My mom used to say, "The food always tastes better when someone else is cooking it." Maybe that's why I love my mom's cooking so much.
I'm guessing that's also why so many of us like to eat out. Between work and family obligations, deciding what to make for dinner seems more like a chore some days. It is the reason we decided to tackle tonight's subject of ways to save money and still eat out.
So here are some of my favorite sites to help you save.
Restaurant Coupons
You've seen me mention Restaurant.com before on this blog. It really is a way to eat out for less. Right now through Sunday you can save an additional 70 percent by using the code THANKS. That means a $25 gift certificate which normally sells for $10 can be bought for just $3.
The site also has a new dinner of the month club. You buy three $25 gift certificates and instead of spending $75, you'll pay just $30.
A couple of things to keep in mind: the selection of restaurants is limited. However, they do add more all the time. You also should be careful about some of the terms of these certificates. Some restaurants don't let you use them on certain days or certain hours. You also often have to spend an additional amount of money -- usually between $10 and $25 more in order to cash them in.
Kid-Friendly Deals
This is one of my favorite tips. Visit restaurants that offer kid-friendly deals. There are a bunch of them.
Kids eat free every day of the week at Bar Abilene. Kids eat free every Sunday at D'Amico & Sons.
If you are looking for kid friendly deals near your neighborhood, check out Kids Meal Deals.com. You plug in your zip code or your city and they list the deals closest to you.
Alternative to Coupon Books
I've purchased those Happenings Entertainment books before and to be honest I always forget that I have it or for some reason can't find it when I need it. For a fraction of the price of a full book (less than $5 a month) you can access all of those coupons online. You can buy one month or more and print as many coupons as you like.
Valpak has a terrific Web site too. This is the company that usually sends you coupons in a blue envelope. You'll find an even greater selection of coupons online. I found a buy one get one free pizza coupon for Green Mill.
Easy Ways to Cook Restaurant Food at Home
I do enjoy cooking and I'm not afraid to ask the chef for a recipe. You'd be amazed how many are willing to divulge their secrets. Some of my favorite dishes I now make at home. If you're not having any luck, check out copykat.com. This site lets you search for some of your favorite restaurant recipes. Or try top secret recipes.com.