If your family is like ours, then spring is a busy season. With sports games, school plays, and other activities falling on school nights, I am faced with time constraints for feeding my family. Sometimes the best option is eating out. Having someone else prepare, serve, and clean up can be a huge blessing on busy days. The cost of taking a family to a restaurant can quickly eat up the food budget. With a little planning and knowledge, the restaurant option can be worth your time and money.

In this series of 5 posts, I will share 10 ways to cut the expense of eating out. I will share 2 options each week. You may not be able to use all 10 of these options at once, but incorporating even one idea can save you money as you feed your family.

OPTION 1:     Use Coupons.

Many companies provide coupons for buy one entrée, get one free, $5 off a food purchase of $25 or more, etc. If you know which restaurants you plan to visit in advance, then spending a little time searching for coupons could pay off for your family. Here are some places to look for coupons:

• Check the advertisement section in the phone book for local coupons.
• Signup for free publications that contain local restaurant coupons (i.e. Clipper magazine).
• Consult your local newspaper.
• Subscribe to online newsletters, mobile/text, or e-mail notifications to your favorite restaurants.
• Visit the website of restaurants for specials and coupons.
• Purchase discount coupon books (i.e. the Entertainment book).
• Browse a search engine (Swagbucks, Google, etc.) for “the restaurant name” coupons.

OPTION 2:     Skip the beverage selection and drink water.

When our family chooses to drink water instead of taking advantage of the carbonated beverages or tea options, our total bill can be 10-15% less than when we drink the Coke and tea. Our family does splurge on drinks occasionally. But when we need to shave the excess off our total bill, we will opt for water.

Not every option will work in every situation. Our family uses coupons regularly, but some of our favorite restaurants do not offer coupons. When we visit establishments without using coupons, we use some of the other ways to save money. Sometimes we choose to drink water and save on the cost of a beverage. Before making that choice, we check to see if a drink is included with our meal.

During your busy spring season, I wish you lots of time with your family. I hope eating out is a solution to your time constraints, and that these options help you save money as you use your time wisely.