What are your suggestions for eating on the cheap as the economy is taking its time to return?

All those fancy dinners out - gone, gone, gone! What a pity to lose the ambiance of the maitre-‘d, but eating out is such a comfort, money or not, that we creative diners need to find another way to treat ourselves that won't dig into our already flattened wallets.

Sometimes it is necessary to meet out for a meal because there is business to be discussed. The newest industry venue for those who are forging alliances is the Power Breakfast. For well under $10, you can have a meal that will keep you going until 3 p.m. with gallons of coffee on the side, plus you can get business done will before anyone else is even in the office. That's a tasty bargain in today's economy, and one that makes a lot of sense.

However, my favorite social meal is the lunch out. I like the Lincoln Lunch, so named because it's not going to cost much more than a five-dollar bill, less tip. Restaurants these days are begging for your business, even if it's a whole let less frequent than once it was. Almost every lunch spot runs a special at around $5 and it's filling, tasty and hits the spot. Make a list of local restaurants that provide the Lincoln Lunch and send a catalog to your local newspaper. They love running stories on how folks are surviving in this economy. It could even become an on-going review column.

But dinners out are still the treat of the day. You don't have to show up in a Florida retirement community to find out that the "sunset" dinners are the biggest bargain of all. Most people think dinner begins somewhere after 7 p.m., but those who want to eat well with all the trimmings generally show up around 5 p.m., and for their patronage they will get soup or salad, full entrée, plus a dessert at a much reduced price. Probably the premium specials, such as lobster and rib-eye steak, aren't going to be served, but no one should poo-poo the shrimp scampi or the sirloin tips in wine gravy either.

Happy hour is beginning to show a lot of appetizer plates that can fill in nicely, especially after that big old Power Breakfast has slid out of your stomach. In fact, appetizers in most restaurants are good sized and diverse enough to make it almost a mini-meal. This way you get a glass of your favorite elixir at a bargain price and a side of something to nosh. It doesn't break the bank.

Then there are the nightly specials featured in every restaurant. A few phone calls will lead you to the best bargains. There is always a prime rib night going on somewhere close. It isn't a tough cut of meat because the restaurant knows they can attract far more regulars to this type of meal and they make it worth your while just to keep the loyalty.

The trick in a reluctant economy is to manage your treats. You can still do meals out at a fairly low price if you are willing to do your research. You can't do this every night, of course, but who says you can't set aside one evening a week as a treat to yourself and someone you love. Avoid Saturdays, of course, because that's the traditional night out and the bargains tend to disappear. But if you are at home, fixing yourself healthy low cost meals six days a week, plan a treat now and again, and before you know it, you will see dining out for it is - a special time to share instead on an every day occurrence.