I’m not going to lie. I really enjoy eating out. It’s so nice to not spend the energy cooking or cleaning up the dishes! Unfortunately eating out is not very frugal, even if you’re only eating a burger at a fast food joint! Below, I’ve compiled a list of ways to help you save money eating out.
How to Save Money Eating Out
Stick with Water
By sticking with water, you’ll save a bundle off your restaurant bill. Beverages available from restaurants are very expensive in terms of how much it costs to provide them! If I’m feeling like I don’t want water then I’ll order a lime water; water with lime juice and a lime wedge is delicious!
Use Coupons
Many restaurants offer coupon specials. Check your local newspapers. Search online. Or order a copy of your local Entertainment coupon book.
Skip Dessert and Appetizers
I typically can’t eat that much food at once so why would I order it? I’m a dessert or dinner kind of gal, myself!
Order a large Entree
By ordering a large entree, you can either share your meal or take home the leftovers for lunch the next day! Pasta dishes are great for this.
Eat Early
Lunch menus are usually cheaper and I don’t find the portions much different. Also, many restaurants have happy hour specials (4pm-6pm or thereabouts). You can quite often get appetizers for half price or 2 for 1!
Order Appetizers Only
I only recommend doing this if you’ve caught the happy hour. Order a selection of different appetizers that your family can share.
While there are many things that are best to avoid purchasing from the dollar store, there are still quite a few items worth purchasing! It's so good for cheap seasonal items, craft supplies for when the DIY mood hits and even when a snack craving needs to be met. Here are 15 must buy dollar store items that I think will help you keep more of your cash in your pocket if they're purchased at a dollar store:
Party supplies - Napkins, paper plates, plastic cutlery and party decorations are all great things to buy from a dollar store. Especially since these items are meant to be used once.
Mailing supplies - The dollar store is where I always pick up our mailing envelopes. Can't beat the price and they even have the peel & seal envelopes to avoid the licking!
Pregnancy tests - Pregnancy tests can cost a small fortune if purchased from a drugstore, but if you get them at the dollar store, you'll be saving big money! I personally have had very "positive" (ha, get it?) experiences with these tests. Apparently they're the same as the ones that get used in the doctor's office.
Greeting cards - My husband says that if I have to get him a greeting card for a special occasion, he'd appreciate it if I got it from the dollar store. 🙂 The selection is usually pretty great too!
Craft supplies - Felt, beads, acrylic paint, embellishments and double sided tape for card making are all items I've purchased from the dollar store. Our a few of our local stores have a pretty good and unique selection of craft supplies and I'm sure yours do as well!
Wrapping paper - Why pay for expensive wrapping paper when it's just going to be ripped to pieces anyways?
Gift bags - Again, they have a great selection and you can't beat the price!
Organizing products - I've purchased numerous bins, containers, and buckets from the dollar store. My most recent purchase was some white plastic bins to organize the closet in the bathroom. They hold things just as well as fancy bins, I'd say!
Foil pans - Doing some freezer cooking? Pick up your foil pans from the dollar store.
Helium balloons - Although I have never purchased helium balloons before, I've heard that dollar stores are a great place to get them! I'll find out for sure at the end of the month when I get some for my daughter's birthday. 🙂
Double sided tape - Way cheaper to get this at the dollar store than at a store like Staples.
Kid Activities/Crafts - Once in a while I like to stock up on some new craft kits or colouring books for my daughter so I have something on hand when she gets board or we have to go for a longer car trip.
Batteries - I haven't done vigorous testing with this, but so far I must say that the dollar store batteries I have bought have lasted a long time!
Reading glasses - My mother in law always buys her reading glasses from the dollar store! That way she can have several pairs to go with any outfit or dispersed throughout different rooms of the house.
Cooking Utensils - I recently purchased a pair of great Betty Crocker tongs for $3 from Dollarama. This was by far the best price I found on a pair of heavy duty tongs!
As parents and caregivers, teaching our children about money is necessary. Quite often the subject is overlooked and kids are at risk of not knowing how to manage their finances as adults.
Here are 7 financial tips you should teach your children:
Money is Limited
It’s important to teach kids that money is limited, and that people have to live within a budget and not rely on credit. As the saying goes, “Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees!”
Budgeting Skills
How to set up a budget is not something we’re typically taught to do in school or at home. Yet, learning how to set up a budget is an important skill to pass on to your kids. It will be of great value to them once they’re in college or in the work force. Help them to learn about paying essential bills first, and how to budget for holidays, luxuries etc.
Prioritize
Another good financial habit to teach your children is to prioritize. Parents often pay for so many different activities and hobbies these days, which can cost a lot. Why not give them choices instead? Do they prefer soccer or swimming? Do they want to spend their Christmas money on many little things, or buy one big expensive toy?
Saving as a Habit
Financial education for children should definitely include the importance of saving money in a savings account. Encourage them to save some of their birthday money and earnings from jobs for the future.
Everything Costs
While young kids shouldn’t be worrying about the cost of living, it is important that they learn that everything has a price and a value. This way, they will be aware that it’s important to look after their things and spend their money wisely.
Work for wants
Kids should know the value of working for what they want. You don’t want your kids to take having money for granted and essentially wasting their lives with the sense that everything is entitled to them at no cost. This attitude can mean that they’ll keep coming to you for cash or they may go on spending frenzies with credit cards. Teach them while they’re young and they’ll be more likely to hold a sensible attitude towards money as adults.
Can’t have Everything
While it’s understandable that parents want their kids to have the best of everything, quite often it isn’t affordable. It certainly isn’t helpful to let them think that they can have whatever they want. Teaching them that they can’t have everything will help them learn what really matters in life, and think about needs rather than wants.
Financial education for children is essential – starting them off with good money habits and a sensible attitude towards finances will help ensure they’re financially smart later in life. It’s never too early or too late to start!
Do you have any financial tips for kids? Is there anything you wish your parents had taught you about money?
One of the best ways to not overspend is to carry cash whenever possible Out to dinner or to the grocery store, if you take exactly what you have allotted for that outing, you won’t be splurging on unnecessary things because you won’t have any more money to use. Once you’re out of cash, you’re done spending!
Using cash is an easy way to keep yourself on track and not splurge in the moment.
Do you use cash on a regular basis? If you don’t, do you find yourself spending unnecessarily?
You don’t necessarily have to stop doing everything you love. Just find a better and cheaper way to do it.
If you love coffee, get a french press for home or work and start making your own instead of dropping money at a coffee shop. Or, if you enjoy getting your nails done, why not find a friend who enjoys painting nails to do it for you! Make an afternoon of it at home!
What are some ways you make substitutions in your life to help save money?
Social pressure is powerful and often convinces people to buy things that they don’t really need. It’s much easier to say no to something you don’t really need when you’re shopping alone!
How true this is when you’re grocery shopping with kids. I’m sure once Sienna is old enough to talk, my peaceful shopping will turn into me saying quite a few no’s, with some yes’ thrown in, I’m sure!
How often do you shop with others? Do you have any tips on grocery shopping with kids?
