[ad_1]
Maybe you’d like to have someone else do the cooking more often, but you’re on a budget. Maybe your weekly schedule is crunched, so some drive-through and restaurant meals are a necessity. It adds up.
But you could be eating out for way less than you think.
Using these savvy tips, you can sometimes cut the cost of a lunch or dinner out by more than half. That means you can eat out twice as often on the same budget.
25 Ways to Save Money Eating Out
1. Use American Express Card Special Offers
Search the “Amex Offers & Benefits” section on your American Express account page. We scored a free meal from a $10 credit offer for buying something from Newegg.com using Amex Express Checkout.
I used my Amex card to buy a $10 printable gift card for Applebee’s. The $10 credit appeared on my account within a few days, refunding 100% of my purchases. Voila — money to spend at Applebee’s!
Basic statement credits offers are common. Offers are tailored to individual accounts. For example, one of my cards has 64 offers (three for restaurants) while another only has 25.
2. Buy Discounted Gift Cards for Eating Out
Many people don’t realize you can buy discounted gift cards for restaurants online.
I recently bought a $25 Applebee’s gift card for $19.75 — a 21% discount.
I stick to big sites like CardCash and ClipKard. I’ve never had a problem with printed digital cards or physical cards sent by mail.
Want to save even more? Buy discounted gift cards through cash-back websites and use a good cash-back credit card to knock a higher percentage off the cost of a meal out.
3. Use the Right Credit Card
Use one of these cashback credit cards when eating out. Getting 1-2% back may not sound like much, but the savings add up when combined with these other strategies.
4. Go During Happy Hour
Try eating at restaurant bars during happy hour. You’ll save on drinks and find half-priced appetizers at many places, often only in the bar area.
Seating is…
[ad_2]
Source link
