Saving money is beginning to be more of a necessity while it seems nearly impossible as the economic crisis worsens. Everyone is looking for ways to reduce the amount they spend. People are also trying to tuck money away for a rainy day. Those that find themselves working outside the home and even those working at home are looking for ways to save; a common expense among workers today is eating out at lunch time. So how do you save money on lunch?
There are those that find eating out at lunch to be more expensive than they can afford at the present time. There are ways to save money on lunch without skipping the meal altogether. If you skip lunch you’ll be more tempted to stop for a quick snack on the way home which adds up to more than lunch in some cases. Before you can begin saving money on lunch you must figure out how much is spent on lunch each day.
Whether you go to lunch alone, purchase lunch for someone else or go with a group and split the cost will determine how much is actually spent on lunch each day. If you go to lunch with a group of people and split the cost you may find you spend less than when you go to lunch by yourself. By yourself you’re paying for an entire meal; with a group there may be the opportunity to pay a portion depending on where you go to lunch.
If you stop going out to eat lunch just one day it will save you five dollars on average depending on where you live. Trying a different restaurant with lower prices can save money on lunch. Then there is the option of cutting out restaurants at lunch time altogether. Simply spend a few dollars on an insulated bottle and an insulated bag. You can put a drink in the bottle and put reusable containers in the bag for you lunch.
When you take your own lunch to work can save you a minimum of $20 per week provided that you are working a five day work week. Even if you are frugal and purchase lunch at a local drive through it adds up. You have to ask yourself if the impending doctor’s visits are worth the quick lunch of fast food. There are sometimes that you have no choice than to grab lunch on the go but a little preparation can prevent these scenarios.
When you make dinner you can make a little extra so that you have leftovers. Packing them up in reusable containers so you can grab them the next morning to put in your insulated bag will ensure that taking your lunch to work is a fast and easy. You can even make an emergency snack kit to keep in the car in the event that you forget your lunch one day.
There are those that don’t leave the office at all during lunch they simply buy out of vending machines or the cafeteria which can add up quickly. Packing a small cooler and including snack and drink for break time can help save you money on lunch as well because you won’t be as hungry when lunch time arrives. Keeping a bottle of water with you to during will prevent you from feeling as hungry.
There will be times when you’re at work longer than you should be and don’t get to leave for lunch and you’ll be tempted to order can; there are ways to save money in these situations as well. Keeping coupons for your favorite restaurant and a list of their specials will help you to save money on lunch those days when you have no choice but to eat out.
Reducing the amount we eat at lunch so that we are still productive until the end of the workday can save money well. The more we eat the more we are going to spend. There are some workplace establishments that offer freezers for workers to keep their food, if your workplace one of these it is quite possible you can bring all your food at the beginning of the week and simply put your name on it to make sure no one else eats it by mistake and you don’t have to worry if you forget your lunch one day.
Saving money on lunch doesn’t have to be time consuming or mean going without food. Saving money on lunch simply mean a willingness to take a few moments and plan ahead.