Budgeting

Last year, I shared the handy Excel workbook I’ve been using to track my finances ever since I was in college. Obviously, I’ve updated it over the years… but the basic concept is the same, and it works wonderfully for me. Based on all the emails I get, I assume it also works wonderfully for many of you!

Now before you get too excited, let me just reiterate that this workbook is NOT a budget — it does not tell you how much you can and can not spend. Instead, it’s a tool to help you track your finances and monitor how much you actually DO spend.

I know many of you are trying to create a budget to help you and your family save more and spend less, but in my opinion, it’s impossible to set up a realistic budget unless you first figure out exactly where your money is going and how much you are currently spending, saving, etc.

So if you’ve never actually taken the time to track your finances for an entire year, this workbook should be extremely helpful for you as the first step to then creating a realistic budget.

I’m not going to go into a ton of detail about the spreadsheet itself, because you can read about all the different categories and features here… but instead, I’ll give you a quick overview.

Basically, the workbook has 7 worksheets or categories {see image below}

Each worksheet provides a place to track monthly and weekly income, bills, expenses, debt reduction, giving, and investments.

You can see the summary of everything {including your overall surplus or shortage} on the last worksheet.

So the idea is that if you faithfully record ALL your income and ALL your expenses, you should be able to quickly and easily see how much you are spending on a monthly basis AND for each category {like gas, groceries, clothing, utility bills, etc.}

After you’ve tracked your finances for several months or an entire year, THEN it’s time to sit down and figure out where you might be able to cut back a little {or a lot} and create your budget based on those numbers. Creating a budget based on real-life numbers will be so much easier than just pulling numbers out of thin air; and you will be much more likely to stick to your budget — which is the whole point!

If you’ve never taken the time to track your saving or spending before, this could be an eye-opening exercise for you {numbers don’t lie!}… but I guarantee it will be worth it in the end!

Download your FREE 2012 Financial Workbook here!!

• Here is a link to the “regular” Excel File

• Here is a link to the “97-2003″ Excel File {if you are using an older version of Excel}

• Here is a link to an “Open Document Spreadsheet” — in case the others don’t work

• Here is a link to it in Google Docs. {some of the formatting is different here}

NOTE: The files will automatically download to your computer by clicking the link above. You will need Microsoft Excel on your computer to be able to use this worksheet — and you should save it in a convenient place {like your desktop} so you can easily update it on a daily/weekly basis.

I created this workbook so that you will be able to edit everything — because that only makes sense to me! However, even though I’m giving you full access to use and edit this workbook, I hope you don’t abuse that by trying to pass it off as your own

If you are trying to save more and spend less this year, download my FREE 2012 Financial Workbookand get started today!

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UPDATE: This giveaway is now closed.

Congrats to:

Miranda (athankfullheart@…)

Rachel (krbetts@…)

Allison (allisonhawley10@…)

Amy (flyingpreacher1@…)

Susan (ssvandenberg@…)

I will email you to get your information!

Even as a very small child, some of my favorite play-time activities were playing store {I was the cashier} and writing numbers in my “bank book” {see picture below}.

When I was six, my parents helped me open my first savings account and then make small deposits on a regular basis. You can probably imagine how excited I was to balance a REAL bank register after each deposit!

I opened a checking account when I was 18, and was extremely hesitant to spend even one penny more than I absolutely had to!  I used coupons to buy groceries all through college, and worked as many hours as I could to quickly pay off my student loans.

Now that I’m “all grown up” I’m still frugal, I still use coupons, I still don’t spend money if I don’t have to, and I still balance my bank register after every transaction {yes, I do online banking too!}

Basically, I’ve been frugal for as long as I can remember — thanks in large parts to my parents who have always encouraged me and my sisters to save, save, save!

Because of my love for frugal living, I am simply ecstatic about today’s giveaway — The Money Saving Mom’s Budget. It’s a brand new book written by one of my blogging friends, Crystal Paine of MoneySavingMom.com.

Crystal’s book is not only packed FULL of hundreds of tips and tricks to save more, spend less, and pay off debt; it also contains a wealth of information on how to simplify and organize your entire life… which I’m all in favor of

Plus the entire book is written from a “normal” person’s perspective on finances; so you won’t have to weed through financial jargon or constantly wonder if you’re understanding it correctly.

As I was reading her book, I kept thinking “I could have written this” because I honestly agree with pretty much everything she says. You can read more about her book here, but then come back and enter to win one of 5 copies!

