Sunday, October 16, 2016

31 Days of Money-Saving Tips: Day #16 - Use Coupons to Eat Out


Yesterday we talked about bringing food from home when on the go to save money.  But what about those times when you really, really  want to eat out.  You know the times when you forgot to thaw dinner, and you really don't want to do dishes, and basically you're just done for the day?
Well, use a coupon!
All that junk you get in your mail and in boxes sometimes include coupons for restaurants.  We most frequently get mailers for Bob Evans, Friendly's, Arby's, and KFC.  These often include special 'meal deals,' as well as dollars off a certain purchase amount, and buy one get one free offers.  Another place to find restaurant coupons is in magazines.  Almost every month I receive Ruby Tuesday's coupons along with several magazines that I have free subscriptions to.  Make sure to check your newspapers as well.  Since you are already clipping coupons to save money, make sure to check for restaurant coupons too.  I have seen coupons for Long Horn, Red Lobster, and Olive Garden recently.  Clip them and hang them on your fridge - if you use them great, if they expire toss 'em.  But at least you have them if you want/need them.  Lastly, sign up to receive emails from your favorite restaurants.  Many places send out monthly 'sales,' several send out coupons as well, and almost all of them send out birthday offers.  So, make sure to include all your family member's birthdays when you sign up.  Just last month I got an email coupon for a free burger at Ruby Tuesday's, and all I did was turn 31.
So, when you want to eat out, make sure you use a coupon to save what you can. 

Photos for this series are from Flickr.  They are pictures that are under the license of ‘commercial and mods allowed.’  Edits were done by me.  The licensor does not endorse me or my use.

Weekly Spending Report: 10/09-15/2016


I have had the worst cold this week, with some flu-like symptoms.  With that being said, other than working, I've been lying low and taking my cold medicine religiously.  I was finally starting to feel better on Thursday, so I ventured out to run some errands.  I had a rather long list for ALDI, so I just stuck to the deals at CVS and Giant.  Overall, I feel like I got a LOT of bargains, and I'm happy with the amount I spent for the week.  Here's how the shopping breaks down money-wise...
  • Thursday's CVS Trip: $14.08 oop, Earned $10 ECB's ($5 Dove, $5 Huggies), and $2 Saving Star Rebate (Dove)
  • Thursday's Giant Trip: $15.60 oop, Earned $0.10 Mobisave Rebate (Bread), and $0.25 Ibotta* Rebate (Bread)
  • Thursday's ALDI Trip: $59.77 oop (included, but not pictured are 4 gallons of H2O), Earned $0.10 Mobisave (Chips)
Total OOP: $89.45
Total Earned: $12.45
Total Remaining for October: $186.37
*Use this link to sign up for Ibotta and get a $10 bonus!

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