Don't forget to get a gift certificate from restaurant.com.

the majority of your tips suggest screwing over the restaurant or your server/bartender. first of all, there is a certain etiquette to bringing your own wine to a restaurant. call ahead. ask what their policies are. some restaurants charge a corkage fee (and if you complain about THAT understand you are paying for a SERVICE and the use of their glasses, dishwasher, setting etc.). secondly, you should ALWAYS tip on take away orders! the people that take the time to put your order in get taxed on what they sell. when you do not tip a server/bartender on a take away you are making THEM pay for you to eat. that is not nice or fair. last, KID MENUS ARE FOR KIDS! do not order from them. not only does it make you look bad...it is often policy of the restaurant that people of a certain age should not order from them. you are causing your server to deal with grief from management when you do this. think about it folks. servers don't walk into your workplaces and ask you to break all of the rules for them. thrifty should not equal rude or inconsiderate.

Great list Debbie.

Also consider eating mid-week (Tuesday-Thursday). Because of high overhead costs restaurants must keep their seats full. In a down economy many restaurants offer midweek discounts to attract customers.

The freshest food is often served during the week (Tuesday-Thursday). Many restaurants receive their food deliveries on Fridays. This food is used by the restaurant through the weekend and on Monday. Eat on Sunday and Monday and you're likely to be eating food that was delivered two or three days ago. Food delivered during the week, say for instance on Monday and Wednesday is served Tuesday through Friday.

If you don't want to leave a tip on a to-go order, you go to a deli, not a restaurant. You don't need to leave 15+%, but a few bucks for the trouble is appropriate. To-go orders take servers/hostesses' time away from tables and other tasks. Not all servers are charged for what they sell (and therefore screwed when you don't tip) but many are and you don't know who is. So play it safe.

Also, as noted above, bringing your own wine is really only appropriate for special occasions. You should expect to pay a corkage fee, and if for some reason you aren't charged one, you should leave a tip of 30% of the wine cost in addition to your regular tip. If you like wine with dinner but don't want to spend as much, consider splitting a glass with your date, or save dessert and wine for after dinner, at home.

Some restaurants charge a little bit more for adults ordering off the kids' menu. It is a kids' menu for a reason.

Kids meals: hot dog, mac 'n cheese, chicken fingers, burger or corn dog. The adult menu is most often not miniaturized for kids. Hence, the kids meal is not really a great option. Are you going out to treat yourself or feel deprived? You could always hit the dollar menu at Wendy's for salad, baked potato and chili if you just want to get out of the house.

If you can't afford to eat out, learn how to cook a few things and make a special meal at home. It does not have to be Tournedos of Veal in a Caper Merlot reduction with fresh Fines Herbes -- how about a nice piece of grilled fish with some rice? Invite another couple or family, and you might get a return invitation, hence you'll get to "eat out."

Pick up a few gourmet groceries (piece of Brie, bunch of grapes, French bread, bottle of wine) and have a picnic -- perhaps in front of your own fireplace, just to be romantic!

Here's another money saver: Leave the kids at home! Swap babysitting with someone if necessary.

PS: How great does box wine taste with a corn dog, anyway?

An alternative to corking fees is ask the server if they have a house wine. It is common to have a house wine that is not on the wine list. Often the decanter holds one more glass than half a bottle.

Pass on the kids menu and split an entree or appetizer instead.

Watching your money is one thing. Being cheap is another. If you can only afford the kid's menu, opt for a less pricier place. Or, if you really enjoy the atmosphere, eat at home and have a couple drinks in the bar.

One more thing, if you can not afford to tip decently, choose a cheaper establishment.

We've recently started trying to recreate restaurant meals at home. We like to cook, so we're generally fairly stocked in terms of spices and such, probably moreso than many families. But we love recreating thing like Thai curry or tandoori chicken, because it's so much cheaper to make by yourself. Curry ingredients cost <$10 & can feed 5-6!

If you're not picky about what or where you eat and your city has a Chinatown, take a look at it. My favorite is to go to Flushing Chinatown in Queens, New York City, get a meal for around $5 and some takeout to reheat in the microwave oven for the next day.

"Watching your money is one thing. Being cheap is another. If you can only afford the kid's menu, opt for a less pricier place. Or, if you really enjoy the atmosphere, eat at home and have a couple drinks in the bar. One more thing, if you can not afford to tip decently, choose a cheaper establishment."

I just feel like I need to comment. First, I'm 5'2" and very petite. I order off the kid's menu all of the time if I find something that is a half sized portion and the waiter/waitress doesn't mind. It doesn't make me cheap, it makes me health conscious and not wasteful. This is a typical example of American culture making people care so much about the status quo.

Second, my husband is French and I lived in Europe for awhile. Tips in America are so expected without an emphasis of people earning them. I tip, and I tip reasonably. But I do not think people should have to eat at a cheaper establishment simply because they don't want to shell out 20% for someone to bring a plate to the table or pack up take-out. Service just isn't what it once was.

Bettie, I'm a Minnesota lawyer and I've NEVER heard of anyone sneaking alcohol into a restaurant, I just don't think it's realistic. Liability would fall on the driver, as it should. Places like NYC, however, you can save a bundle on byob...especially at little places like Indian and Ethiopian restaurants. Mmmm!