In my last post Get Into The Coupon Game: Clip, Organize, & Save!, I discussed getting into the coupon game, and I gave some suggestions on how to organize yourself to best utilize your coupons for grocery shopping. But there are other types of coupons that we don’t want to forget about.

During the week in our newspapers, magazines, and mailers, we have access to coupons to restaurants, services for things like car repairs or dry cleaning, and department/misc. stores. Unlike the grocery coupons, we need to keep these coupons with us at all times. I labeled three of the coupon holders, one for Restaurants, the second for Services and the third for Stores (other than grocery). I keep all three with me in my purse at all times. You never know when you may need one, and you don’t want to miss an opportunity to save money!

Related posts:

1. Don’t Let Your Coupons Expire
2. Get Into the Grocery Coupon Game–Part Two
3. Get Into The Coupon Game: Clip, Organize, & Save!

When I eat out, I take home all the leftovers, no matter how small. You see, I’ve always been one for not wasting food. And that’s what happens to any food that leaves the restaurant kitchen. By law, they must throw it in the trash, even if you never touched it. What a wasteful society we’ve become.

Don’t be ashamed either. You are helping your budget, the landfills, the economy, and the environment. And you’ve paid for it! Are you taking that half of a hamburger home? Then also take home the uneaten slice of onion, lettuce, and tomato from a hamburger plate. Take the lime slice home from your Mexican meal. This may sound cheap rather than frugal, but the restaurant is only going to throw that food away. Now that doesn’t mean you clean out the sugar and jelly packets. But if it comes with your meal, it’s yours to take.

Some ideas to use the leftovers:

1. Add that lime or lemon slice to tap water for a refreshing drink
2. Squeeze the lemon slice over a fish dinner
3. Cut up the onion slice to add to a casserole
4. Take the lettuce and tomato slice, and roll into a tortilla with some luncheon meat or cheese
5. Serve the rolls and bread with your next dinner, or make little ’sliders’
6. Add the leftover veggies to a soup base, and add the leftover rice too

Related posts:

1. Easy Leftover Ideas for Your Thanksgiving Leftovers
2. Use Wet Erase Marker to Label Leftovers
3. Simple Bread Pudding – Great for Thanksgiving Leftovers