Photo: tannazie
Dining out is one of the great pleasures in life. Fine food, great drinks, a meal with friends and the next thing you know you‣re loosening your belt. But with a troubled economy everyone is tightening their belts. You can still enjoy dining out, even on a budget. Do you know the best days and meals for making the most of your dollar? How to find a credit card that rewards you for restaurant dining? What site offers you rebate checks just for making reservations? Check out our smorgasbord of top tips for saving money when you do dine in restaurants.
- 2. Find discount deals. Sites like Restaurant.com offer gift certificates for less than face value. Just make sure you‣re getting a discount somewhere you want to eat, otherwise it‣s like those uncomfortable shoes you bought on sale and never wear. No bargain.
- 2. Use an online booking agent like OpenTable. You‣ll get a rebate or thank you check for doing something you do anyway, making reservations. You’ll also find special promotions that will earn you rewards faster by dining at certain slower times.
- 3. Some credit cards give you a bonus or rebate on restaurant purchases, decide which ones make the most sense and then use them as much as you can. Mint.com can help you with unbiased recommendations based on your personal spending.
- 4. Go out for lunch. Sometimes the prices on the lunch menu are a fraction of what you‣ll pay at dinner for almost the same thing.
- 5. …