Bring Lunch or Buy Lunch? I Say a Little of Each.
If there's one thing talked about more in the PF world than the Latte Factor, it's the "bring your own lunch every day to work" factor. Both can save you tons of money, and both are fairly easy to do (if you like that kinda thing).With the Latte Factor, you cut out Starbucks every day and save yourself $1,000,002 a year (estimated), or you just brew it at home for $0.32 a pop. With the brown bagging idea, you bring your own lunch to work every day thereby saving you a $10 spot out at the fast food joints or local deli.
If you could pull off any of the two, I'm officially impressed. Personally, I just can't do it - at least the "all or nothing" part of it. I love my coffee too much, and I love eating out when I'm in the mood. The problem being, I just never know *when* I'm going to be in the mood to eat out. And if I take the time to make some sandwiches at home, then you bet your ass I'm gonna eat it no matter what I feel like doing that day ;) So what's a brotha to do?
Here's my 2-step plan to happiness:
- I bring in a loaf of bread, peanut butter, and jelly. Sometimes I throw them in the company fridge, and others I just leave in my drawer. But either way it's there for the taking when necessary.
- Then, I just do whatever I feel like doing come lunch time! If I can stomach another pb&j (I usually last 1-2 weeks straight until I bore myself), then I eat away! If, on the other hand, I feel like roaming the beautiful streets of DC and crave something in particular, then I go and do that. And like Obama, 5 guys is usually on that list ;)
Labels: money hacks, saving, starbucks
posted by J. Money at
7:26 AM
16 Comments:
I've found that usually a lunch I make can keep for an extra day in the fridge at my office. Turkey sandwich, yogurt and the pre-sliced apples at the grocery store. The apples are more expensive but keep much longer sliced than if I slice my own at the house. If a co-worker wants to go to lunch and I've been fairly frugal that week I can skip a meal and come back to that lunch the next day.
I can see how it would get boring to have PB&J for 2 weeks straight! For me, it's easy to brown-bag it -- I love to cook, and when I make dinner, I make sure I have plenty of leftovers for me and the hubby to bring to work. If I buy my lunch at work more than once a month, it's a lot. Usually, I'm just satisfying a craving for Chinese food... mmm, Chinese ... now I'm hungry!
I always bring my own lunch. It helps me save a bit of money and keeps me healthier because I can decide what I want to eat and how much. I tend once every other week to buy one day or whenever I just get lazy.
PB & J's rock my college-budget world!!! haha.
I completely agree with not liking an all-or-nothing approach. It's funny that you write this because I actually just wrote a post a few weeks back basically questioning how far I should go in improving my diet. For a while I hesitated to make improvements because I figured it would mean making really tough sacrifices by cutting things out entirely. Then I realized that there's no need to- why not stick to healthy dietary habits most all the time, but allow myself the freedom to splurge with friends/family once in a while. You really can get the best of both worlds when you drop the all-or-nothing, black-and-white mindset!
Sorry for the ramble- I just got a little excited to read someone else's take on a similar philosophy as my own!
It's amazing what happens when we approach our finances with balance. I'm with you, I can't do the all or nothing approach. Frankly, due to my husband's work situation we have to budget daily trips to the food carts near his work, and if he doesn't go, we have a little left over in the piggy. But I think in the long run it's cheaper than having him starve. Or at least a lot less cranky. :)
i agree, a little of both makes me happy as well. i generally get tired of eating out since i can be some what of a food snob at times. when i eat out i like it to be worth it so most of the time it's going to be a tab bit more than i would feel comfortable spending on a regular basis (for lunch that is). it's a good thing that i love "mexican" food because it's great on the pockets ... bad for the arteries but hey, that's not what this post is about, right;-).
I do both! I leave a few frozen meals in the freezer at work or I bring something from home! THen on the days I want to splurge, I go ahead and do it! It is better than eating out 100% of the time and I don't get resentful or angry because I'm being too frugal! :)
I take my lunch nearly everyday. I have decided to allow myself one lunch out every pay period(2 Weeks) and one City Brew Frappe(I found I like it better than Starbucks and its's cheaper). Sometimes I go twice but not very often, that is unless i'm asked out to lunch. It works for me.
J, you gotta expand your cheap lunch items! I try to brown bag it when possible, but there are times I just feel like eating out. Like most folks, if the mood strikes, then I'll eat out. It's hard not to on occasion with a Chinese place next door and Chipotle just down the road. Mmmm...Chipotle!
