7 creative tricks and tips to save money dining out

Dining out is a treat. And while enjoying home-cooked meals with your humans is a treasure, it’s also nice to enjoy being waited on now and then. There are still plenty of ways to enjoy memorable dining experiences without breaking the bank. The trick? A little creativity.

Here, we'll walk you through a few out-of-the-box, simple ways to dine out without feeling like your budget for that month has to go straight out the window.

Related:  Our free budgeting app could help you find more money left over each month

1. Dine during happy hour 

Some restaurants offer a happy hour menu that features drink specials, small plates and a limited menu for a fraction of the usual cost. Not only will you save, but you'll avoid the rush of dinnertime dining. You might also stumble across a lower-priced bar menu, which may include main menu items.

2. Fork up during lunch

Another prime time to scoop up lower-cost eats is midday. Lunch prices are often much lower than dinner prices. Some eateries offer many of the same dishes on their lunch and dinner menus.

3. Take advantage of promotions

Stay on the lookout for a restaurant's anniversary special. For instance, a long-standing restaurant in your town might offer 50-cent offerings in celebration of their 50th anniversary, or perhaps free desserts for the first 100 diners on their birthday. 

During the holiday season, your favorite eatery might offer discounted gift cards (such as a $100 gift card for $90) that you can then use all year round.

Related: 5 tips to make traveling more cost-effective

4. Order appetizers or side dishes

If you're dining out to socialize with family or friends, consider sticking to appetizers or side dishes. Depending on the cuisine—think Korean, BBQ or Mediterranean—the side fare can be just as delicious and intriguing as the restaurant's mainstays. Plus, you'll be shaving dollars off the cost of eating out. 

5. Scoop up birthday freebies 

Sign up for birthday freebies from food establishments and chains. This usually requires you to sign up for an app and provide basic information, such as an email or birthdate. You might scoop up a free pancake breakfast at a diner, or a beverage of your choice at a coffee shop. 

With a bit of planning, you can stack up those deals and go on a mini birthday bonanza with cheap or free eats.

6. Sign up for discount food apps 

These days, you can snag a great deal on food that would otherwise go to waste. For instance, Too Good to Go is a worldwide app where you can receive a deep discount on pastries, drinks, desserts, and meals. 

Scour deal sites, too, such as LivingSocial and Groupon, which offer promo codes and discounts at some of your favorite restaurants (and many you might like to try). Purchasing a food deal on these platforms can make dining out more affordable. Read the offer carefully, because deal site vouchers often have restrictions, blackout dates, and expiration dates. 

7. Consider a fine dining app 

Apps like InKind can help you save on the cost of fine dining. InKind features a network of restaurants, bars and coffee shops. You get monthly discounts and 15% cash back on your purchases if you pay through the app.

You’ll yield the greatest savings by prepaying and loading up your funds in the app. For instance, it may be possible to buy $300 in credits for $250, which is a 20% bonus. 

Saving money makes life more enjoyable

Creativity, cleverness, and a few out-of-the-box tricks and tips can clear a path toward more affordable dining. Try some of our strategies for folding some fun and frivolity into your budget so you can stretch your money and afford to eat out more.