. However, planning and prepping meals at home can be a cost-effective alternative. Organize your shopping list according to the meals you intend to prepare. Also, consider meal-planning for the week, scheduling simple dishes for hectic days. Prepping food ahead of time or using a slow cooker can help reduce the effort while delivering delicious meals.
4. LEVERAGE LOYALTY PROGRAMS
Despite managing your budget, there will be times when you’ll want to dine out. Instead of allocating a portion of your income for this, consider joining a loyalty rewards program like Swagbucks. Accumulate points through surveys, online searches, or other activities, and exchange these points for gift cards at popular restaurants! This exercise controls the frequency of eating out, as you must collect enough points first.
5. SAVE WHILE EATING OUT
When you do choose to eat out occasionally, there are strategies to reduce costs. Ordering specials, going during discount times, eating portions of your meal at home, sharing meals, and avoiding costly beverages can all keep expenses down. Utilizing discount sites like Groupon, restaurant reward programs, and coupons can help trim bills further.