The Giveaway:

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Today, five lucky Simple Organized Living readers will win a copy of Crystal’s new book, The Money Saving Mom’s Budget! 

How to Enter:

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1. Leave a comment. How are you trying to save more and spend less this year?

2. Like Simple Organized Living and/or Money Saving Mom on Facebook, and then leave a separate comment letting me know you did {or that you do already}.

If you are reading this in your email or feed reader, please visit the actual blog post to enter. Email entries, Facebook comments, and Twitter messages will NOT be counted.

Prizes:

(5) copies of The Money Saving Mom’s Budget as described above.

This giveaway ends at 10:00 pm on Tuesday, 1/17/2012 and is open to all U.S. and Canadian residents 18 years or older. I will use And the Winner Is to select the winning comments at random. Winners will be notified by email and noted at the top of this post. Winners must respond within 48 hours of notification to claim their prize or I will choose a new winner. Please see my full disclosure policy and contact me with any questions you have. Good luck!

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I am NOT a financial expert — just a really cheap Dutch woman!

And even though we use a credit card for almost EVERY SINGLE thing we purchase, I am 100% against credit card debt… and I’ve never once paid any interest, late fees, finance charges etc. It’s how my parents taught me and it what makes sense for Dave and me.

However, I’m not 100% against any debt at all.

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Again, I’m not a financial expert, but I’ve talked with enough bankers, accountants, investment agencies, and other financially savvy people to know that some debt CAN be good debt! 

I know it sounds crazy to think there could be such a thing as “good debt”, but without any debt at all, it’s very difficult to have a credit history or a credit report. And without a credit report, you will probably have a difficult time if you ever needed to take out a loan or open a credit card — especially now days when banks are really cracking down.

What Debt is Good Debt?

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1. Having a credit card balance and paying it off IN FULL at the end of each month.

As I mentioned before, I’m 100% against credit card debt, however our credit card ALWAYS has some sort of balance from that current month. And even though we pay the balance IN FULL at the end of each month {and never pay any interest or fees} it is still considered a “debt” during that specific month because we own money that we haven’t paid yet.

And as long as you pay your balance in full each month, this type of debt actually looks really good on your credit report because it shows you are responsible and pay off your debt right away.

2. Student Loans:

Oh don’t even get me started on students loans!!! These were one of the debts we diligently worked to pay off — thanks to our Before Baby Bucket List. And even though I just hated having this debt, I was told that student loans are actually a good debt to have.

They usually have very low interest rates {mine were around 3% and Dave’s were actually at 0% because he was getting his masters}. They also show that you’ve participated in higher education which will hopefully prepare you for a higher paying job… and allow you to pay the loans off quicker.

3. Mortgage Loan:

I would say that FOR THE MOST PART, mortgage loans are classified as good debt because your home is probably your most valuable asset and it SHOULD continue to appreciate in value over time.

However, we all know how awful the housing market is right now and if you took out a mortgage for way more than you can handle, it might NOT be considered good debt anymore.

4. Small Loans that are quickly repaid:

There may be times, either for business or personal reasons, that you just have to take out a small loan. And even though it might be considered bad debt initially; if you pay it off quickly, it could actually help your credit report by showing how responsible you are with paying off debt.

What if You Have Bad Debt?

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I’ve been told that even if you have “bad debt” like a car loan, unpaid credit card debt, etc. it still might not hurt your credit report as long as you are making regular payments and decreasing the over-all debt amount each month.

So that’s just something to keep in mind as well! 

There is SO much more information I could share on this topic, but since I’m not a financial expert, I don’t feel like I should. However, as the holiday season continues to inch closer… and as you are tempted to buy “one more thing” for everyone on your list… just keep asking yourself if it’s worth getting into “bad debt” or not.

I would say that 99% of the time it’s NOT! 

What are your thoughts on good debt and bad debt?

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Several months ago, after I broke the news that we were pregnant, I talked about Having a Baby on a Budget.

Since then, I have stayed true to my frugal nature and with the help of Craigslist, my mom’s garage-sale addiction, lots of borrowing, and generous gifts from family and friends…

We’ve spent LESS than $300 on our baby so far!

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And that includes EVERYTHING for our  nursery, clothing, accessories, books, toys, bedding, diapers, wipes, other toiletries, car seats {yes we have 2}, strollers {2 of those}, diaper bags, towels, changing pad, extra blankets, breast pump, bottles, tons of formula, bouncy seat, Bumbo, Boppy, Johnny Jumper, Pack n Play, all my maternity clothes, and even our maternity photo shoot and classes at the hospital!

