Although staying in to eat is a lot cheaper than going out, foodies can't help but indulge in their favorite restaurants once in a while. Food is one of the biggest joys in life, and nothing is better than sharing a good meal and conversation with the ones you love. In fact, the restaurant industry in America makes about $1.8 billion on a typical day, according to the Restaurant Association. That's a lot of money we're spending meals out! On your next food outing, be sure to keep these tips in mind to shrink your bill:

Use Coupons: Go to Restaurant.com and enter in a coupon code for restaurant.com that'll get you a $25 voucher for only $10. You can find the coupon code by searching online at sites like RetailMeNot.com. Buy a local Entertainment book worth $15 that will give you lots of buy one get one free coupons for restaurants.

Earn Rewards: Do your research on sites like Mint and Credit Card Guide and figure out which credit cards give you the best rewards for your diner bucks. Oftentimes, if you're a loyal member of a mileage program, you can even earn some miles by eating at the restaurants the airline partner up with. For example, Southwest has a Rapid Rewards Dining program that credits three points for every dollar spent with their restaurant partners.

Skip the Drinks: Sodas, alcohol, and other non-tap water drinks tend to be overpriced at restaurants. Get water with your meal, and if you're really itching for a particular drink, wait until dinner's over and head to a convenient store to buy it.

Order the Kiddie Meal: The meals for kids are generally cheaper and most of the times are the perfect size for adults! This option is also great for portion control and your wallet.

Read on for more tips to save when dining out.

All the talk about Yahoo's new maternity leave policy (16 paid weeks!) makes us wonder about maternity leave policies elsewhere in the world. In the US, the Family Leave and Medical Leave Act dictates we should expect at least 12 weeks of unpaid maternity leave. Of course, not all American companies follow that to a T. Some, like Yahoo, provide more generous policies than the required minimum. But as you take a look at the list below, you'll realize that perhaps the tech giant is just catching up to the rest of the world:

1. Sweden: 420 days, 80 percent of paid wages.
2. Denmark: 52 weeks, 100 percent of paid wages.
3. Serbia: 52 weeks, 100 percent of paid wages.
4. United Kingdom: 52 weeks, 90 percent of paid wages.
5. Canada: 52 weeks, 55 percent of paid wages for the first 17 weeks of maternity leave.
6. Croatia: 1 year, 100 percent of paid wages.
7. Albania: 1 year, 80 percent of paid wages before birth and for the next 150 days after birth. For the rest of the maternity leave, you get 50 percent of paid wages.
8. Bosnia and Herzegovina: 1 year, 82 percent of paid wages for the first month, and 75 percent for the rest of the maternity leave.
9. Norway: 46 to 56 weeks, 100 percent of paid wages if you take 46 weeks off but 80 percent if you take 56 weeks off.

• Easy steps to becoming an adult — HuffPost Women
• Novels with fierce female characters we love — The Jane Dough
• Getting your money back without losing your friendship — Wise Bread
• Money lessons in children's books — The Billfold
• Find the right price-comparison apps for your needs — Real Simple
• What not to buy in May — Bankrate
• How my boyfriend's trust fund almost broke us up — DailyWorth
• Job search engine finds great local jobs, lets you apply on your phone — Lifehacker
• How five community managers got their start — The Daily Muse

Credit card companies have got you covered in ways you may not know about. Taking advantage of all these hidden perks may save you hundreds of dollars a year. People often forget about these perks because they may not take the time to read more about them. Do your research and make sure you know the details of what the particular credit card you own will get you, because they may have different perks or different restrictions. Here are some benefits that may slip your mind:

• Car rental insurance: One of the most common benefits that people often forget about is that most credit card companies will cover part of your car rental insurance if you book a car with their card. Decline the "collision damage waiver" insurance, and your credit card firm will cover any damage or theft of the car that occurs during your rental.
• Purchase protection: If an expensive item is damaged or stolen in a certain period of time, you may be able to get some or all of your money back. This applies to items you've charged to the credit card and can even include stolen cell phones.
• Shopping discounts: Check out your credit card's website, and you'll see a variety of retailers you can get discounts at. They may include anything from car rentals to restaurant discounts.
• Trip cancellation: Some credit cards provide trip canceling insurance, which can reimburse you for the cost of your flight if you cancel due to sickness or injury.
• Lost luggage coverage: If your luggage has been lost, stolen, or damaged, your credit card company might cover a portion of it.

