I look for ways to save money anywhere I can. Upon realizing that my family way overspends on dining out, I came up with some ways to save money by eating in, while not compromising on great tasting food.
- Do you like Chili’s? Our favorite restaurant used to be Chili’s, and we ate there at least once a week. That was back when we lived in civilization (we now live in a village of less than 10,000) and the nearest Chili’s is hours away. I thought I would not be able to live with out my southwestern eggrolls, and then I found a copycat recipe to make them at home. They are just as yummy, and I can save money making them at home! You can find a copycat recipe of Chili’s Southwestern Eggrolls here.
- Another inexpensive Mexican-food-type recipe I make at home often is simple quesadillas. Ingredients are shredded chicken, Rotel, cheddar cheeze, and tortillas. I saute the chicken, add Rotel to the pan and heat up, spread some on a tortilla, top with cheese, and throw them in the oven. Tasty!
- I LOVE authentic Mexican restaurant salsa, but eating out at Mexican restaurants with a family of three can get expensive. Lately I’ve been looking in the refrigerator section at the grocery store, and I have found authentic Mexican salsa from a local restaurant for a little over $2 a container! Yum!
- My husband and I have a trick for cheap pizza that gets us rave reviews from all our friends. We buy Boboli crust and sauce when it’s on sale and a bag of mozzarella cheese. We chop chicken breast into pieces, bread with egg and then flour, fry, and then toss it in Hooter’s hot wing sauce which we buy at Wal Mart. This is the best pizza you will ever eat, no joke, and it costs under $10.
- Have you ever used Taco Bell taco seasoning that you can buy in the market? It tastes even better than the fast food version, and you can feed a whole family for under $3 if you buy the box with the taco shells, salsa, and seasoning. Just add lettuce, tomato, and cheese.
What do you cook to save money by eating in?
