As I stated before, I love food and we love to go out to eat as a family. My kids are expert s at ordering from the menu and know all of their favorite foods at many restaurants. (The jury is still out as to whether that’s a good thing to brag about or not.) But in today’s economy, eating out is an expensive pleasure, and I have resorted to creative ways to keep our habit going without breaking our bank.

1)      Kids-Eat-Free Nights. Once my kids hit a certain age –somewhere in 2^nd grade – I decided they were piglets. They actually eat more than I do now. I reached the point where sharing food off my plate was no longer a viable option and dinner out began to double in price. So, I began keeping a list of all of the places in our area where kids eat free on certain nights. You’d be surprised how many restaurants – chain and locally owned – participate in this type of program. I found at least one restaurant for every night of the week. Use Google and other search engines to devise your own plan.

2)      Yo Yum Yum Yogurt. Remember when frozen yogurt was cool in the late ‘80s? I’m so glad it’s back! And now it’s even more affordable than ever. You can pick as many flavors and toppings you want and it’s only 30 cents an ounce. I took my kiddos there recently to celebrate good report cards and it cost me only $6 for all of us! As an added bonus, Yo Yum Yum offers fat-free options (for me) and dairy-free (for my food-sensitive daughter).

3)      Coupon books. I’ve religiously bought coupon books for years. I am skilled at squeezing out every penny I can from those. The key to getting your money’s worth is to put the coupons in your car. It’s great for spontaneous trips thru the drive-thru and for planned date nights. Unlike clipping coupons from the Sunday ads, which get lost and expire, I prefer the books which last the whole year long and stay organized in a book. Also, if you buy coupon books a few months into the year, they drop in price.