There’s no denying that eating out is social, entertaining and convenient, but restaurant bills can quickly add up if you don’t plan your spending ahead of time.

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Many of my clients are surprised to see how a few meals out can turn into a significant expense category in their budget. But whether it’s date night or a quick meal between after-school activities, there are ways to dine out while being mindful of both your waistline and your wallet.

Check out this list of 11 budget-conscious tips, use the ones that suit you and start tracking your savings.

1. Check online to see if your favourite restaurant has a happy hour, then plan to go during the discounted time of the day or week. Happy hour menus typically feature a restaurant’s most popular items, so your top pick might be listed or you’ll have the chance to try something new.

2. If you’re grabbing a quick meal with kids, you can still hit the drive-thru, but pack some apples or carrot sticks beforehand so you only have to buy part of their meals. If you are short on time and didn’t pack any fruit or veggies, toss refillable water bottles into the car. Grab the burgers or chicken nuggets and then eat a salad at home later.

3. If you want a specific dish and don’t mind eating it at home, only pick up your main entree and eat it with the rest of the meal that you made at home. This can work well at Oriental-style restaurants where you can make stir-fried vegetables and rice at home, and pick up sweet and sour pork, cashew chicken or beef and broccoli from the restaurant.

4. Be strategic about taking advantage of specials. Keep a list of which meals are on special and when, and then plan to eat out at those restaurants when those meals are discounted. If you’re bringing kids along to the restaurant, look for places where kids can eat free to save a little more.

5. Don’t show up at a restaurant when you’re super hungry. Eat appetizers before you get there — even a granola bar after work — and only order what you will reasonably eat. To get an even better deal, consider sharing an entrée with a friend if a restaurant serves large portions.

6. If your budget is tight and this isn’t the week for having a meal out, go out for dessert after eating at home first.

7. Take advantage of coupons and online discounts. Whether it’s a new restaurant or a local hotspot testing new menu items, there are always deals to be had if you keep your eye out.

8. If you have kids or family members who routinely leave half their meal behind, only order entrees that can be shared with someone else at the table or be taken home and reheated for a bedtime snack or lunch the next day. Wasting food isn’t just hard on your bank account, but on the environment, too.

9. Eat out at breakfast or lunch, when meals tend to be less expensive, rather than during the prime-time dinner hour.

10. Order water instead of pop, juice, mocktails or drinks. That alone can save a family $20 to $40 every time they eat out.

11. Save eating out for special occasions. Make it a habit to cook budget-conscious meals at home and save up for restaurant splurges. Involve everyone in meal preparation and cleanup. This lightens the workload and teaches kids and teens valuable cooking and budgeting skills with minimal extra effort.

Financial stress can impair our ability to make wise spending decisions. It’s often simpler to grab what we need to feed the family rather than making a frugal choice. However, convenience comes at a cost — often more than we realize. The key is to find ways to meet our needs without breaking the bank.

If you find it hard to resist overspending when you eat out, consider stocking up on a few convenience items to make quick meals at home. For example, you can use a jar of butter chicken sauce with precooked chicken, served over rice or fried, riced vegetables from the frozen aisle. That’s dinner done in about 20 minutes. Another option is to have buns, sliced cheese or cold cuts, soup for dipping and a salad mix from a bag.

Preparing at least part of your meals from scratch can help you make healthier choices. If your kids miss having pop, a walk to the local store for a slushy can be a fun alternative that offers a less sugary drink, some exercise and extra family time.

There are countless ways to balance meal preparation from scratch with convenience, which is more budget friendly than dining out.

Sandra Fry is a Winnipeg-based credit counsellor at Credit Counselling Society, a non-profit organization that has helped Canadians manage debt for more than 27 years.

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