Dining out is costly: Take the eat-at-home challenge

Dining out is costly. It tends to be the weak area in a family budget. Curbing over-processed or fast food and eating out at restaurants has become easier for a lot of people, but for some people, nothing seems to work. If you continue to eat out frequently and tend to make poor choices or overspend, you can start a food-rule game to help you wean off it all. Basically, you create boundaries and rules for when you dine out. These rules become a personal challenge, and you'll soon discover your options lean toward eating at home more often. At the very least, you will make healthier choices.

How do you save money on eating out?

Here are some rules to help curb your restaurant food budget.

Drink water: When eating out, pass on the soda pop or alcohol and opt for ice water instead. Ask for a slice of lemon to give it flavor.

Find your tribe: You'll find a group of like-minded people on my community forums (frugalvillage.com/forums). Look under the Food Challenges section and you'll see folks with a goal of not eating out at all. Participate in the challenge and you'll be held accountable by keeping a tally of the number of times you do eat out. You'll learn strategies such as learning to replicate some of your favorite restaurant foods at home (hamburger patties, meatballs and pizza dough can easily be shaped and frozen ahead) and learn ways to combat the urge to eat out.

Make it yourself: Learn to avoid ordering restaurant foods that not only taste better but are cheaper made at home. For example, don't order costly pasta dishes when it's so cheap to enjoy them at home.

Food limits: Let's face it: Even if the risk of poor food handling is low, most everyone has something they tend to avoid when eating out. Maybe you don't dine at buffets or eat anything with mayonnaise, or entrees such as meatloaf or chicken on the bone. A good rule of thumb is to not bother ordering dishes that a restaurant doesn't specialize in. Having these limits will help you to avoid wasting money, too.

Plan ahead: Establish a backup plan for days that might be hectic or when you're sick. Have a list of quick and easy meals, and don't forget to recruit family for help. It will cut down on the amount of work you do and can be fun family time spent together.

Compromise: If you're too busy or tired to prepare a full meal, order a to-go item and make the sides at home.