Are Restaurant Bills Eating into Your Budget? Here is What You Can Do

Are you fond of eating out? If yes, you can blow your budget badly. Small expenses quickly add up. It does not bother you to spend €50 on your food, but when you calculate the total expenditure at the end of the month, you find that it had consumed one-third of your monthly income. A survey has revealed that Dubliners splash the most money on eating out using debit cards and credit cards.

Compared to other cities in Ireland where household expenditure on food is about €91 a month, Dubliners spend on average €120 every month. The survey has revealed that groceries account for the largest monthly household expense after mortgage and rent.

Household spends average €220 on groceries, while men fork out an average of €240 a month compared to women who do not spend more than an average of €210. It is not surprising to see that people are borrowing quick loans in Ireland to cover their regular expenses due to high food bills.

Now you must have known the average money people spend on restaurant bills in Ireland. If you want to save some more money, you will have to cut back on eating out. Here is how you can do it.

Plan the number of visits to restaurants

As a new month begins, think about the number of times you can afford to go to the restaurant and order food online. Look over your previous month spending to see how much you have spent on dining out and then set a limit for this month expenditure.

Try to keep it as little as possible. A rule of thumb says that you should avoid eating out more than twice a month when your budget is not stable.

Focus on cheaper options

If you have an intense craving to go out to have lunch or dinner, you should choose those items that you can actually afford to pay. Most of the time, dining out is you do not want to cook meals at home after slogging out the whole day in your workplace.

You can remove your appetite by choosing even those items that do not cost you an arm and a leg. Try to opt for those items from the menu that are fulfilling as well as cheaper.

Avoid your temptation

It is a bit complicated to control your urge to avoid having lunch outside during weekdays because you do not get time to cook. Of course, you do not get enough time in the morning, and you cannot prepare a meal in your workplace, but there are specific ways you can use to have food with you.

For example, try to cook more for dinner so you can take leftovers the next day for your lunch. Keep frozen food in the refrigerator and take that to your office.

Consider your preferences

If you are going with your friends, make sure that you all prefer to go Dutch and stick to your budget. If they have ordered lamb, it does not mean that you will also eat that.

You can order something different for you that you can afford. You do not need to shy about ordering as per your budget. Of course, your friends will not supply you cash when you require that.

Look over your plans

If you want to save money on your restaurant bills, you will have to cut back on eating out undoubtedly, but it does not mean you can never enjoy eating at the restaurant. Take a calendar and mark dates when you are to go out with your friends or spouse.

For example, your birthday is coming, and you are to go to the restaurant to enjoy food with your family. If you have already a few plans with your friends or family, try to avoid rating out the other days, so you do not overspend.

Make it last the whole month

Although it is crucial to make a restaurant budget to avoid overspending, it does not mean that you will consume the whole of your budget in the first two weeks. What if you have a craving for restaurant food? Even if you are committed to your budget, you will likely give up.

Try to divide the whole budget into four parts and make sure that you do not spend more than a quarter in a week, no matter what. If you have saved some money at the end of the month, transfer it directly to your savings account.

You can save on your restaurant budget provided you control your temptation. Try to cook food at home most of the time because that is cheaper than restaurant meals. If it seems challenging to stick to your budget, keep tabs on money that you have saved on eating at home, you will feel motivated and above all this can prevent you from applying for instant doorstep loans to fund high food bills.