I’ve kept track of every penny we’ve spent and even surprised myself when I recently saw that the total was still under $300!

Now granted, we did receive several gifts, gift cards, and cash… but besides a few select items {like sheets, mattress pads, and toiletries} I’ve gotten almost every single thing used, or made it myself.

And you know what, our baby won’t know the difference! 

Do babies really HAVE to be expensive?

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I can’t tell you how many people have told me over and over again how expensive it is to have a baby and how those expenses keep growing and growing as the baby gets older. They’ll say things like, “you better start saving now”, or “get used to being broke”, or even “you’re not going to be able to spend any money on YOU once you have the baby.” 

Besides the fact that their advice is completely negative — and probably not the nicest thing to say to a soon-to-be new mom; I also do NOT think it’s truthful advice. Having a baby doesn’t HAVE to be expensive! 

I’m sure it’s fun to get all brand new things for your first baby, but I personally can’t believe how many people go crazy and buy all sorts of brand new items at ridiculously high prices… just because. Then, a year later, you see those same things {sometimes with the tags still attached} for sale at their garage sale or on Craigslist at a fraction of the price!

How wasteful! 

I’m sure many of you already know how frugal I am, but from the moment we found out we were expecting a baby, I decided that we would NOT fall into the trap of thinking our baby needed the latest and greatest of everything. Dave and I were both perfectly fine with garage sale, Craigslist, and other second-hand items for our baby… and boy has that decision paid off!

Oh, and I should mention that just because I buy everything used, does NOT mean that I buy inferior products. As you’ll read below, I’ve purchased many high-end, brand-name items for a fraction of the “new price”.

How I Stuck to my LOW Budget:

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1. I borrowed as much as I could.

I have several friends and relatives who are about my size and many of them offered to let me look through their maternity clothing. Most of them had also gotten used maternity clothes and were thrilled that someone else could get some use out of their things too. Over all, I spent $2.67 on maternity clothing – and once I’m finished with it, I can return the items to their owners and I don’t have to store anything!

I’m also borrowing a bunch of baby things from a few friends — like a baby bathtub, baby swaddle blankets, winter items, and some different types of baby wraps so I can get a feel for what our baby actually likes. Once I figure this out, I’ll probably go out and buy our favorite, but for now, borrowing works just fine!

2. I buy everything used.

You would not believe how many clothes, toys, books, shoes, and accessories my mom and I have found via garage sales, second-hand sales, or buying them from friends and relatives — all for pennies {and many of the items still had the tags on them!}

As you may have seen, our nursery closet is packed full of adorable little girls clothes {all the way through 12 months} and we already have a nice little collection of books and small toys started as well.

3. Craigslist is my friend!

I am somewhat obsessed with finding great deals on Craigslist – which has always paid off for me in the past; however I’ve been amazed at how many hugely discounted baby items are available via my favorite shopping website!

Here are just a FEW of the many deals I’ve gotten in the past couple of months:

• I found the $200 baby monitor I wanted for $30
• I found the EXACT $180 BabyBjorn bouncy seat I wanted for only $40 {and it came with a bunch of extras}
• I found a nearly new Pack n’ Play with ALL the accessories for $30 – delivered to my door!
• I found a Bobby pillow with 2 microfiber slip covers {still in the package} for $10 — normally this whole set would have been closer to $70 or $80
• I found a really nice Jeep umbrella stroller for only $5

I could go on and on… but I think you get the picture. Craigslist has some amazing deals!

4. I made things myself.

Yes, I suppose you have to be a bit crafty to be able to make many of your own baby items… but you CAN do it! I made all my own bedding for less than $8.00 and a bunch of my own baby hair accessories. I also used furniture from around our house for the nursery — and you’d never know it after a fresh coat of paint!

I encouraged friends and family to give me handmade blankets, burp cloths, and little toys as baby gifts instead of pricey store-bought items. Seriously, you should see all the creative handmade gifts I got!

5. I shop sales and rebates.

I know many of you are still amazed at the amount of free {or almost free} diapers, wipes, and other baby toiletries I’ve accumulated. But with the help of my mom, I am now fully stocked with baby toiletries and baby wipes for at least the first year. And I should have all the diapers I need {Newborn through Size 3} unless she regularly goes through more than 15 a day

Since I’m not a deal blog, I’m not going to go into all the details of HOW we find such great deals, but it’s basically a combination of saving up a bunch of coupons, and then waiting until a local drugstore {Rite Aid/Walgreens/CVS} has a great sale with rebates or in-store rewards.

