Want to save money at lunchtime while on the job? Try these budget-minded suggestions for cutting midday costs and calories.
Buying your lunch each day can quickly add up to a sizable sum. Here are a few cost-cutting strategies to consider:
1. Brown bag it. There are numerous convenience foods that can be toted to work in a lunch bag or in a thermal container. Refrigerated items can remain cold and then popped into the microwave, while warm foods can stay that way until lunch time. Soup, sandwich, casserole, pizza, leftovers, or almost anything you care to eat can be packed in a way that will preserve it safely until you're ready to eat.
2. Keep edibles at your work desk. Packets of tuna or salmon, luncheon cold cuts, peanut butter and crackers, non-perishable juice cartons, and a host of other items on the light side will let you eat at your desk whenever you can put aside your current project for a few minutes of respite and a quick snack. This helps when you're on a deadline or short-staffed, as well as putting more pennies into your personal piggy bank.
3. Buy in bulk. Whether you pack a complete or partial lunch, shop for sales and buy at stores that discount bulk purchases. For example, you can get a case of soda pop much cheaper than buying individual cans from the vending machine each day. Or buy boxes of frozen foods at a fraction of the price you pay at the supermarket. Shop for fresh fruit, snacks, instant coffee or tea, and candy to get lower prices than you would pay at work or commercial diners.
4. Exchange packed lunches with a co-worker. Try packing for a colleague and switch at lunchtime. You'll enjoy trying creative ideas and seeing what your friend has to offer. Both of you can swap recipes and coupons, eat someone else's "cooking" on occasion, and save money by trying this strategy a couple times a month.
5. Exercise instead of eating. Go for a walk during your lunch hour. Or use the company's weight room. Join a gym. If a vigorous workout doesn't appeal to you since you'll have to return to work afterward, keep it light, yet meaningful. Or find a quiet conference room and settle into a cozy chair with an apple and your latest read. You may even be able to close the door and take a brief nap. Think of lunch time as an extra hour each day to spend any way you wish, except for eating out.
Even if you still eat out several days a week, trying tips like these one or two days each week can build savings and slash spending. Give some thought to other things you can do at the lunch hour instead of spending extra money.
