11 cheaper ways to dine out

Make it once a week, once a month or once a quarter -- and make an end run around the expense. If times are tight, you don't need to pay the sticker price for steak and chardonnay.

If you've been packing PBJs for lunch and eating leftovers for dinner all week, it's wonderful to have someone else cook for you. 

Use a coupon. Look for them online, in the mail (Valpak envelopes, shopper publications), in the newspaper, in the phone book or even in your email.

Use a Groupon. Or a voucher from Eversave, Living Social, Buy With Me or any other social buying company. I've seen some really cheap ones. Bought some, too.

Use Restaurant.com cards. Watch daily deal sites and frugal bloggers for specials. I've seen $25 worth of scrip offered as cheaply as $2. Be aware that restaurants generally have rules and restrictions, so watch the fine print.

Get the punch card. It isn't just chain burrito or sub shops that offer these. Local restaurants are also wooing return customers with every-10th-one-is-fr​ee deals. (Possible frugal hack: Volunteer to go pick up lunch for the office, and you'll reach your goal faster. That is, unless co-workers hand you their cards to get stamped.)

Timing is everything

Eat lunch, not dinner. The dish of ravioli or pad Thai might be larger at 6 p.m. But it's cheaper at noon. Only get half an hour for lunch? See the next tip.

Hit happy hour. Lots of places offer deeply discounted or free appetizers and, at times, cheaper versions of the regular restaurant menu.

Become a mystery shopper. This isn't for everyone, but it's one way of having somebody else buy your dinner.

Share a meal. Some restaurants put way too much food on the plate, i.e., enough for two to split. Don't grouse about a shared-plate charge. Also, please tip decently and don't "camp," i.e., linger interminably. The servers need to turn the tables regularly to make a living wage.

Follow your faves. Facebook and Twitter are a reliable way to get discounts and freebies from national chains and local bistros.

Use an app. Real-time search engines like BiteHunter let you filter the best deals by food type, area, special deals or delivery availability.

Check in. Get discounts and exclusive location-based deals from companies like Foursquare and Yowza.

How about it, readers: Is dining out a line item in your budget? How do you keep it affordable?

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