At any rate, there are other things that are easy to take to work, just for variety...hot dogs, refried beans and tortillas, left overs from dinner, and even just buying lunch meat and keeping it at work. There's lots more, of course, but I'm just saying...I love me some PB&J, but I'd get bored two weeks in a row, too!
I looooooooooooooooooove eating out. However, for the most part in the last year that I've been on the strict budget, I've been brown bagging it. I make extra for dinner and bring that the next day. Today's lunch is Middle Eastern shish kabob, yogurt and mint sauce, hummus and rice pilaf - all homemade. I'll eat that in the lunch room then go for a long walk, just so I can get out of the office and get some fresh air. I try to save going out to lunch for when I can meet up with friends, that way I am doing two things at once - enjoying dining out and spending social time. Coffee I only have on a rare treat, so that one is easy, but it has been hard to give up grabbing a good book and going all by myself to a favorite little sandwich shop.
@Anonymous - Wow, you're healthy! Good for you, I like that.
@RainyDaySaver - I wish I knew/learned how to cook better. But even so I know myself way to well in that I wouldn't do it every day to save money...i like wondering what i'll be eating each day ;)
@Craig - The upside of bringing your food for sure. I do worry about my unhealthy choices sometimes, but then I just make sure the rest of the meals that day are better for me. well, as best as I can anyways :)
@Blake - Rambling makes blogs that much better my friend! I'll take a peek at your site and look for the article.
@Mrs. Modern Tightwad - haha, yes a man w/out food is not good.
@Ms. MoneyChat - Yeah I find I go through spurts of eating in and getting bored, then eating out and getting bored. Usually if I switch on and off I'm fine, and LUCKILY there are a billion places here in DC to check out if I'm tired of the same places.
@Briana - Froze meals work too, I should actually see if i can find pb&j's frozen! (i keed, i keed)
@Anonymous - I like that! Like a nice reward for staying on track, good for you :)
@Kristy @ Master Your Card - I know, i need to expand! It's just so weird that I can eat pb&j for so long over the years, but the rest I get sick of after 2 days straight (esp. sandwich meats). I think as I get older though, I'll start finding some other goodies around town. Oh, and Chipotle = heaven for sure!
@dawn - #1) You are amazing!! man i wish i lived nearby you so i can grab some of your leftovers :) #2) The walking outside part is KEY! Another plus of eating out. Although, you could also just go for a walk too, but sometimes work doesn't allow such freedom. If you don't smoke, you could take a "walk-break" instead.
I completely understand what you're saying. Sometimes you just want the social contact that comes with eating out with co-workers, or just the experience of stretching your legs and getting out of the office.
I'm a big proponent of bringing frozen dinners to work and storing them in the fridge in a bag with my name on them. If I need them they are there.
The key, however, is to buy these frozen meals on the cheap at what I call "Super Sales". For each grocery store item a super sale occurs about once every two months and is a great time to stock up for savings.
As an example, my favorite lunch is Marie Callender frozen dinners. Normally priced at $4.29, you can get them on sale for $3.99, $3.25, even $2.99.
But this last week our local supermarket had a super sale where the frozen dinners were on sale 5 for $10
A $2 lunch when your co-workers are paying $6 or more is hard to beat!
I'm not a morning person, and don't like sandwiches that have sat in the fridge too long. So instead, I usually just run home for lunch. Then I can happily make a fresh sandwich or reheat leftovers without the getting up early, or soggy sandwich or extra packaging. I also go out nearly every Tuesday for pizza (it's kind of the thing at my work). There's a place that does two big slices and a soda for $5. I'll also go out if I'm having a bad day at work or have a craving. When it's just occasional eating out, it's alright. It's the everyday that kills you.
Good idea Charlie@PayLessForFood.com! I like that. And unfortunately we're not all as lucky to live near work Slinky ;) But yeah I'd do the same thing if I were you - good work.
If it's an option I would also suggest hitting up a grocery store for lunch instead of a restaurant. At one point I worked in a shopping center with a grocery store so I often didn't bring a lunch and just walked over to the store for some fruit, yogurt, etc. But I know downtowns aren't always outfitted with grocery stores.
that's not a bad idea...we used to be near a safeway, but not unfort. nothing's within walking distance. i could always hop on the metro for a few stops, but i know myself well enough that it just won't happen ;) good idea though!
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