Whether you’re celebrating on Valentine’s Day or this weekend, there are plenty of Valentine’s restaurant deals to enjoy!

As always, call ahead to make sure your neighborhood location is participating.
 
 
 
Valentine’s Dinner Deals

• Buca di Beppo – Get a $10 eCertificate!
• California Pizza Kitchen – Valentine’s Celebration for Two just $30 2/14 – 2/17. Special Valentine’s menu includes your choice of 1 appetizer, 2 entrees and 1 dessert.
• Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar – Dine between 2/14 – 2/17, and receive a $25 gift card for your next visit.
• Longhorn Steakhouse – Through 2/17, enjoy a $37 dinner for two! Dinner includes endless bread, 2 salads, 2 sides, 2 tender 7-oz. Flo’s Filets plus your choice of an appetizer or dessert.
• Olive Garden – 3-course Italian dinner just $12.95 per person! Includes unlimited breadsticks and soup or salad plus your choice of entree and dessert, through 3/3.
• Ruby Tuesday – Print a coupon for a free Valentine’s dessert when you make online reservations between 2/14 – 2/17.
• Spaghetti Warehouse – Valentine’s Day only, $34.99 dinner for two includes appetizer and dessert to share plus 2 entrees.
• Texas Roadhouse – Dinner for Two $39.99 through 2/16, includes 1 appetizer, 2 sides and 2 entrees.

 
~~~~~~~

Image courtesy of africa / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Restaurants want their tables filled.

You want to save money eating out.

Savored.com is your answer.  It’s a perfect marriage!

On a slow night that expensive steakhouse is willing to give you 40% off your tab.

If you’re willing to take a table at 6:00 instead of 7:30, that fancy French bistro will take 30% off your bill.

Your favorite Italian restaurant just had a party of 6 cancel their reservations, and their loss is your gain.

That’s the idea behind Savored.com…they fill empty tables at fine restaurants by offering discounts of 30% – 40%.

Here’s how it works:

1. Visit Savored.com or download their app (iphone or android)
2. Search by city, neighborhood and cuisine.  Currently, Savored.com works with restaurants in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington D.C.   They promise more cities are coming soon!
3. Find your favorite deal and make your reservation through Savored.com.
4. Print your reservation receipt, and your server will apply the discount.

 
Frugal fine dining…it really is possible.
 
Take a bite and savor the savings!

~~~~~~~

Image courtesy of Carlos Porto / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Don’t miss out on these great report card FREEBIES! Just bring in your most recent report card to redeem!
 
 
 
 
 

• Baskin Robbins – FREE scoop for A’s & B’s

 

• Blockbuster – 1 FREE family movie or kid movie with a B average (no new releases)

 

• Cheryl & Co. – FREE cookie for each A

 

• Chick-Fil-A – FREE 8 pack of nuggets for A’s & B’s

 

• Chuck E. Cheese – 15 FREE tokens for good grades

 

• Krispy Kreme – FREE donut for each A

 

• McDonalds – FREE Happy Meal with all A’s

 

• Noah’s Bagels – FREE bagel for each A

 

• Peter Piper Pizza – FREE 7″, 1 topping pizza for A’s & B’s

 

• Pizza Hut – FREE personal pan pizza with 3 A’s

 

• Sbarro – FREE slice of cheese or pepperoni pizza + a small drink for all A’s & B’s

 

Please note that most offers apply only to Kindergarten through 8th Grade.

Promotions may vary by location so always call ahead.

Let’s “share the wealth”…if you know of another business that offers report card freebies…please leave a comment!

~~~~~~~

Keep up with all the freebies and deals on The Budget Diet’s Freebies Page (top, right corner)

~~~~~~~

Image courtesy of: photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

When our kids were young, the bulk of our vacation budget was the lodging. Somehow, my boys became teenagers without me noticing and they ate. Constantly. Fast food got expensive! Dinners got expensive! Even pancake breakfasts busted the budget. My vacation planning strategy had to change, so we didn’t go broke.

As I discovered online deals, the budget got back on track and our vacationing ways survived! My boys are preparing to leave the nest now, but I will continue to use these strategies to save on dining. That translates to more money for — shopping!

