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How to Dine Out Without Blowing Your Holiday Budget

Ready or not, it's holiday season. Our local lite-rock station began playing Christmas music a few weeks ago. And I've been tuning in. The holidays are my favorite time of year: time off, great food, family, friends, and, of course, shopping for gifts.

But this is also the season when self-control can slip out the window—especially when it comes to food and money. Unfortunately, what starts out as a joyful time of year can turn into New Year's guilt by January 2. So here are a few reminders to help us all make the most out of our holidays without taking the most out of your budgets. With a little forethought, planning, and self-control, you can enjoy dining out this holiday season without feeling guilty.

Exercise self-control. My wife and I recently decided we needed to save money by cutting back on eating out. Over the weekend, we headed to the mall to do some holiday shopping. We were trying to be disciplined with our dining out, so we got the kids ready, packed snacks for them, and headed out for our shopping day.

What we didn't think about was packing anything for ourselves. And as we approached the mall, our favorite restaurants seemed to be calling our names.

I casually mentioned to my wife that Olive Garden's salad and breadsticks sounded really good to me. That's all it took. The next thing I knew, I was signing my name on the dotted line of our bill.

Hosting Your Friends, on Any Budget

Whether you're planning a small potluck or aiming for the soirée of the century, throwing a memorable party is no reason to lose your sanity or break your budget. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to keep your costs—and your mind—well-grounded.

The first step in planning a party is to set a budget and stick to it, says Tracy Leaman, founder of Events to a T, an event-planning and consulting firm in Washington, D.C. This will set the tone for all of your plans, helping you decide if you can hire help, which venue you'll need to book, and the length of your invite list. (It's the perfect excuse for you to cross off your boyfriend's second cousin who has always sort of had that weird smell.)

To throw a larger party, or host an event, consider hiring help. "Sometimes that can save you money," Leaman says. "When people try to do things on their own it, can lead to costly mistakes.”

If you can't budget for a party planner, the next best thing is to delegate to friends with special skills. Call your friend who used to work at the florist and happens to have amazing flower-arranging skills—and offer payment in the form of a favorite wine or spa treatment.

If you're going to use vendors, whether the venue director or your local baker, be ready to haggle. Ask for discounts, and for help. "When you do it in the right way, people are usually willing to help you,” Leaman says. Flattery may work, she notes: Tell the baker you love his cupcakes and desperately want to serve them to 30 friends but can't afford them—your kindness might just be your ticket to a discount. Your friends, after all, are potential customers—and many vendors will try to work something out before you walk out the door.

Another tactic for staying within your budget: Ask for group rates. "It works for everything,” Leaman says: buying alcohol, booking hotels, reserving parking garages. The more people (read: customers) you bring in, the better leverage you have to negotiate.

If you're hosting the party at your home, use your own items to decorate. "You'll find a lot of things around your home that you can decorate with,” Leaman says. And rather than flowers, go green. Plants are much cheaper than flowers, and they can double as party favors as your guests are saying their goodbyes.