Is Dining Out Draining Your Wallet?
Jun 01, 2018
Your favorite community in San Marcos is back with another informative blog post for our residents. In this month's edition of The Ranch blog, we’re talking about ways that our residents can save money when dining out.
Although “saving money while dining out” is a bit of an oxymoron, you can cut down on spending while still enjoying great food from nearby restaurants. Of course, cooking your own food at home is always a more financially responsible decision, but we understand that it's hard to say no when a big group of friends is going out to eat. If you stick to some of these restaurant rules, you’ll be rewarded with a lower-than-expected bill at the end of your meal.
Check out the blog post below, and remember to share this post with your friends and neighbors at Dakota Ranch.
Check Groupon, Yelp and Similar Websites
Although you might think of Groupon as a company that does nothing but send annoying emails to your inbox, it’s actual a useful tool for people who go to restaurants a lot. Groupon isn’t very useful for people who eat alone, but if you’re going out to eat on a date or with one other friend, Groupon can help you save some serious cash. The same goes for Yelp, but it works a little differently. With Groupon, you buy a coupon that you then show to the waiter, and they give you a discount on your food. With Yelp, you check into the restaurant on the app, and that usually gets you a free drink or free appetizer. Both are useful, and you’re throwing money away if you’re not at least checking to see if either of these websites have deals available for the restaurant you want to go to.
Choose Food Trucks over Restaurants
You know what you get at food trucks? Underrated food that’s often more flavorful and fresher than food from restaurants. You know what you don’t have to do at food trucks? Tip. You don’t have to waste money on tips when you go out to eat at a Food Truck, and you also don’t have to overpay for drinks, usually. While restaurants make a lot of money by jacking up the price of drinks, food trucks often charge just a buck or two for a soda or water. When you add up all the savings, you’ll probably save on average $5-$10 when you eat at a food truck as opposed to a restaurant. Plus, you’ll probably get to enjoy more flavorful food.
Eat Early. Save Big.
Most restaurants have happy hour sometime between 3-6. It might last all three hours, it might just last one hour. Either way, the appetizers and sometimes the entrees are usually cheaper during happy hour. The earlier you go to dinner, the better chance you have to score a great deal on your meal. If you decide early in the day that you’re going to go out to eat, make sure you get out of your apartment by 5:00pm at the latest. The early bird gets the worm, and the early eater pays less.
That’s our blog for this month, folks! Thanks for reading, and thanks for sharing this post. We’re always happy to help our residents save a little cash, and we hope you’re able to put these tips to use next time you go out to eat. If you enjoyed reading this month’s post, check this website again in a few weeks to take a look at our next blog. Also, remember to follow Dakota Ranch on social media if you want to stay informed about events, promotions and news from your favorite community, in San Marcos.
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