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| Photo by Miguel: https://www.pexels.com/photo/vegetables-in-a-store-14030518/ |
Everyone eats to live; however, some live to eat, mostly in restaurants. If you have realized, food seems to taste much better if someone else prepares it. Notably, eating out saves you the burden of washing dirty dishes but does not save you money, especially if you do not plan on it. Visiting a good restaurant is a great treat; however, a consistent diet outside dining is an unhealthy means of financial misuse. The cost of a particular food bought in a restaurant is high compared to the cost that one can spend to make the same meal at home; hence, preparing food at home is more cost-efficient than eating out. Currently, many people are feeling the financial pinch; therefore, saving money on groceries and eating out can make a huge difference. Read on to learn the most helpful tips for saving money on eating out and groceries.
Saving Money on Groceries
Shop intelligently
Conduct online research and review different product prices to find the best bargains. You can compare the prices offered at the supermarket to that provided at online stores on the same products, then decide which option will save you money. Undertaking online research is very helpful to help one save money.
Being cautious of multi-buys
These deals are never suitable because they make an individual end up with many foods they cannot consume before it goes bad. It is vital to reason enough before going for those offers such as, ‘buy one get one free’ or ‘buy two and get 20% discount’. These offers mostly cause individuals to end up with unnecessary stock that will indirectly cost them more money.
Make use of seasonal vegetables and fruits.
The cost of goods comes down when the season is high, especially for vegetables and fruits. Moreover, the buyer gets a bonus because when they are in season, they are fresh and taste better.
Plan everything before going shopping.
Do not look down upon a humble shopping list, depending on a weekly meal plan. This ascertains that you have the things you may need and also aids in evading the temptations of buying unnecessary items not planned for. When you abide by your weekly plan, you will make fewer trips to the grocery store, saving time and the cost of transport. Moreover, it is advisable to purchase meals that can be prepared in bulk and then stored to be eaten later as leftovers; it will save an individual the cost of ingredients used to make food every day.
Differentiate like with like
It involves comparing the prices per gram to ensure you get the best deals. Utilize the price tags on the supermarket shelves to get the information that will help you compare across various size packs. It is important to note that the larger packages are always of better value than the small packs.
Only prepare one meal.
Preparing one meal for everybody is more economical than preparing different meals for everyone. It is dangerous to get into a behavior of catering to various dislikes and likes. Buying different foods and preparing separate dishes will cost a lot of money.
Saving Money on Eating Out
Preserve half of your meal
When served food in a restaurant, asking for a container to stash half of the portion to eat later is vital. With that, you will have two meals for the price of one food, and you will not be bothered about how you will get food for the next meal.
Share the meal
Most restaurants serve crazy big portions of food; it will be wise to split the amount into two and share it with someone. You will still get full and split the bill; hence, you will save half the money.
Visit restaurants on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Most restaurants are slow on the first few days of the week. Therefore, they tend to have special offers that attract customers. It allows people to eat a meal they already love at a lower price.
Utilize happy hour
Make sure you visit the restaurant early to enjoy happy hour where you can grab a meal at a favorable price and be sure to check when happy hour starts. If you happen to go with a group of friends, you will get the chance to sample a full menu at an affordable price, and the waiting time will be at least shorter.
Just eat desserts
If you are a fan of going out but want to minimize high expenditures while doing it, it would be prudent to eat the main meal at home and then go out just to have a dessert. You will still get the chance to enjoy the restaurant atmosphere without breaking the bank. It will be a great win for saving money and still having fun.
Avoid tipping
If you are not willing to splash out extra money on tips, it will be a good idea to visit restaurants with no servers that bring you food, i.e., self-service restaurants.
Conclusion
This are just of few tips on how to save money on groceries, you can use the tips we covered in this blog inorder to save some money on groceries, tell us what you think about this tips in the comment section below.