Save 30% on dining out in LA, NYC with BlackboardEats.com

It's not easy being a foodie in the Great Recession. The cost for a night out at an interesting restaurant has gone up, but your income has gone down. What to do?

Check out BlackboardEats.com, a new player in gastronomic circles that will help you dine out in the manner to which you were accustomed -- and at a 20% to 30% discount.

Here's how it works. Subscribe to the weekly e-mail -- you'll only get two a week, promise! -- for either Los Angeles or New York City (more cities added soon). Each week you'll get an e-mail offering you a code to get 30% off a meal, or a free appetizer, or a free bottle of wine at a certain featured restaurant.

You have 24 hours to claim your passcode, and one month to redeem it. Coolest of all, you don't need to flash a paper coupon at the end of your meal (that would just be tacky). Simply tell your server your code number and he or she will take the appropriate action. Don't forget to tip!