With the economy in free fall, with millions of people on a budget, and with wine moving from an optional purchase to a luxury, a number of once-treasured lifestyle events are now hard to justify.

Dining out is one of them.

It's not that we can't afford a couple of $13 entrees, two $5 salads, and a shared $7 appetizer. By themselves, that would get us out the door for well under $50. But regular readers of this column know we have, alas, left out one rather essential item.

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