Read on for more.

Keeping or changing your maiden name is such a sensitive topic that it's hard to know when the appropriate time is to inform everyone. Do you tell them all at one go, or would you tell each person separately? Here are a couple of polite ways you can share the news.

• Tread carefully with reception announcements. Getting announced when you're coming into your reception is a good way to let people know about changes to your last name. However, if you're planning on keeping your maiden name, Anna Post, the great-great-granddaughter of Emily Post, advises against being announced as Mr. and Mrs. Baker "just because you want to do the classic thing. People will be listening to how you want to be called as a married woman." If you are keeping your maiden name, just have yourself announced as your maiden name.
• Include it in the wedding announcement. The wedding announcement is another good place to inform people.
• Don't send out an email blast. Post advises against sending out an email blast to let people know whether you're keeping it. However, if people email you individually to ask, it's perfectly fine to respond via email.
• Add it to the thank-you notes. When you're sending out the requisite thank-you cards to people who have attended your wedding, include your new last name if you're changing it, or use your maiden name if you're keeping it.
• Prewedding chatter. It's probably inevitable that the maiden name question will come up when discussing wedding plans with friends, so that's another organic way of letting your pals know. Post says it's becoming somewhat of a standard discussion during prewedding conversations.

Read on for more.

If you're trying to sell a TV, you'll quickly realize it's a whole different ball game than hawking off smaller electronics, such as smartphones.

First of all, the television is heavy and bulky, so it's going to be hard to mail it off to a third-party seller, and the shipping costs might be too high. The smartest option would be to sell it to the buyer directly. Secondly, there's a lot of information on selling gadgets, but not specifically TVs, which require a different approach. And lastly, it's hard to put a number on it because of the big discrepancy between prices in the used-TV market.

Where to Sell

Although people sell their TVs on sites such as Amazon and eBay, the best place to unload them is Craigslist. After all, you can arrange for buyers to come pick it up themselves, so you don't have to mail it off. Since it's also a potentially bigger financial transaction, you might prefer to ask for the payments in cash, which is possible with Craigslist.

Cut to the chase: Sell it on Craigslist.

Read on for more.

• The 6 negotiable new-job benefits — LearnVest
• Women are less likely to take credit in this situation — HuffPost Women
• Maintain three credit cards to boost your credit score — Lifehacker
• Crazily expensive prom dresses — The Jane Dough
• Restaurant dishes you can make at home — Wise Bread
• Working as a chef on a private jet — The Billfold
• A routine car-maintenance schedule — Real Simple
• Should you charge Summer travel? — Credit Sesame
• Things you should know before considering culinary school — The Daily Muse

We all know what we can do to live a happier life, but when those claims are backed up by science, we tend to take them more seriously. After all, if it's been poked and prodded at by scientists, the findings definitely sound like they have more validity. It's up to you to figure out what works for you, but these strategies are worth trying! Here are some things that will increase your life satisfaction, according to studies:

• Watch less TV: Unhappy people spend more time watching TV, according to a study in the Social Indicators Research journal.
• Get older: If you're dreading the white hairs and health drawbacks of aging, know that there's a silver lining. More studies are showing that happiness increases after middle age.
• Plan a vacation: Researchers found that it's the planning of a vacation and not the actual trip itself that increases happiness in people. Perhaps the anticipation of getting away from the daily grind causes us to grin more than when we're actually on the beach without a worry in sight.
• Change it up: Even if you're doing something that makes you happy, the joy may wear off if it becomes routine. Change things up every once in a while. For example, give your current hobby a break and take up a new one.
• Be around happy people: Happiness is apparently infectious, according to a study in the British journal BMJ, so surround yourself with positive people. That doesn't mean you should break up with your Debbie Downer friends, say the researchers. You can help spread happiness by doing things to improve their lives.
• Enjoy nature: Viewing greenery gives your brain a mental break, while city living can stress you out. Take the time to visit a nearby park or garden to take in nature's beauty and boost your happiness at the same time.
• Do cultural activities: Go to the museum this weekend and get cultured. A study in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health found men who take part in cultural activities are more happy and satisfied versus those who don't.
• Own pets: A furry friend will increase your self-esteem, feeling of belonging, and meaning of your existence, says a study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Quite a tall order for such compact creatures.
• Do charity work and volunteer: Doing good for society has its perks. People who give away their money to charity or volunteer tend to be more satisfied, according to a study published in the journal Science.

