Dine out without Reservations
Trying to rein in his spending, Sean Hsieh began using Mint.com to track his expenses this summer. [He] was shocked to learn he was spending $800 to $1,000 a month dining out.—Orange County Register
The most frequent change that experienced Mint users make in their spending is to dine out less and eat at home more. They don't stop going to restaurants, they may just go less often or find ways to reduce the check. Here are Mint's recommendations for how to spend less when you’re eating out.
Know how much you’re spending.
You probably don’t want to stop going to restaurants. Instead, you want to dine out less and eat at home more. Mint can help you quickly understand what you typically spend dining out. We’ll automatically download and categorize your restaurant, fast food, coffee shop and other purchases and show you the big picture.
See how others spend.
Curious what others in your city spend dining out? Mint’s expense tracking tools lets you compare your spending to others in our SpendSpace feature.
Set up a budget
Start with an amount that assumes one less meal at your favorite restaurant, or just a straight 20% off. You can track your expenses during the month, or set up an alert. We’ll email or text you if you exceed that budget.
Find new favorites
Where you eat is important. If you’re frequenting the hottest restaurants in town, you’re paying a premium to see and be seen. Check out Zagat, Yelp or Open Table for hidden gems getting great reviews, but still charging humble prices. Be the one to introduce your friends to the next big place, and a lower cost option for their favorite cuisine.
Try some frugal dining tips
Check out Restaurant.com for coupons, skip or split appetizers; BYOB; skip dessert or, even better, walk to the local ice cream place after dinner to get a lower cost dessert and burn some calories.
