Saving More: Eating Out

BOSTON (CBS) - According to a recent survey on saving, almost 50% of the respondents blamed dining out and entertainment as their main reason for not being able to save more.

A very simple solution here then is don't eat out! And make everything you serve your family from scratch, every meal.

Yah when pigs fly! You know that is not going to happen.

According to the Department of Labor over 70% of us eat out at least once a week. We spend over $3,000 a year on restaurants and often times we may be eating at home but we picked up items from the prepared food section of the grocery store to have for dinner.

New terminology is one "plates" their dinner. You stop at the grocery store, you pick up a rotisserie chicken, some cooked vegetables and roasted potatoes. Then you head to their bakery department and get a loaf of bread and a blueberry pie.

You head for home with the dinner fixings and zap most everything in the microwave. Over 50% of our food budget is spent on food prepared for us.

Look for ways to make eating out cheaper. Early bird specials are not just for retirees or at 4 in the afternoon. We frequent a local restaurant, Devens Grill and their early bird specials go until 6 pm. We arrive at 5:45 and they honor the early bird special prices.

Join the e-mail clubs of your favorite restaurants and they will send you coupons or notices of special deals like 2 entrees for the price of one. And recently Olive Garden was offering 20% off on take out if you ordered online.

Every year Not Your Average Joe's sends me a birthday present, a gift card for $15. Also, Burton's Grill and Olive Garden send me birthday coupons to use.

Try the Entertainment book that is published for the area you live in. There are discounts on eating out as well as entertainment, shopping and travel. Their books are heavily discounted this time of year.

Try Restaurant.com, where you can buy a dining certificate worth $10 for $4 or a $25 certificate for $10.

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You can hear Dee Lee's expert financial advice on WBZ NewsRadio 1030 each weekday at 1:55 p.m., 3:55 p.m., and 7:55 p.m.

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