Groupon. This may be the easiest way to save money during travel — on more than just food. Groupon offers 50% savings on food, entertainment, spa treatments and sometimes even on lodging. Read the fine print for exclusions and expiration dates. Search Groupon by the city closest to your destination to see what’s available and plan accordingly. (Please use my referral code if you use Groupon from this post. Thank you!)

Entertainment Books. These coupon books have been around forever! Today, they offer a traditional coupon book or a convenient smartphone version. Simply log in to the region you’ll be visiting to discover restaurant, shopping and attraction coupon offers. If you prefer the coupon book, order at least two weeks before your trip to allow sufficient shipping time.

Restaurant.com.This website offers discount coupons to restaurants throughout the United States. Simply enter the zip code for your destination and search restaurant options to discover great places to eat for less. Purchase a $25 coupon for $10 and save $15 on your meal.

To make the most of Restaurant.com:
• Read the fine print before you buy. Some coupons restrict time of use (not on weekends or dinner only) while others expire (usually at least six months out).
• Do a “google search” of restaurant.com coupon codes, because they regularly offer discount codes. Enter the code at checkout for greater savings. (I usually get $25 coupons for $4, a $21 savings off menu price)
• Some restaurants factor the tip when you use the coupon. Check your receipt to see if tip is already included. If not, TIP your server on the FULL PRICE of your dinner. You may be saving money, but they are working based on the full order. Thank you!

Search for Coupons Online. A quick search, such as “restaurants coupon” might result in a list of coupons you can use. Hilton Head, SC offers many dining coupons through its local website. Other cities offer coupons, too, but if I don’t find them quickly I use a different source!

Dining Packages. Amusement parks offer dining packages to save you money. If you plan to eat all or most of your meals at amusement park restaurants this option might stretch the budget and fill those hollow legs! Many hotel chains, including Marriott and Choice Hotels, offer combination hotel and dining packages as well.

With just a few clicks of the mouse, you can save 10-50% and dine for less! Happy travels!

~~~~~~~

written by: Karen Dawkins

Seasoned traveler and North Carolina mom, Karen Dawkins, writes about her experiences and tips at Family Travels on a Budget. She has traveled around the world with her family on a budget, enjoying the adventure and the challenge of doing it all for less!

~~~~~~~

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Try these 8 easy tips for saving money when eating out. It really is possible to never pay full price at restaurants, but you’ll have to make a little effort and plan ahead if you want to eat out cheap!
 
 
 

1. Discounted Gift Cards – Stock up on discounted gift cards for your favorite restaurants or buy discounted gift cards for restaurants you’d like to try. How about a $50 California Pizza Kitchen gift card for just $42 or a $50 Cheesecake Factory Gift Card for only $44.50?Save up to 35%! Buy discounted restaurant gift cards from Plastic Jungle.The selection of restaurant gift cards changes daily, but you’ll always find plenty to choose from! Discounted restaurant gift cards are great for vacations if you know which chain restaurants will be available at your destination.
2. Groupon – Restaurants are frequently on Groupon, and the savings can be as much as 50%! Get in the habit of checking Groupon which can always be found on the right side of this page. It’s a great way to try new restaurants in your area and save money!
3. Kids Eat Free – If you have children, take a moment to check out the website MyKidsEatFree.com. You can search by city and state to discover all the free kids meals in your neighborhood.
4. Coupons on Restaurant Websites – Many restaurant websites have a free printable coupon waiting for you, and even more restaurants will send you coupons via email if you sign up for their newsletter. It’s worth your time to visit the websites of your favorite restaurants.
5. Twitter – Take a moment to follow your favorite restaurants on twitter! Restaurants like Papa John’s, Outback and Quizno’s have been known to regularly give out freebies to their followers.
6. Restaurant.com – More than 15,000 restaurants participate in Restaurant.com’s $25 restaurant gift certificates for only $10! If you look on the right side of this page, you’ll always see the latest Restaurant.com deal which can make a $25 gift certificate as little as $2!
7. Birthday Freebies – Check out The Budget Diet’s list of Birthday Freebies! Think BIG, think beyond just a free dessert! You’ll find generous offers like a free $30 gift certificate from Benihana or a FREE Grand Slam Breakfast from Denny’s. Even better, many of these restaurants not only send you a free coupon on your birthday, but they will also send you a coupon the very day you sign up! Most offers do not require you use the coupon on your birthday, so load up and enjoy lots of freebies!
8. Savored.com - Restaurants want their tables filled, and you want to eat out cheap…Savored.com puts you together.  Currently Savored.com is in 20 cities (more coming soon), and discounts are 30% – 40%.

