More Bang for Your Buck: Saving at restaurants

(WSVN) Eating out. It's fun and filling but it can also cost a fortune. "Four people go out to eat, your gonna spend 300 dollars if you go to a nice place."

That would take a bite out of anybody's bank account.So if you want to satisfy that apetite for savings, follow a few tasty tips. For instance, try going out for lunch rather than dinner.

Linda Bladholm, Food Critic/Author, says "I go and take out cash and I make a budget like I'm not gonna spend more than 40 dollars for dinner this would be me and my husband."

Food critic and Author Linda Bladholm also advises leaving those credit cards behind.

She knows you won't spend more than what's in your wallet.

Also try fixing your eyes on "priz fixe" (pre fixed) meals, that means you pay one price for the 'entire' dish rather than each item "a la carte."

Next, consider small ethnic restaurants, even if you've never heard of them.

They typically have low prices and big portions.

"For dinner we're talking like 7 or 8 dollars and you get an enormous portion which you can get another meal from." And don't be afraid to go the distance for a good meal.

"Pass the suburbs, outside the city the prices come down drastically." That's because their overhead is less, which means the food is less expensive.

Finally, if the restaurant allows it, consider sharing a meal. "Sharing is a good way to save because 2 people can eat for the price of one."

Now, next time you go out to eat, you won't leave with a bad taste in your mouth.

(Copyright 2002 Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)