Dining outThe most effective way to reduce your food costs is to eat your meals at home rather than eating out at a restaurant. However, there are times when you’ll need to eat out for a variety of reasons. Here are three simple steps you can take to help reduce your bill when dining out. Knowing these will help keep your restaurant bill to a minimum.

Dining Out

  • Order a Set Menu – Choosing your meal a-la-carte is almost always more expensive than choosing a set meal. This holds true even at fast-food restaurants.
  • Pass on the Beverages – Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks are some of the items restaurants make large profits from. Simply ask for a glass of water with a lemon twist in it.
  • Skip the Dessert & Coffee – Restaurants also make huge profits on desserts. Pass on the cake and coffee at the restaurant. If dessert is a must, scoop yourself some ice cream or brew up your favorite blend once you get home.

Following these three simple steps should save you $5 or more every time you eat out. It can add up to more than $250 a year if you eat out once a week.