6. I signed up for all the freebies.

Not only have I signed up for (and received) numerous free baby items via the mail, I’ve gotten even more free and very high-value coupons for baby items, formula, toiletries, etc.

Yes, I do get a little more spam email now, but I have them filtered directly to my spam folder — which automatically deletes every 30 days; so I really don’t have to deal with them.

Here’s a link to some good baby deals and freebies — but you’ll be surprised what you find if you simply Google your favorite baby brands!

7. I’m a firm believer that “less is more”.

I don’t care how many times someone tells me that I NEED a baby wipe warmer, I’m not going to get one! It’s not necessary in my opinion, and it’s just one more thing to buy and then clutter up my house.

And even though I’m already drooling over the super adorable baby girl clothes in the stores, I know I don’t need to buy any of them because our baby will be born in the Fall/Winter and she will probably live in onesies, sleepers, and sleep sacks for most of her first few months. I can easily get by with a handful of cute “going away” outfits and save my money for super cute outfits once she’s a little older.

It’s amazing how few things a baby REALLY NEEDS — food, sleep, warmth, love — and while it is definitely fun to shop for baby items, and may of the items make life more convenient, I’m sure our little girl won’t care if her baby wipes are warmed or not

Was It Worth The Extra Time?

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I know that some of you might be thinking about all the time I must have spent looking for these deals, making my own things, signing up for freebies, using coupons, sending rebates, etc. etc.

And you’re right, it did take a bunch of time… but I had 9 full months! 

Plus, it’s SO fun for me to bargain shop, barter with people on Craigslist, and hit up local garage sales. It’s a hobby I do anyway… now I just look for baby things as well as other things I want to purchase.

So yes, it was most definitnely worth any extra time it took on my part! 

How do you {or did you} save?

• Do you buy mostly new or mostly used baby and kid items?
• Do you have any tips or tricks for finding great deals?
• Are there certain items you would never buy used?
• Are there other items you wished you would have bought used instead of paying full price?

I’d love to hear YOUR frugal thoughts {or even if you think I’m nuts!}

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The other day, I was having a conversation with one of my friends and some how we got talking about my checkbook and that I had made a simple addition mistake that got everything out of whack.

Fortunately {since I check my online account and balance my checkbook at least once a week} I caught my error early on and could quickly go back and make the appropriate changes.

Yes, I do still use a paper checkbook register! 

Even though I do almost ALL our banking electronically, automatically pay all our bills electronically, and rarely ever write paper checks, I’m still in the habit of regularly monitoring our different checking and savings accounts to make sure everything balances out. Maybe this is old fashioned, but you would not believe how many mistakes I’ve caught because of this!

However, as I was talking with my friend, it quickly became apparent that she didn’t balance her checkbook… or even HAVE a checkbook register! She just relied on her online bank statement to be an accurate account of how much money she did or didn’t have.

So that got me thinking…

• what if you write a big check or make a big payment but it takes a week or more to “clear” from your account… so you think you have more money than you actually do and run the risk of over-drawing your account?

• what if your bank makes a mistake — but you never catch it because you don’t keep your own checkbook register balanced and up-to-date?

• what if someone gets ahold of your debit card or account number and steals some or all of your money — but you might not notice because you don’t keep your own records?

• what if you get charged the wrong amount for something but didn’t realize it because you threw your receipt away and never wrote it down in your own checkbook register?

I know I’ve caught mistakes and errors in the past — only because I had things accurately written down in my own checkbook register. However, my friend seemed to think it was not necessary to have her own checkbook register.

Why I Use a Checkbook Register:

• I feel like I’m more “in control” of my money and my spending

• I know exactly how much money is available to me at all times {and this is not necessarily the same amount as my online statement might show}

• I can more quickly and easily catch any mistakes that might have been made either by myself, by the bank, or by the company I purchased a product from.

• It’s a great habit to get into and helps me stay on budget

Do You Balance Your Checkbook?

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Am I the only “old-fashioned” person left who takes time each week to balance my checkbook registry and check for any issues?

What are some of the reasons you do {or do not} take the time to balance your checkbook?

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For the first 5+ years of our marriage, Dave and I got by on a measly $20 – $25 per week grocery budget {the picture above is food that I purchased for only $22}!  We ate well, we ate healthy, we had a good variety of foods, our pantry and freezer were always stocked, and we never went hungry. The crazy thing is that it wasn’t even that difficult to do!

