Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or you’re having one of those days when you just can’t get home on time to cook dinner, sometimes you splurge and eat out. But it’s so much more expensive than cooking at home, and with the bad economy it can add up. Here are some ways to save some money when eating out so your wallet doesn’t take such a hit but you don’t have to compromise the quality of your food.

Save on Kids: A lot of restaurants have one or two meals a week where kids eat free, so check your favorite restaurant’s website ahead of time for any specials you can take advantage of. Some restaurants give you a free dessert on your birthday so if you’re taking someone out for a birthday meal tell your waiter. Sometimes they might humiliate you by singing but you just have to weigh that possibility against free dessert (it might be chocolate). Go to a buffet! Kids love them and most buffets let very young children eat free. Another highlight of buffets is that dessert and a drink are usually included in the price you pay up front.

Coupons: Thanks to the internet you can find a coupon for almost anything you want. At Restaurant.com you can buy gift certificates for almost any chain restaurant. The best part? All of them are 60% off. So if you want a $25 gift card you pay $10! Sometimes they even run specials and decrease the price even more. If you tend to eat out a lot then you should consider an entertainment book. They’re loaded with coupons to all sorts of places including restaurants, but be careful about these! They can save you a lot of money but they can also entice you to spend more. Groupon is another great place to buy gift cards at a discounted price. All sorts of companies come to Groupon and propose a deal. If enough people commit to buying whatever they’re selling, the deal is on. You can sign up for daily emails about local Groupon deals on their website.

Drinks & Dessert: Drinks and Dessert are almost always overpriced. Water is free and much better for you than soda so next time you go out to eat just order water. If you have a sweet tooth ask for lemon in your water and make lemonade with the little sugar packets in the middle of the table. If you really want dessert run to the store after your meal and grab a half-gallon of ice cream. If you’re single, this will keep in the freezer for several desserts. If you have a family it will feed the whole family for the price of one or two desserts.

Share: Usually restaurants have pretty generous portions. So find someone at the table that wants the same meal as you and split with them. If you don’t want to share but can’t finish everything on your plate ask for a box and eat your leftovers for lunch the next day.

Something Different: Lunches are cheaper than dinner so if your schedule allows it go out for lunch instead of dinner, or go for an early dinner so you can still order off the lunch menu. Appetizer plates, like lunches, are generally cheaper and have the same generous portions as dinner entrees, so look there first and see if there’s something you like. Who says you have to look like a cheapskate to save money while dining out? You can enjoy your meal much more when you know that you paid less without compromising quality!

Kim Coghlan writes for Frugal Hacks, a site dedicated to helping people save money, stay out of debt and become better stewards of their resources so that they can live well on less. Visit Frugal Hacks to find more ways to save money in every area of life!

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