Flickr: Ellievanhoutte

Don’t you just love going to sporting events?  The crowd, seeing your favorite players, being part of the action is all exhilarating and makes for a great day.  Unfortunately, after you pay for you ticket, it seems you can spend a lot more money enjoying yourself at the event.  With consumers being more conscientious about their money, there is still a way to enjoy your seats without breaking your wallet or trying to figure out where the money went at the end of the day.  Here are some ways to save while rooting for your favorite team.

Food

Don’t eat at the game!  Not only is that food incredibly unhealthy for your body, it is extremely unhealthy for your wallet.  Ever notice that after you have spent 2 hours eating at the event you are ready for a meal to celebrate or mourn your team’s outcome?  It is because the food you are consuming is not filling or you are consuming a lot of something else (I’ll get to that in a minute).  Tailgate in the parking lot with food you brought from home.  Also, some venues will let you bring in your own food, especially if you have a doctor’s note saying you have a condition that prevents you from eating anything they offer.  Other venues are simply pleased as punch that you bought a ticket and don’t mind if you choose to save money by not purchasing their food.  An empty seat is worse than someone whose belly is filled with their own food.  If you are set on eating with friends, why not pick a restaurant close by, and if the event is on a weekday, try choosing a place that has a happy hour so you can eat and drink on a saved dollar.

Drink

Beer: the root of all evil at a sporting event.  It makes the crowd rowdier, the stands dirtier, and your wallets emptier.  I went to a concert last month, the beers were $11.00!  Can you believe it?  I could have bought a case of beer, drank it in the parking lot and still had a great time.  So we did, the same goes for sporting events.  Tailgating is allowed at most sporting events, so to keep yourself safe and your wallet a little fuller, do the following.

1.  Designate a driver; they will probably get free soda at the event if they tell the vender and you will have no question in your mind that you are getting home safely.
2.  Get to the game early, and once you are walking into the stadium, drink water.  It will make you feel better and perhaps you will remember the game.
3.  Don’t impress your date by buying her mixed drinks.  I have seen them priced as high as 7.00 for a well-made drink.

Transportation

Paying for parking is a pain.  You can risk it by parking in an unattended lot for $2.00 or feeling secure that your vehicle won’t get vandalized, pay $10.00.  My suggestion, take public transportation.  For 4 dollars, we didn’t have to designate a driver and we took the train downtown and caught a hotel shuttle from our original destination to our event.  Fun was had by all.

You don’t have to break your bank when attending a sporting event.  So, have some fun rooting for your team and your budget!

What tips do you have for saving money at sporting events?

By Heaven Stubblefield

It seems these days everyone and everything is go, go, go.  Kitchens have become another room that holds your things without ever being used.  The restaurant business has skyrocketed simply because people are spending less time in their kitchens and more time in the hands of other people to cook for them.  If you are a frequent diner, or simply want to save money on your once in a while excursions, here are some tips to help you save money.

1. It’s all about H2O. The average nonalcoholic refillable beverage will cost you between 2 and 4 dollars.  If you are imbibing from the bar, double it.  Most drinks, whose prices are not published, run between 4 and 10 dollars.  And those are not bottomless drinks.  When you go to a restaurant, order water.  Your server might think you are a cheap table, but you can always say you are watching your weight or “parched.”

2. Save up birthday presents. When my family asks me what I would like for my birthday and Christmas I always share that I want gift cards to my favorite restaurants.  Then, instead of using them as I get them, I hold onto them for special occasions.  When I was in college, I received a gift certificate to the nicest restaurant in town.  Instead of using it the next weekend, I saved it for an anniversary dinner with my boyfriend (now husband). The same thing goes now, six months later; I still have gift cards from Christmas that I will use for my husband’s birthday or a girl’s night out.

3. Promotion, Promotion, Promotion: I am a big fan of restaurant week in my hometown.  During this time, high end restaurants will serve you for a flat rate.  It helps them promote their wonderful restaurant and helps the average diner eat from a more pristine table cloth for an evening.  What would normally cost at least $100 for a meal for a table of two will typically cost $20 during restaurant week.

4. Don’t do the cooking, but do carry it out: Carry out has become the new phenomenon of many restaurants, and not simply chains.  I frequent a local Chinese restaurant, which we’ll call “George.”  When we dine in, we order drinks, and leave at least a 20% tip.  By carrying out, we drink what we have at home, or bring a bottle of water with us, and eliminate the tip.  We still get an excellent meal at “George” and it comes with a great savings.

5. Share. With the exception of when I was pregnant, I have never walked out of a restaurant without a doggie bag.  My husband and I often order the same thing when we eat out.  In addition, we rarely order from the kids menu for our daughter, who is less than 2 years old.  If you are dining in, you may incur a slight charge for sharing;  however, most restaurants, who appreciate that you came in at all and will not have a problem dishing one portion onto two plates.  If you both order a salad or side, it might make your server a little happier to serve.

I hope these tips will help you enjoy eating out without worrying about the bill.  Happy dining!

What are some tips you use to enjoy eating out without spending a lot of money?