Look around for local bargains

One of my guilty pleasures is the triple delight (chicken, shrimp and beef with mixed vegetables in a brown sauce) from one of my fav Chinese restaurants in my neighborhood. But like everyone else, I’m looking for ways to trim down my weekly costs—without sacrificing my Friday night ritual with my mom.

Our usual Chinese restaurant can get a bit pricey—it cost $30 every time we picked up dinner—even with our 10-percent-off coupon. So we recently decided to try a new place in our neighborhood that only offers takeout. We cut our bill in half! Plus, the food is delicious and the portions are bigger, so we always get at least two meals out of our one night of takeout.

It’s the perfect solution—I get to enjoy my Friday night ritual for a few dollars less, and I’m still contributing to my local economy.