However, the past 2 months have been somewhat of a rude awakening to me as our grocery bills have jumped to $40, $50 and even $60 per week! 

Yes I’m still using coupons, yes I’m still faithfully shopping the sales, and yes I’m still meal planning… but we’ve had a lot of changes over the past 2 months and all those changes have really put some pressure on our super small grocery budget.

1. We have 2 extra mouths to feed.

Even though our international students don’t eat a lot, they eat a lot of “expensive” items like fresh fruit, fresh veggies, milk, cereal, and chips {they LOVE chips!} Fruit, veggies, and milk aren’t usually very discounted and there are hardly ever coupons for these items. Plus, has anyone else noticed that the price of cereal and chips is outrageous! Now I know why I stick to egg sandwiches, oatmeal, and granola for breakfast!

They also go through crazy amounts of toilet paper and tissues — and you know that paper products aren’t cheap!

2. We finally got a deep freezer.

The picture above actually looks empty compare to what our freezer looks like right now! Our freezer is fully stocked with meats, cheeses, baked goods, extra meals, etc. That means I’ve been buying a lot more food lately, but hopefully it will mean lower bills {and less cooking time} in the future as we eat from our freezer.

3. Our pantry is bursting at the seems.

We re-purposed a few storage containers from our garage organizing project this summer and are using those as our new pantry. It is a vast improvement over our previous system and offers so much more storage — which has been extremely useful, especially since the girls like to purchase their own Vietnamese and Korean pantry staples as well.

4. We haven’t gone out to eat ONCE since the end of August.

Dave and I rarely went out to eat before — but if we did, we always used gift cards we receive throughout the year.

Well, we are almost completely out of gift cards {feel free to send us a few if you like!!} and going out to eat would be a lot more expensive with 2 extra people. So we have eaten every single meal at home since the end of August. Yes, that means I have prepared every single meal since the end of August — and our grocery bill has gone up as a result!

5. I’ve been canning a ton of produce.

I usually only can every other year — and this was the “on” year, so I’ve purchased lots of extra produce from local farms — but now I won’t need to buy peaches, pears, applesauce, tomatoes, salsa, or jam for the next 2 years. {I actually have much more than the picture above shows}

6. The price of groceries has gone up.

I’m sure this is happening nation wide, but the prices of groceries in West Michigan has slowly risen over the last couple of years — and I’m still shocked every time I buy bananas for $0.59 per pound!!! I can remember when I would shop with my mom and we’d never pay more than $0.25 per pound! These rising food prices are no-doubt, one of the reasons our bill is continuing to increase as well.

7. We’re getting ready for the baby.

I can’t tell you how many coupons I’ve gotten for free baby items — which has been great for stocking up. However, I’ve also gotten some very high-value coupons that make baby items extremely cheap {like formula, diapers, wipes, etc.} So even though the baby isn’t here yet, it just make sense to use these coupons before they expire to get baby necessities for ridiculously low prices.

I’m not sure if I will continue to include baby items in our “grocery budget”, but I am for now.

8. I don’t have a garden for the first year EVER!

Since we were so busy with all of our massive house renovations this winter, spring, and summer, we knew we would not have time to plant or maintain a garden. {We had enough of a challenge just finding time to mow the lawn and weed!}

So for the first year ever, I didn’t have a garden to pick from on a daily and weekly basis. This meant that I had to actually BUY all of our vegetables this year… expensive!

9. I’ve already started stocking up for holiday baking.

I know it’s only October, but with a new baby due only weeks before Thanksgiving, I figured I better start stocking up on Holiday baking items now — which aren’t cheap!

10. We’re entertaining more.

Since our house renovations are finally complete {for the most part!} and our living room isn’t filled with tools, wood flooring, and tons of dust; we’ve been taking the opportunity to actually invite people over! We’ve had company a few times this past month and have several large groups coming in the next 2 weeks.

And as you all know, entertaining costs money. It doesn’t have to cost a lot, but there are additional expense involved in feeding people {big shocker!} but it’s something we want to do and are thoroughly enjoying sharing our newly renovated home with family and friends!

So those are just a few reasons why our grocery bill has jumped from around $20 – $25 per week to $40, $50, or even $60 per week. 

Part of me feels disappointed that I’m no longer able to keep our grocery budget SO LOW, but I just have to remind myself that there is a time and season for everything, and our growing family is an excellent reason for this increase!

