Eating Out & Entertainment Deals
Well you wouldn't be looking here if you didn't want to go out but always remember it is much cheaper to cook at home. Look at ideas for keeping down these costs at the bottom of this page. A dinner for two rarely comes in at under $45 if you eat out.
If you're going to be drinking wine, try to go to Bring Your Own (BYO) Restaurant as bottle of wine from supermarket $20, often costs $40 upwards in a restaurant
There are a number of places to get deals on eating out.
Entertainment Book
If you live in one of the main centres (Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch) you may be able to get hold of an Entertainment Book.
These books are sold ($65 at present) each year from June. They last a year and give numerous savings in each book. They can easily save you far more than the $65 price if you each out often. They also have entertainment offers. Offers include 2 for price of 1 meals, 50% off & 25% off
Discounts available at best restaurants, hotel accommodation, attractions, sports and leisure activities.
Credit Card Deals
If you have an American Express or Diners Club card there is often deals available from your credit card. To find out the latest discounts go to:
Amex Dining Discounts
Diners Club Dining Specials
Money Off Vouchers
Vouchermate & EzyCoupons offer numerous money off deals fast food stores etc.
Check out Money Off Vouchers page for more information.
Students
Students can often get deals at a number of fast food and eating out stores.
Eat in
Maybe cook a large amount of something and freeze it so you don't have to cook so often eg spaghetti bolognaise then you just have to heat up in microwave.
Cooking for 4 friends could cost $75 including wine. Whereas eating out could cost $40 each plus taxi to get back from the restaurant.
The "Latte" Factor- take away coffee $2.50 each, home plunger coffee 30cents each (if you do this 5 days a week costs $11/wk or $572/yr If you buy 2 cups each day that $1044
(imagine what you could buy with that money)
Avoid vending machines- coke & chips $2.90 / supermarket $1.45 (if each day $7.25/wk difference or over the year $348!)
As you can see with all the above examples, it doesn't seem like much each day but if you do this 5 days a week, each week, over a year it adds up to being quite a bit.
Entertainment Offers
Always try to make the most of discount nights at your local cinema or DVD rental store.
This are usual on tuesday nights for both cinema and DVD rental.
Take advantage of cheap seats at the theatre too!
Another
option if you go out to the cinema frequently is you can buy a book of
cinema tickets at reduced prices and join their cinema club where you
may get discounts or deals.
Credit Card Deals
American Express offer deals on entertainment
Check it out on their Amex Entertainment Offers page