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Split Meals – DFA Tip of the Week – 3/2/2009

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There are many ways to reduce costs in our every day lives, so to help do just that each Monday I will post a money saving “Tip of the Week”.

This weeks tip offers frugal instruction on “going out to eat”.

My wife & I have progressively adopted a few strategies to help us save while dining out at restaurants.  Let me begin by reminding you that if you truly want to save more money, then you need to greatly limit the frequency of going out to eat.  However, when you do eat out there are several strategies to follow to help limit your spending.  I have listed several useful tips regarding eating out in past editions of our DFA Tip of the Week, but today would like to focus on 2 strategies involving how to order meals:

Split a meal

The average restaurant entree feeds you way more food than you need to sustain your energy levels.  This should come as no surprise to you and is something you are most likely aware of.  So why do you continue to purchase and eat huge portions when you know you do not need to?  Simple…because we have been trained to do just that by our culture and the marketing that bombards us every day!  Now is as good a time as ever for you to stop pigging out and paying for it!  Not only will this help your pocket-book, it will help your waistline!

Eat Half & Save Half

What happens if you & your significant other cannot agree on a meal to split?  Simply order two separate meals but plan on taking half of each meal home to have as leftovers the next day.  Certain meals lend themselves to being a good leftover meal candidate more so than others…so order accordingly.  For example, a hamburger & fries will not retain their deliciousness as well as a good stir fry.  My wife thinks I’m gross because I will save the 2nd half of my burger & fries for the next days meal, but I’ll eat just about anything.  She is a little more “selective” in what she will take home for leftovers, so she orders something that will store well and be just as yummy when warmed up the next day.

If you adopt this philosophy when dining out, both your wallet and your belly will thank you.  It forces you to think frugally, and requires you to stop eating when you should and allows you the opportunity to enjoy your delicious meal a 2nd time around.

Click here to see all our past DFA Tips of the Week.

Order Water! – DFA Tip of the Week – 2/23/2009

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There are many ways to reduce costs in our every day lives, so to help do just that each Monday I will post a money saving “Tip of the Week”.

This weeks tip involves a subject my wife & I have been practicing lately; though I did not think to blog on the subject until I was sparked into action by a post on Satyam Nayak’s blog which he titles “Improbability Drive”.

When you go out to eat, instead of ordering a soda, coffee, tea, juice, milk, bottled water, or any other type of drink…simply order a glass of tap water.  My wife & I notice that most restaurants are charging between $1.75 and $2.25 for these beverages.  This is an incredible mark up and one that costs you nearly $5 every time you go out to eat.  If you drink alcohol, the cost is greatly increased; in fact if you purchase alcoholic drinks with your dinner you could easily spend half as much on liquids as you do on your meal!

Let’s say you go out to eat four times a month.  Using an average cost of $4 for drinks for you and your spouse (adjust cost accordingly per your situation) and adding tax for your purchase you will spend $17 every month on 8 drinks!  This money could be better utilized on that Netflix subscription you have been wanting to get, or perhaps $17 extra into your savings account.  Unless of course you like *ahem*, pardon the term…pissing your money away!

So next time you & your better half are out to dinner just order a nice tall tasty glass of ice water!

Click here to see all our past DFA Tips of the Week.