Plus, for a family of 4 {and a half!} who never goes out to eat and has a freezer and pantry FULL of food, I think I’m still doing OK if I keep our budget around $40-$60 per week!

What do you think? Do you have any tips for keeping costs down?

Linked to Top Ten Tuesdays

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{Dave and I eating at a really fancy restaurant on our honeymoon}

Although Dave and I enjoy going out to eat every once in a while, we make it a habit of eating at home, packing our own lunch, and making food from scratch as a way to significantly reduce our monthly expenses.

However, I know there are TONS of people who aren’t like us and frequently go out to eat — either because they are too busy, on vacation, or just as a treat. And ever since I mentioned that restaurants were one of the 10 things we don’t spend money on, I’ve received so many questions asking about different ways to save money at restaurants.

So… here are a few ideas to save money AND enjoy a night out.

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1. Use coupons:

There are SO many different restaurant coupons available in magazines, the newspaper, on deal blogs, on Facebook, and even simply by visiting the restaurant’s website. Dave and I have had several occasions where we wanted to go to a specific restaurant and I found BOGO coupons after a quick internet search.

2. Visit the restaurant during a special sales or promotion:

Yes, the restaurant might be a little busier during a sale, but this is definitely one of the simplest ways to save money at your favorite restaurants.

3. Ask for gift cards:

One of the main reasons Dave and I rarely spend money going out to eat is because we get lots of gift cards. We ask for them for Christmas, for our birthdays, and he gets a bunch for coaching different sports at school. Plus, gift cards are one of the easiest gifts to give so I’m sure no one would be upset with that request!

4. Go early or late to get happy hour and late-night specials:

Most restaurants have great Happy Hours specials; and even though Dave and I are still too cheap to buy alcohol, it’s a great time to go and get really great deals food — plus, you miss the dinner-time rush!

5. Eat something other than a full meal:

You can save a lot by skipping the full meal and just going out for coffee, dessert, or even splitting an appetizer. You’ll still get some time away, you’ll still get to relax at your favorite restaurant, just at a fraction of the price!

6. Skip the drinks and get water:

No, I’m not just talking about alcoholic drinks, but any drink! I simply can’t stand spending $2.99 for a glass of lemonade or pop when water is free — and much better for me. Just think, a family of 5 would save $15 by drinking water!

7. Split a meal:

Dave and I do this all the time because portions at most restaurants are SO large. Sometimes we’ll just order an extra side salad or cup of soup to go with the meal and that’s plenty of food for both of us.

8: Order a full-size meal, not a half:

If you don’t want to split a meal, but can’t eat the full meal yourself, simply take the leftovers home. Ordering a “half portion” is usually only a few dollars cheaper for half the food. If you take the other half of your meal home, you can eat it for leftovers the next day and get two meals for the price of one!

9. Go places where kids eat free:

There are TONS of restaurants where kids eat free. Sometimes, the restaurants even allow two free kid’s meals with each adult meal purchase.

10. Eat dessert at home:

I know dessert always sounds so good at the end of a delicious meal, but is it really worth the extra $4-$8.00 {and the extra calories}? Skip dessert and have a chocolate candy or brownie when you get home.

11. Sign up for birthday freebies:

If you think about it, one time you will almost certainly go out to eat is for your birthday, so by signing up for birthday freebies, you’ll get all kinds of great deals to use during your birthday week and month. I just had a birthday in June and received so many completely free meals and desserts that I think Dave and I ate out every night for the whole week — and it was almost all free!

So these are just a few of my ideas to help you save money at restaurants; however, I’m fully aware that there are plenty of occasions which call for a celebration and just wouldn’t be the same unless you got drinks, appetizers, a full meal, and dessert. For those situations, it’s totally fine to indulge and splurge a bit {or a lot!}. Just keep my ideas in mind for the “I don’t have anything planned for dinner and we’re hungry” kind of days!

Don’t Forget the Tip:

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Even if you do use coupons, split meals, and get great deals; it’s still important to tip your waiter/waitress at least 15% of the total value BEFORE any coupons and discounts. We almost always tip at least 20%, especially if they did a great job. Your server should not be penalized because you’re trying to get a deal! 

I actually know someone who always orders water and splits a meal with his wife. However, he tells the server right up front that he will tip them 20% of whatever it would cost for two full meals and two drinks. He says it’s amazing how the server instantly perks up and gives them great service for the rest of the meal!

Isn’t that a great idea! 

How about you? How do you save money at restaurants?

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