Date night: great food, super cheap!

Three words: Restaurant dot com
And even better? This deal

Normally, Restaurant.com sells gift certificates for 60% off, so a $25 certificate will only cost you $10. A pretty good deal. But every once in awhile, Restaurant.com will have a mega sale. Countless times, I've purchased $25 gift certificates for $2. I've also purchased $10 gift certificates for 80¢. EIGHTY CENTS! There are some caveats, however, depending on the restaurant. For example, I had a $25 certificate to the fabulous Irish restaurant Brocach here in Milwaukee. At this particular place, you must spend $35 and none of the total can be alcohol. It's slightly more difficult than it sounds for two people to spend $35 solely on food, especially when it's a delicious, but filling feast of high-caloric mounds of Irish meat and potatoes. Apps and dessert? Do you want me to explode? In any case, I did end up throwing a dessert on the bill that I took home and never ate. Kinda defeating the purpose of saving money. Meanwhile, however, I used my $10 certificate at one of the tastiest, underrated diners in Milwaukee, Cafe at the Plaza, where you only have to spend $15 total. So two hot, mouthwatering, hangover-killing breakfasts with coffee and juice cost me a mere $5, plus the 80¢ certificate, plus tip*.

Restaurants.com is always adding new local restaurants to their roster, but the popular joints' certificates go really fast. For example, Izumi's--this awesome Milwaukee sushi place--NEVER seems to have certificates and it's getting pretty frustrating. Nevertheless, the whole set-up is pretty rad all around, and I highly recommend signing up. You'll receive emails that contain the discount code and remind you of the current deal. Today, for example, is the last day to get $25 certificates for $2 and the code is ENTREE.

So stop feeling guilty about going out for a nice romantic dinner date. The certificates make great holiday gifts too...why not surprise the annoyingly gooey PDA couple in your life!

*Remember to tip off the total bill pre-certificate! Servers might be worse off than you are and need that extra cash. Unless you're at one of those fancy places where you suddenly realize the baseball cap wasn't a wise ensemble choice. Then, perhaps, they're doing ok.