The Year of the Coupon

When date night comes, sometimes we just draw a blank. We may have spent weeks talking about where we’d like to go on our next date, but we end up just going back to The General (our local microbrewery!) for burgers, beers, and buffalo chicken cheese steaks.

My husband and I decided that this was the year to change that pattern. We decided the make this “The Year of the Steakhouse.” Every time we weren’t sure where to eat, we’d go to a new steakhouse. As a cheapmama, I ultimately felt compelled to kibosh this idea. Maybe we will someday have “The Year of the Steakhouse,” but this will not be that year. Instead, I have proposed “The Year of the Coupon.” Anytime we’re not sure where to go, we’ll look for a great deal.

Here are a few tips for doing so yourself…

Go to your favorite restaurant’s website. Many of these have special offers that you need only print up. I just received a $20 gift certificate to Macaroni’s, the amazing Italian restaurant in the Northeast, just for signing up to be on their e-mail list. Visit www.macaronis.net to get the deal yourself. No coupon for your favorite place? E-mail the owner. We recently got 20% off at a Moroccan restaurant just for asking.

Just the other day, I was browsing our local edition of “Clipper Magazine” and found coupons for a number of great local places, including Shundeez (a Persian restaurant) and Dahlak (Ethiopian and Indian food). Visit http://www.clippermagazine.com/getcoupons_myclipper.cfm to get local offers.

And then there’s the Entertainment book. I dedicate this suggestion to my Dad. He was neither a cheapmama, nor a cheappapa, but he went for years only eating at restaurants in the Entertainment book. Look for non-date deals in the Entertainment book as well. We saved $15 on flowers for my mom from FTD and there are coupons galore for local museums, sporting venues, groceries stores, car rentals, and hotels. Because the year is well underway, the books are now $10 off and come with a $25 dining out certificate. You can even enter your zip code for a list of deals near you. Visit http://www.entertainment.com/discount/home.shtml.

Finally, a number of restaurants on Open Table are now giving you 1,000 points for booking on-line (and, of course, following through with your reservation). It only take 2,000 points to earn a $20 gift certificate.