The Frugal Diva cannot tell Two Buck Chuck from Chateau Lafite-Rothschild so it was up to my friends to inform me of this new policy at many restaurants – free corkage. You bring the wine and they provide the glasses, you sip and they serve, you pay nothing and they stand by at your service. In an effort to brave the new realities of consumer spending, many restaurants allow patrons to bring in their own wine at no fee. 

This is a great perk for those who have an extensive collection and for those who stop by a market and pick up a decent bottle for $8 to $12. Twelve dollars is just about what a  glass of wine goes for in many places and you will be getting four full glasses for the same price. When choosing restaurants for a night out this usually leads to a minimum savings of  about $50. 

Opentable.com allows you to check out which restaurants are letting you bring wine at no charge. Some like the Daily Grill only allow it on Tuesdays, others such as Roy’s are continuing it every day on a month to month basis, and I Cugini in Santa Monica allows it anytime. On the Open Table left hand side they have free corkage and BYOB listing for restaurants in every city.  Policies change quickly so always call to verify before making a reservation.

Stop by Fresh & Easy on your way to dinner and find award winning bottles at great prices.   I pick wines, the same way I pick race horses-by their names.  So I was drawn to Pacific Coast Highway’s Chardonnay and took it when joining friends for dinner.  Everyone applauded my choice of this lovely white wine and no one guessed it came in under $10.  Unlike my choices at the track, this wine was a winner for price, quality, and remembering long wonderful rides up the coast when I first moved to LA.

Another plus about Fresh & Easy, you don’t have to negotiate through an entire store when in a hurry or high heels.

Disclaimer: Fresh and Easy sends The Frugal Diva occasional samples and gift cards plus her stepson works there as a buyer.

Eating at restaurants is inherently expensive however there are ways to whittle down the costs.  Restaurants.com is a big help in this area. They offer discounts in the form of prepurchased gift certificates. Now the most important part is to make sure this includes restaurants that you frequent or would like to try. And read the restrictions which sometimes include minimum purchase prices. They also usually include a gratuity of 18% added to your bill.

One of the best ways to use this site is for special occasions. You know you are going out for a birthday, anniversary, or to impress your new in-laws. Purchase a $50 gift certificate for $20 and save $30 off the price right away. Many places also offer a $100 gift certificate for $40 which knocks $60 off the bill.  Each restaurant has different rules so please check before you buy. Remember it only saves you money if you actually use the certificate.

If you are in Los Angeles or New York or bi-coastal, there is a great new site Blackboard Eats. Sign up for their newsletter and start partaking of their deals before they expire. No cost or obligation, just check out what they have to offer. Sometimes it’s a free tapas plate, sometimes a pre fixe dinner, or a global discount on your check. This is fun for interesting places that you might not venture into otherwise.  They cover the gamut from reasonable to high end trendy.  In Los Angeles, Blackboard Eats recently has these deals-30% off dinner at Momed and a special pre fixe at Stephans at the Farm for all you Top Chef aficionados.  They also have the dish on other deals around town. 

Now families love the Entertainment Book , not only do they have many kid friendly restaurants, they also have tickets to a variety of attractions, fun activities like bowling, theater tickets, and exercise classes just to name a few.