There you have it, 8 easy ways to save money eating out! Remember, with all great deals you must read the fine print. Groupon and Restaurant.com often restrict the days and times that you can redeem your certificate and other restrictions may apply.

~~~~~~~

Image courtesy of: worradmu / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Living frugally is hard. There is always a temptation to buy something you really want, your spouse really wants or the kids want. Then there are all the unexpected expenses that pop up; car maintenance and repair costs, a bigger than usual heating or cooling bill, lawn care or new mower costs, the list goes on and on and on. If you’re sprinting to pay off debt or are managing off one income, then you already know you need to take any frugal tip you can get.

Sometimes, to really get ahead, you need think outside the box. Here are 4 frugal living tips that do just that, and that you likely haven’t already thought of.

1. Mystery Shopping for Free Eats
As a frugal person, you probably greatly limit your eating out expenses. However, no matter how most people try to limit restaurant expenses, we all cave once and a while (or more). However, if you just sign up for one of many legitimate mystery-shopping services that do business in your area, you can take your entire family out for free. You have to evaluate your server online afterward and upload a copy of your receipt but this isn’t that much work for a free meal ticket.

2. Cut Your Family’s Hair
If you have a big family and take them to the hair salon once a month, then you’re probably spending about $100 bucks or more each month, when you account for tips. As a frugal enthusiast you probably try to stretch this out too, meaning everyone goes around for a time with scruffy hair! Buy a shaver and a pair of scissors and watch an instructional YouTube video and eliminate this expense forever. You may face some resistance at first from wary family members, but after a few good cuts this will fade!

3. Consider Shopping for Groceries Online
If there is a service in your area (this is an expanding market), compare their prices and consider using their service. Most places will deliver groceries to your door for a very small fee ($5 to $10, usually). Yes, this is an extra expense but it saves you money in gas and the real kicker is it will cut down your overall grocery bill significantly. Grocery stores want you to buy more than you need and fall for the marketing. Plus if you have to take kids shopping with you, all your concentration and frugal meal planning usually flies out the door. I personally started using one of these services, and it’s so much easier to stay exactly within budget and get exactly what I need. I was able to shave off over $200 a month on my food bill just by switching to this method.

4. Petition for Lower Property Taxes
With the housing market having tanked tremendously over the past few years, it’s highly likely that your home is being taxes at a higher value than its current worth. Call your town hall and ask them how you can petition to have the property assessor appraise your home to see if the value has fallen since it was last assessed. This could save you a good amount of money each month.

~~~~~~~

written by: Jessica Drew

Jessica Drew is a freelance writer and editor who blogs about a variety of topics including frugal living, money management and personal loans.

Image courtesy of: nokhoog_buchachon / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

FREE MEALS AND DISCOUNTS ON VETERAN’S DAY

Grab your military id, and take advantage free meals and discounts on Veteran’s Day!

FREE FOOD!

• Applebees – free meal on Friday, Novmeber 11th
• Chili’s – free meal on Friday, November 11th
• Golden Corral – free meal on Monday, November 14th
• Hooters – free meal on Friday, November 11th
• Krispy Kreme – free doughnut on Friday, November 11th
• McCormick & Schmick’s – free lunch or dinner on Sunday, November 13th
• Outback Steakhouse – a week of free bloomin’ onions and Cokes, Monday, November 7th – Friday, November 11th
• Subway – free 6-inch sub on Friday, November 11th
• Texas Road House – free meal on Friday, November 11th
• T.G.I. Friday’s – buy one get one free Nov 11-14
• Uno Chicago Grill – buy one, get one free (pizza or entree) on Friday, November 11th

Most free meals are available for veterans and active duty military. Complete details are available at TheMilitaryWallet.com.

If you’re a veteran or active duty military, there are 133 Military Discounts you should be taking advantage of all year long, not just on Veteran’s Day.