• How to cheer yourself up — Real Simple
• Decor tricks to save you $2,500 — LearnVest
• Real estate terms every home buyer should understand — Wise Bread
• There's no such thing as a wasted opportunity — HuffPost Women
• Frugal ways to say thanks to mom — SavingsMania
• How to live cheap in New York — The Billfold
• Why you aren't getting a raise — Free Money Finance
• Television's greatest working moms — The Jane Dough
• New credit card regulations benefit stay-at-home parents — Credit Sesame
• Secrets credit card companies don’t want you to know — My Bank Tracker

You might be reluctant to clean because you think it will take up too much time, but what if it only took you 15 minutes? Cleaning every day will also help reduce the time spent cleaning, so you may end up only spending 10 minutes a day cleaning your bathroom once you get into a routine. Here's what you can do to quick clean your potty room:

Daily

• Throw trash away in the trash can: 10 seconds.
• Put dirty clothes into the hamper: 10 seconds.
• Swipe the toilet bowl with a brush: 10 seconds.
• Clean strainers and throw gunk away: 10 seconds.
• Return items to where they belong: 30 seconds.
• Wipe the sink: 30 seconds. You'll save money if you're wiping with homemade disinfectant wipes.
• Wipe mirror down: 30 seconds. Use wipes or spray-on cleaner. Here's how to make your own glass cleaner.
• Sweep away or pick up hair from the bathroom: one minute. I find that it's much easier and faster to suck up hair with a hand vacuum if you have one.

Weekly

• Wipe down the toilet: two minutes. Clean the outside, the lid, and the rim. Swoosh toilet boil with brush.
• Mop or wipe bathroom tiles: three to five minutes depending on how big your bathroom is.
• Clean tub or shower: three to five minutes.
• Empty trash can: 30 seconds.

Monthly

• Clean your shower curtain: you can gently wash it in your washing machine. Wash it every month to prevent mold and mildew growth.
• Organize your stuff: make sure everything is in its right place and throw clutter away.

Do you know that every time you make a change on LinkedIn, your connections get an update of your tweaks? If you don't want your every move watched by your network, turn the notifications off. After all, not only do you want to avoid spamming your LinkedIn friends every time you change your profile picture, but you might also want to keep the timing of the changes private. Here's how to turn the notifications off:

1. Log into your LinkedIn account.
2. Hover over your name on the upper-right corner of your page, and a dropdown menu should appear. Click on the settings option.

3. Scroll to the bottom of the page, go to the privacy controls section, and click "Turn on/off your activity broadcasts." You'll see a small pop-up that will let you check or uncheck a box that gives people updates. Uncheck the box, and save your changes.

• Living on a food budget of less than $1.50 a day — The Billfold
• How I squandered my inheritance at age 18 — LearnVest
• What it costs to raise a child — Wise Bread
• How to promote your friends professionally — Corporette
• 12 things every woman should remember — HuffPost Women
• Cheap alternatives to expensive travel experiences — Broke Girl's Guide
• The site that will teach you how to be an adult — The Jane Dough
• You'd be richer if your name was shorter — Yahoo! Shine
• Ways to spend your tax refund as a couple — All You
• Eating lunch at your desk might make you less productive — Lifehacker

Do a diamond's origins matter that much? We have come to a point in which scientists can create diamonds in the lab that are virtually indistinguishable from mined diamonds. If you're contemplating buying this lab-grown gem during your engagement ring hunt, here are a few things you should know:

It's not cubic zirconia. Everyone's familiar with cubic zirconia, which is known to imitate the look of a diamond but does not have the chemical makeup of one. Gems that mimic the look of diamonds are classified as a diamond simulant. Others that go under the simulant category include moissanite, quartz, and glass.

You won't be able to tell the difference between a lab-grown diamond and a mined diamond. If you go to the legitimate sources, you'll find that their gems are essentially the same as mined diamonds. The gems have the same physical and chemical properties as mined diamonds. The proper names for these diamonds are laboratory-created, lab-grown, or man-made diamonds.

