Eating Out on a Budget
Hello there!
When heading towards Christmas, lots of people like to try and save money so they can use it to spend on the special occasion with friends and family. I am a student so, not just around Christmas, I always try and save money where I can but I still love eating out. These are some tips I try and follow for eating out on a budget. Enjoy...and save!
Eating Out on a Budget*
1. Drinks
One easy way to save money when going out for dinner is on the drinks rather than the food. There are lots of deals around to help save money on food, which I will come on to later, but often the drinks bill isn't included. If you're not fussy about drinks when you're out or have children with you I would definitely recommend having one soft drink and then ordering tap water to save money. If you do like to drink alcohol when you're out, it might be cheaper to go to a pub during happy hour for a few drinks before eating out. Having alcoholic drinks in pubs can sometimes be cheaper than in a restaurant.
2. Set Menus and Mid-Week Deals
If you're not restricted by what days you can go out for lunch or dinner then try and go mid-week. Many places offer set menus or mid-week deals which can really pay off. These are perfect for going out with work friends or friends after uni.
3. Discounts!!!
I can't stress this tip enough and that is to make full use of discounts! Sometimes I forget that I can get discounts in places for being a student but it is always worth checking by asking or looking on sites like UNiDAYS or Student Beans for discount codes. Once you aren't a student anymore you'll miss them so make the most of it while you can. There are plenty of other ways of getting discounts such as showing an Emergency Services or NHS ID card or other discounts like Meerkat Meals. It can take a bit of time and effort but pays off if you sort out your discount codes or know where you can get them.
4. Picnic It
Eating out doesn't necessary mean going to an expensive restaurant, you can always pack your own food for on the go. Picnics are perfect for this and a much less pricey way of enjoying food with friends and family while on a budget. During the spring and summer months this can be much nicer than being stuck in a hot restaurant and great if you have children who are fussy with food.
5. Try Self-Service Restaurants
Another way to save money on your overall bill would be go to self-service restaurants so you won't have service charge added to your bill. Service charge isn't much of a problem if there is only a few of you but if you go out as a large group the service charge can add quite a large chunk onto your bill. To avoid this, self-service restaurants are a good option such as buffets or places like Nandos. World food buffets are great since there is something everyone will enjoy.
6. Take Home Left-Overs
To finish these tips, I would recommend taking home any leftovers. While it doesn't save you lots of money it does mean you're making the most out of what you paid and reducing food waste. This is a great thing to do in pizza places since you can have the rest for lunch the next day. It just means that you get all of what you pay for rather than paying for a whole pizza but only actually eating half and throwing the rest away. Plus, pizza is yummy so why would you waste it!
I hope these tips have inspired you to save some cash when eating out but shows you can still have a great meal with friends and family at the same time.
*This blog post is not sponsored and all opinions are completely my own
If you liked this post, visit my full blog at:
https://littlechefbeth.blogspot.com
When heading towards Christmas, lots of people like to try and save money so they can use it to spend on the special occasion with friends and family. I am a student so, not just around Christmas, I always try and save money where I can but I still love eating out. These are some tips I try and follow for eating out on a budget. Enjoy...and save!
Eating Out on a Budget*
1. Drinks
One easy way to save money when going out for dinner is on the drinks rather than the food. There are lots of deals around to help save money on food, which I will come on to later, but often the drinks bill isn't included. If you're not fussy about drinks when you're out or have children with you I would definitely recommend having one soft drink and then ordering tap water to save money. If you do like to drink alcohol when you're out, it might be cheaper to go to a pub during happy hour for a few drinks before eating out. Having alcoholic drinks in pubs can sometimes be cheaper than in a restaurant.
2. Set Menus and Mid-Week Deals
If you're not restricted by what days you can go out for lunch or dinner then try and go mid-week. Many places offer set menus or mid-week deals which can really pay off. These are perfect for going out with work friends or friends after uni.3. Discounts!!!
I can't stress this tip enough and that is to make full use of discounts! Sometimes I forget that I can get discounts in places for being a student but it is always worth checking by asking or looking on sites like UNiDAYS or Student Beans for discount codes. Once you aren't a student anymore you'll miss them so make the most of it while you can. There are plenty of other ways of getting discounts such as showing an Emergency Services or NHS ID card or other discounts like Meerkat Meals. It can take a bit of time and effort but pays off if you sort out your discount codes or know where you can get them.
4. Picnic It
Eating out doesn't necessary mean going to an expensive restaurant, you can always pack your own food for on the go. Picnics are perfect for this and a much less pricey way of enjoying food with friends and family while on a budget. During the spring and summer months this can be much nicer than being stuck in a hot restaurant and great if you have children who are fussy with food.
5. Try Self-Service Restaurants
Another way to save money on your overall bill would be go to self-service restaurants so you won't have service charge added to your bill. Service charge isn't much of a problem if there is only a few of you but if you go out as a large group the service charge can add quite a large chunk onto your bill. To avoid this, self-service restaurants are a good option such as buffets or places like Nandos. World food buffets are great since there is something everyone will enjoy.
6. Take Home Left-Overs To finish these tips, I would recommend taking home any leftovers. While it doesn't save you lots of money it does mean you're making the most out of what you paid and reducing food waste. This is a great thing to do in pizza places since you can have the rest for lunch the next day. It just means that you get all of what you pay for rather than paying for a whole pizza but only actually eating half and throwing the rest away. Plus, pizza is yummy so why would you waste it!
I hope these tips have inspired you to save some cash when eating out but shows you can still have a great meal with friends and family at the same time.
*This blog post is not sponsored and all opinions are completely my own
If you liked this post, visit my full blog at:
https://littlechefbeth.blogspot.com
