frugal fast food

[midnight]

The nutricious value aside, fast food is sometimes a convenient choice when I'm in a real hurry. When I purchase it, I don't by a drink since I usually have my own from home. I also try to buy the "specials" they are advertising that month since these seem to be the cheapest. Are there other ticks that you use to keep fast food meals at a reasonable price. Would you consider fast food frugal at any time?

[PrincessPerky]

Well it does beat starvation and toddler meltdowns. But no I wouldn't consider it frugal, but then if everything I did was frugal I would have near as much fun. Though when out I try to pack a sandwich or two and some snacks to so I can avoid the toddler meltdown (we have to include my husband, and me, in that meltdown issue .) But having said that, everyone knows I miss chicken nuggets . Oh and do not go for the kids meals, buy bigger and split. Or if you have my kids buy bigger and don't split!

[terry1156]

Use coupons. The fast food restaurant websites sometimes have them. With specials, buying the item individually is usually cheaper than buying it as part of a set meal unless you were going to buy all the extras anyway. I have to admit, I need my fast food fix from time to time.

[leewill72]

We buy the dollar menu items, and i give my older kids (11 and 13) a choice...2 sandwiches, or 1 sandwich and fries. their choice. we use drinks from home...i rarely ever 'eat in' unless i only have the 3 yr old with me.

[amomof4]

I do the dollar menu too. 2 item and no drinks.

[PrincessPerky]

Arn't you still hungry with only two doller items? I would be.

[midnight]

When I go, I try and make it a snack to tide me over and not a full meal. Of course, that doesn't always work out, but I do try.

[MrsChambers]

We go to the local Casino.. they serve 24/7 .. you can be waited on.. or wait on yourself... and everyting is cheap!!. and then if you go after 11pm everything is REALY CHEAP.
so that's what we have been doing.. the best food and best price in town.. and we are not gamblers.. so that helps also!

[Tree0164]

I don't think fast food is frugal at all. Don't get the drinks. Stick to the cheaper menu items. Split the meals between the younger kids.

Or plan a snack from home so you do even need to go there.

[midnight]

Originally Posted by MrsChambers

We go to the local Casino.. they serve 24/7 .. you can be waited on.. or wait on yourself... and everyting is cheap!!. and then if you go after 11pm everything is REALY CHEAP.
so that's what we have been doing.. the best food and best price in town.. and we are not gamblers.. so that helps also!

I was in Reno last month and I couldn't believe how inexpensive the buffets at the casinos were for the food they had. It was a better deal than cooking it myself. But there are no casinos near where I live

[Ima saver]

I stick to the 1$ menu and get water. I can eat for $2.

[jodi]

I always get water and skip the meal deals. I can also can eat for $2 and be full - sandwich and fries, chili and baked potato (Wendys), salad and yogurt, etc.
When I go with DH, we get one supersize meal and an extra sandwich. We split the drink and fries (only because he is going to get the soda anyway - otherwise I would get the water).

[CheaplyClever]

Originally Posted by jodi_m

.
When I go with DH, we get one supersize meal and an extra sandwich. We split the drink and fries

I'm glad we are not the only ones who do that trick!

If we eat in the car it would be a sandwich each and split the fries. I always have bottled water with me that I fill from the tap at home.


Goodness, but I am cheap!

[Ima saver]

My dh has lost lots of weight so has no more french fries. I am glad that Wendy's is letting him have a plain baked potato instead of fries. i ususally get chicken nuggets and water, cost $1.

[jerseyguy]

Yes, on the $1 menu all the time. At McDonalds it cost around $4.50 for the two cheeseburger combo meal. Instead I bring water in the car and get a double cheeseburger ($1) and fries ($1). I still two burgers out of it (one less bun) and a smaller fry and no soda. So it costs me $2 and not as many calories.

[frugalfarmwife]

We almost never get fast food but on the rare occasion use Burger King coupons and get a value meal and another sandwich for free and share the fries and drink. This is usually a once a month treat for us.

kj

[Ima saver]

I use to eat at BK for lunch everyday. They had a small hamburger for 79 cents and I would get water. I had lunch every day for 83cents, cheaper than at home. But when i went on the low carb diet, i quit. Can't have that much bread. They have a low carb burger (no bread), but it is $2.

[zakity]

My kids never got the kids meals unless we were traveling and then it was a special treat (that toy kept them entertained for miles). We have always ordered them fries to share. It was cheaper to get them burgers and fries. They aren't allowed to have pop except on special occasions (reaction to corn syrup).

[locolorenzo24]

I try hard not to eat out all that often, but when lunch overlaps with getting supplies for my parties at work, I have to cut it short. Today, we delivered 150 flowers and 18 balloons and 1 singing telegram for Vday. I wound up taking 20 minutes to get a balloon we were short and grabbing a double stack, a order of chix nuggets, and a dollar store diet coke. So, 3.00 for lunch, which isn't bad since I don't do it all the time, and thurs. is PAYYYYDAY!!!!

[acezz4e_tish]

our local bk, has family fun nite. you can get whoppers for 1.49, kids hamburger meal for .99 cents. its on tuesday here from 4p-8p. i went today, i got a bacon cheeseburger, dave got a jr whopper fries and coke off the dollar menu, and all 3 kids got a kids meal sponge bob, with a drink and fries, it came to 9.02. i didnt get a drink cause i have mine at home, but dave likes the bk drink getting out the door on the way to work. ordering him those items off the dollar menu saved 1.00 w/ tax. tuesday works for us cause its a busy day. really just slow cooker will do on a day like tuesday. driving and picking up kids. my one son goes to school at noon, gets out at 3, other 2 get out at 4, dave leaves at 5. and i let him sleep til we all come home. its that, pizza, which is way more expensive, or the slow cooker, which id have to start early, cause i dont leave meat uncooked in the fridge, always seems to bleed out. so its all frozen, til used. we just had a pork loin roast in the cooker yesterday too, with red and sweet onions carrots. side of egg noodles and mushroom soup. oh did i mention thats also the kids church youth group day. jake just picked the kids up at 545. so they are all out the door and daves out the door and im home alone right now. watching what i want, reading email. and ill have a jaquizzi later.lol. then ill be pumped and ready for what wednesday entails.lol