It's cheaper. Although the price varies on different diamonds depending on the shape, cut, carat, clarity, and color, president and CEO Stephen Lux of Gemesis Diamond Company, a producer of lab-created diamonds, says "generally speaking, Gemesis lab-created diamonds retail for approximately 20 to 30 percent less than mined diamonds." Lux gave sample prices of what you can expect to see at Gemesis — a 0.50 carat can range from $500 to $2,500 while a 1.00 carat can go from $2,000 to $8,000.

The drawbacks. The main drawback seems to be the limits to the size of the diamonds, perhaps due to the technology and equipment of the producer. Gemesis sells colorless diamonds in sizes ranging from 0.50 to 1.50 carats, but they do have bigger sizes for colored diamonds. Another negative is the unromantic notion that the gem is created in a few days vs. taking millions of years to form.

Where to buy. Currently, the leader in the lab-grown diamond industry seems to be Gemesis. You can order diamond jewelry on its website, or you can also opt to order loose stones.

To all ring shoppers, here's a basic guide to buying an engagement ring if you have no clue where to start.

Club soda is yet another common household item with a variety of uncommon uses. If you have some left over and don't know what to do with it, don't throw it away. Here are some clever uses for this popular drink mixer:

• Stain remover: Treat stains by dabbing on club soda and gently scrubbing the material. It works on a variety of spills, including red wine stains.
• Fluffy food: To fluff up food like pancakes, waffles, tempura batter, omelets, and more, use club soda instead of water or milk. It makes the end results more fluffy and light.
• Water plants: Club soda is better for your plants than regular water because it has more minerals. Try to water your plants with flat club soda at least once a week.
• Clean surfaces: Gently wipe down surfaces in your home like countertops and the inside of your fridge with club soda. Club soda is also good for cleaning porcelain surfaces because it doesn't ruin the finish. You can even pour it on pots and pans while they are still warm to help remove the gunk that's stuck to the bottom.
• Remove rust: Pour club soda over rusted materials or soak the rusted objects in them. The carbonation will make it easier to remove the rust.
• Soothe your belly: If you have stomach upset or are feeling nauseated, sip on some club soda.
• Clean gems: Soak gemstones in club soda overnight to clean them.
• Restore hair color: If you go swimming, make sure you rinse your hair with club soda to prevent discoloration in your dye job.
• Preserve newspaper clippings: Preserve newspaper clippings by soaking them in a club soda and milk of magnesia mixture for an hour before taking them out to dry.
• Shuck oysters: Make oyster shucking an easier task by soaking them in club soda beforehand.

• Tips to negotiate better with just about anyone — Lifehacker
• Mother’s Day gifts moms will actually appreciate — LearnVest
• Shopping might get more expensive — All You
• Five steps to simpler record keeping — Real Simple
• Credit cards aren’t as competitive as they want you to believe — Wise Bread
• The Working Families Flexibility Act is not so flexible for workers — The Billfold
• Birth control pills may cost more in these neighborhoods — HuffPost Women
• Rewards credit cards ease the pain of air travel delays — Credit Sesame
• How to have it all (and all at once) — The Jane Dough
• Easy ways to defeat “fuzzy brain” at work — The Daily Muse

• Upcycle old pill bottles: Don't throw away your old pill bottles, upcycle them into quarter and cotton-swab holders.
• Get married in a national park: Most national parks are welcoming to wedding parties as long as they fill out the proper paperwork, which gives you access to the park and the various locations that are perfect for your big day. And some permit fees are as low as $50, making getting married in a national park a seriously budget-friendly option.
• Choose a credit union for better interest rates: A credit union is a nonprofit, which means the profits go back to the members, and this results in higher interest rates and lower fees.
• Follow authors and book blogs for free books: If you follow other reviewers or the authors themselves on their blogs, you'll be able to see when they host giveaways for their latest books. You may even get books ahead of their releases.
• Make your own scent diffuser to save money: Don't toss those lemon and orange peels, ends of fresh herbs, or last bits of whole aromatic seasonings! Instead, use them to make sweetly scented homemade fragrance stick diffusers that will freshen your house.

Read on for more.