Check Out the Best Apps that Would Let You Save Cash When You Dine Out with Friends

It’s nice to dine out with friends every now and then. It could serve as a bonding moment and it’s also a great way to distress and forget about the problems that you may have at work or at home, at least for the mean time. Since eating at a restaurant doesn’t come cheap, there are apps that you can use that would help you cut back on your bills. Some of these apps give out coupons and discounts that you can use in specific places, while others would help you split the bills with your friends so you all pay a fair share.

Venmo

Most restaurants accept the use of debit and credit cards. However, there are those that only accept cash. If one of your friends is not bringing cash, you may shoulder his share of the group bill and let him pay you using Venmo. This way, you’ll be paid right away and avoid the awkwardness of having to ask that friend after some time to pay the money back.

It’s free to receive money with this app. Sending is also free if Venmo balance, bank transfer and supported debit cards are used. Transferring money using a credit card has a transaction fee of 3%. This application is also helpful if everyone in the group is paying with credit or debit cards. One person can pay using his card and the others could send their share immediately with Venmo.

Plates

Calculating the share of each person can be time consuming and not fun, especially if you hate math! Plates got you covered as you can easily split the bill, including tax and tip when dining out with friends. It supports a group of up to 10 members. Enter the items and drag them on the plate of the person who ordered it. If there’s a dish which cost you wish to split evenly to everyone, that’s also possible. Through this, you can be sure that you’ll only pay what’s due to you, especially if you’re on a tight budget.

Scoutmob

Get to know the best restaurants, foods and events  around the city with this app. This will give you a heads up on what are the places to check out on your next night out with friends. The best part is that you can find great deals that would save you cash on your meals. It may sound too good to be true, but you could even find offerings that are 100% free.

Divvy

Like Plates, it’s also an app that you can use for splitting restaurant checks among friends. However, what makes it different is that there’s no need to enter each item one by one. Take a snap of the receipt using your phone and the app will recognize the characters so you can drag the items to the individuals who should pay them. You may add people from your contacts, using one of the avatars available or snap a photo of your friends. Aside from the total cost of the food ordered, it also calculates the tax and the tip that you should also split among the people in the group.

Blackboard Eats

The downside of dining in a restaurant that you haven’t been to before is that you might not like what they serve. If you’re not happy with the food, then that’s a waste of money. Blackboard Eats gives a detailed review on restaurants, as well as their menu. With this, you’ll have a better idea if you’ll like the ambiance and their meals. You would also find discounts that you can use on the specific restaurant where that deal is offered.

Yelp

It works the same way as the site that you access on the web browser on your PC. If you want to use this service while on the go, you may download the app. See all the restaurants in a specific area and check out their ratings and reviews. Find them on the map in case you’re not sure how to get there or see their contact information if wish to get in touch with them. Determine which restaurants are popular when it comes to service, food and atmosphere. You’ll also find restaurants offering great deals.

With these apps on your phone, dining out with friends would always be fun. Enjoy the foods and their company without having to worry much about the bill afterwards.

Photo Attribution:

Featured and 1st image bystockimages / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

2nd image by Yaongkamd (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons