We've all had those days where we feel scared to look at our bank balance and payday can't come fast enough.
Going out for a meal with friends or family can sometimes feel like it's too far out of budget some months. But the good news is that there are plenty of restaurants in Cardiff offering top dishes for under £10.
From pizza and pasta to burgers and curries, Cardiff has plenty of cheap eats on offer if you're looking for a delicious meal out on a budget.
We've compiled a list - in no particular order - of 10 restaurants in Cardiff that offer tasty main dishes for under £10.
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Calabrisella
This Italian restaurant, set up by friends Salvo, Angelo and Domenico in 2014, has branches in Canton and Cathays, as well as a separate gelateria selling all kinds of sweet treats.
They have an extensive menu of Italian dishes, the majority of which cost under £10 for a large portion.
Their lasagne, for instance, is £7.50 while their pasta polpette is just £8.50. While most of their pizzas are over £10, a large Margherita pizza costs just £8.50.
Vegetarian Food Studio
This award-winning restaurant on Penarth Road offers a range of vegetarian and vegan dishes, from dosa to curries - most of which are under £10.
Among their top-selling dishes are the chilli paneer at £7.75, a chutney dosa costing £6.95, which is served with sambar (a red lentil soup), and vegetable Manchurian at £7.50.
There are also smaller dishes on offer that range between £3.95 and £7.25 in price. Their menu is extensive with a huge range of dishes from both south and north India.
Hellenic Eatery
You can find this popular Greek restaurant on Crwys Road in Cathays, offering a range of dishes for under £10. The family run business has an extensive menu that offers a range of wraps, all served with tzatziki and chips for just £5.50.
There are eight wraps on offer for that price on their menu, with fillings ranging from gyros - pork meat roasted on a spit - to grilled halloumi, sausage, and chicken.
Their Hellenic Pork steak also comes in at under a tenner, as do their veggie patties and veggie skewers.
3Bs Cafe
Bwyta Bwyd Bombai, or 3Bs Cafe, on High Street has a wide range of main dishes, almost all of which come in at under £10.
Their mains section offers a lamb curry for £8.95 and a Goan prawn curry for £9.95. Some of their biryani dishes are also available for under a tenner, including their vegetable dum biryani and chicken dum biryani.
TukTuk
This Thai restaurant on Crwys Road underwent a transformation last year to become a modern sit-in bar and eatery. TukTuk offers a range of popular Thai dishes, all of which come in at under a tenner.
Their Thai green curry, for instance, if £9.45, as is their Pad Thai, while Tom Yum Soup is priced at £8.45. There are many more dishes on the menu that range from curry, noodle, and stir-fried dishes that are also on offer for under £10.
North Star
The North Star offers a variety of good pub dishes, many of which are under £10. Their most expensive burger, the North Star beef burger, is £10, while the rest on the menu - including a buttermilk chicken burger and a grilled halloumi burger - are £9.
Chicken wings and cauliflower wings served with a choice of sauces are £5 and £4 respectively, with side dishes such as chips, fries, and onion rings, ranging from £3 to £4.50.
Other dishes on their mains section that are under £10 include beer-battered halloumi for £9.50, a Caribbean Ital curry, a jack fruit and bean chilli for £9.
There's also a range of small plates on offer that are priced between £2.50 and £5.50 each, allowing you to mix and match a range of combinations.
Sen BBQ
Many of Sen BBQs dishes come in under the £10 mark. Their chicken shwarma, served with rice or chips, salad and bread, is £9.90, while a regular lamb shwarma wrap costs £8.50.
A large chicken shish wrap and a large kofte shish wrap are both priced at £9.60. The Cowbridge East Road restaurant has 90 'excellent' reviews on TripAdvisor out of a total of 108.
Tortilla
Located on Caroline Street, this Mexican restaurant serves classic dishes including burritos, tacos, quesadilla, and nachos, all starting from under a tenner.
Pricing for a large burrito starts at £7.30, while three tacos are on offer from £6. A large quesadilla, served with corn chips, sour cream, and salsa, starts at £7, while their nachos queso is served from £6.
Lazy Leek
Set in Pontcanna's Kings Road Yard, this shack serves vegan burgers as well as a range of tasty side dishes and desserts. Their current menu offers 'The Italian Job' burger, with a risotto patty stuffed with garlic mushrooms and coconut 'mozzarella', with rocket and walnut pesto, sliced vine tomatoes and lemon and basil aioli, for £9.
Their other burgers, 'The Bruce Pe' and 'The Cow(less) Boy' are also priced at £9. You can also get dirty fries for £7 with BBQ pulled portobello mushrooms, vegan 'mozarella,' pickled chillies, spring onions, and chives.
Madhav
Attached to a grocery shop, this Cardiff institution also offers authentic cooking at a low price. Their vegetarian Indian dishes include a thali that comes with two vegetable curries, daal, rice, breads, raita, pickles and poppadoms for just £6.99. You can also order a range of other dishes, such as breads and bahjees, and dosa, all of which are priced at under £10 - many for under £5.
It closes at 8pm, so is a great option for those looking for an earlier dinner.
The family-run business has built up loyal customers over the years, with many reviewers on TripAdvisor saying that they've been coming to the cafe for "decades."
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