One of the things we gave up while we were saving for our adoption was eating out, and it’s still something we rarely do. I just can’t justify spending $50+ for a meal when we have food at home (and I totally just channeled my mother by saying that). But sometimes we have to — whether we’re traveling or just need a night out — and when we do, we still save as much as possible. So, for this week’s Frugal Friday blog post, I’m sharing how we’ve learned to eat out cheap whenever we can.
First, go to Ebates (go here to read about my my eternal love of Ebates), and from there, click on Groupon or Living Social. You will now actually make money back from either of those sites which are also going to save you money — sometimes as much as 50% (or more).
For example, recently Ebates offered 9% cash back on a Groupon purchase (their percentage rates vary, but it’s not uncommon for it to hit 10% or more). So, if I was looking for a restaurant coupon, I would go to Groupon (from Ebates), and then pick a restaurant. In Nashville, one that was recently being offered is $15 for $30 at a popular restaurant, The Tin Angel. So, spend $15 at Groupon, and then walk into Tin Angel and have a voucher to be able to spend $30. But you’ve also just made 9% by Ebates, or $1.35 (it adds up, trust me). So your $30 meal is now $13.65. (Both Groupon and Living Social each all have apps as well).
Be aware of expiration dates with both Groupon and Living Social. While you can usually use the voucher for the amount you spent, the special deal will expire. In other words, if it expires before you use it, you could still spend the $15 at The Tin Angel, but not the full $30.
Another great site is restaurant.com, which is also listed on Ebates (sometimes up to 20% cash back!). You can get AMAZING deals on restaurant.com, but you do need to check the fine print. Some require a minimum purchase, and some (but not all) have restrictions on what it can be used for. Their deals change regularly, but they often have some fantastic offers, like a $50 gift certificate to Sole Mio, a well-known downtown Italian restaurant, for only $20. Their great deals, like Sole Mio, tend to sell out quickly, so if there’s a restaurant you know you want to visit, check back periodically. Want to make it a family affair? Restaurant.com also offers larger gift certificates, like $100 gift certificate for $40 at Sole Mio. Purchase it through Ebates, and you could also get $20 back, so your $100 meal cost you $32. Again, just make sure to read the fine print, because some come with restrictions.
Another great idea is to use a grocery store promotion to buy a gift card for a restaurant you are going to eat at anyway. Kroger often has special deals if you purchase a restaurant gift card — recently, they offered 20% off your gift card purchase at Kroger. So, if you purchased a $50 gift card for, for example, Cheesecake Factory, you would pay $40 for that $50 gift card (bonus: rack up the fuel points). Their promotions vary, so check periodically. I’ve seen $5 to $10 off your grocery bill if you purchase certain gift cards, and special sales for specific restaurants as well.
Remember: gift cards are just like cash. There are not any restrictions on them. So after you have the gift card, you can find a coupon, either online or in your weekly circulars, and save even more. I just did a quick google search of Ruby Tuesday coupons (which Kroger recently advertised), and found a 25% off your entire order coupon. So (using basic numbers here because math is, ahem, certainly not my strong suit), let’s say you are at Ruby Tuesday, and you have a $50 gift card, which cost you $40. If your bill is $50 exactly (again, math), you take 25% off of that, your bill is $37.50. But you already saved $10 on your gift card, so you’ve now spent $27.50 for your $50 meal at Ruby Tuesday.
Bonus: check menus online before you go. Often times they will offer cheaper food at certain times of the day. Happy hours are great times to score often lower-priced food, with or without the cocktails. Many restaurants also offer happy hour prices even if you don’t sit at the bar (but check the specifics before you go, to be safe).
Also, sign up for emails from all your favorite restaurants (you can designate a special email address just for promotions if that’s easier), and you’ll often get special discounts delivered right to your inbox. AND, chances are good several of them will send you free meals (or at least a free dessert) for your birthday. Lastly, follow your favorite restaurants on Facebook and Twitter, where they often offer special deals as well.
Happy eating!
