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Thursday, February 21

Tips to Great Restaurants on a Budget!

I enjoy eating out, but with a baby on the way and renting an apartment in a pretty expensive city, we trimmed our eating out budget back. We still go out to eat, but we have learned a few ways to be smart about it and make our dollar go farther.
There are a few restaurants where we have gotten pretty good at saving money.

PF Changs
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I could literally eat here every night, especially while I am pregnant. This little baby loves some Chinese food already! Your probably thinking: "how in the world do you eat there on a tight budget?"

First, you MUST go now and sign up for a Warrior Rewards Card.
When you sign up you automatically get free lettuce wraps on you next visit!
And each time you give them your phone number you help earn yourself more savings.
On our second time using the card we got 20% off our entire meal.
You don't necessarily receive a discout each time, but you help earn rewards each time you use the card.

Next you have to learn how to order right. PF Changs is actually designed to be more family style than each person ordering their own meal. If you just order Mongolian Beef, that could get kind of boring. So I suggest if you are ordering for two you order one meat entre, a small vegetable (only $3 and they are all great!), and maybe a lo mein or vegetarian fried rice, which is several dollars less than chicken fried rice. Your covering all your bases in the food groups and you are enjoy some variety on less. There are many options, but I always look at the options to keep the cost down, with out sacrificing flavor.

So next time you can enjoy PF Changs on your date night and not feel too guilty.

Chipotle

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We enjoy eating a Chipotle on weeknights that are really busy or we just dont feel like cooking. My secret here is really no secret at all, I think people just dont always do it. Ladies, order the Kids Taco Kit! It comes with 3 choices so rice, beans, meat, or guac and two taco shells and a kids bag of chips and a drink all for just 4.50! You really can't beat that. I always get full, even now that I am a starving pregnant lady. The bowls dont come with a drink and if you do get one it will be twice the price of a kids meal. When I order that and my husband orders a bowl and water we only spend $12 there!
I'd say that is a steal.

I think kids meals are pretty much the way to go, because they have a drink included and are always cheaper! My philosophy is order it and if you actually do have to be under 12, they will tell you.

I hope you get to enjoy some of these tips and as I find more I will share!


4 comments:

  1. I am a big fan of kids meals! Or if we are going to pick up fast food to take it home, then we don't order a drink and just drink whatever is at home. Sounds like we have similar financial things to watch out for - both pregnant and living in an expensive city!

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  2. Great tips - I will have to check out the PF Chang's thing!!

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  3. This is so good to know since I LOVE both restaurants!

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