by Vonda J. Sines

Created on: September 10, 2008   Last Updated: September 05, 2009

Next to housing, food is almost always the largest category in any budget. Whether you count the cost of dining out as recreation or as part of your monthly food expenditure, prices are certainly rising each month.

For years, seniors have found creative ways to enjoy quite a few meals out while squeezing a dime. They're not the only ones feeling the pinch of a good restaurant meal these days, however. The egg that costs you 30 percent more than it did a year ago in the supermarket also means higher prices on your favorite restaurant's menu.

Whether eating out is the highlight of your week or a passion in which you indulge only occasionally, here are some tips to help you save money when you're not the chef:

1. Plan where you're going: The worst possible budget scenario is indecision. Four of you haven't seen each other in a month, and you want to meet for dinner. Since nobody decides ahead of time where you'll eat, you end up driving around on a Friday night, looking for ideas. Eventually, you get so hungry, you just pull over to a new place. The result: less-than-wonderful food and twice as much spent as planned.

2. Use discounts frequently: Local newspapers and mailing inserts have lots of meal discounts. Typically, they offer you a free meal if you buy the first one. Family restaurants such as the Olive Garden and Red Lobster frequently place discount offers in the coupon section of the Sunday newspaper. Even popular fast-food restaurants such as McDonald's and Kentucky Fried Chicken issue discount coupons. Other than your local newspaper and advertisements in your mail, take a peek at the web site of the restaurant that interests you to find out if there are any current promotions. For some, you can sign up to receive e-mail notifications. Another source is coupons in the current Entertainment Book and restaurant discounts from coupons.com. Telephone directories often include a coupon section bound into the book to spur business to local establishments.

3. Enjoy Happy Hour: Not the one at the bar. If you have favorite restaurants, find out if meals are discounted for certain age groups or whether the price is lower if you dine before a certain time. Seniors have known about this for years. Many establishments, for example, offer huge discounts on dinners to guests who arrive before 5:30 PM on weekdays. Consider these savings your personal Happy Hour.

4. Think smaller: The cheapest meal you can have is an appetizer. Some of them are huge. Consider, for example,

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