Eat Before Sundown: Savings Ideas for Seniors on a Budget

So you have reached the senior citizen's bracket. It can be an exciting time when life starts to slow down. If you were fortunate enough then you have some retirement savings, if not then what you used to enjoy can now be difficult. The cost of food is on the rise so here are some tips on how to save a little money on your next night out.

Senior Discount Nights at Restaurants or Happy Hour Specials

Many restaurants have a seniors menu with discounted rates before 5 pm. Some call it the early bird special. This is a great way to get a good meal then get home before the evening news. If your favorite restaurant doesn't have a seniors menu, ask them if they have a discount available for AARP card holders or if you are a veteran you could take advantage of the military discount. In fact, on veterans day you could have a feast as many outlets offer free meals to vets and those on active duty.

Look Out For Coupons or Adverts

Some establishments have seniors night where there is a themed menu and the prices are heavily discounted. These night out could be a great place to meet other seniors and maybe even make a love connection? Look out for coupons. Many businesses mail out coupons that offer significant savings. So why not take your new found friend for a two for one meal or go get a couple of brown bag specials, enjoy a meal together and save a few dollars in the process.

Movies and Discounts: A Seniors Friend 

Senior movie nights are a great place to meet other seniors. Many establishments offer senior movie nights and they are not always the movie theaters. Many community centers and seniors associations have movie nights which are sometimes free. These are usually listed in the local paper or you may see a flyer at the grocery store. Ask your local church if they have movie nights or check with the embassies in the area. If you don't mind a foreign language film, many embassies put on free movie nights as a way to attract tourism.

Discounts offered to seniors can be minuscule, so why not consider having a movie night at home. The RedBox DVD/Blu Ray rental system is cheap enough and if you have the luxury of cable you could rent a film and enjoy it in the comfort of your own home.

Movie Clubs at Your Senior Community

Another great idea is movie clubs. You could pull your money as a group and purchase a monthly subscription to one of those companies that send you the movie of the month that way you can enjoy a movie and create a DVD library for your home or assisted living center.

If you live in an assisted living center why not organize a movie night at the center. This would be a great way to get everyone together and maybe even give an old couple in love a date night. What's more, you could even get a large group together and go to the Cinema for a night out. Large groups are often offered a discounted rate if they do not already have a better seniors rate that would be something to consider.

Coupons are a big help and if you are lucky you can sometimes spot them in the local papers. If you have access to the internet why not search Google for some discount websites.