Taking your lunch to work

Texashiker

Lifer
Dec 18, 2010
18,811
198
106
How much money do you think you save by taking your lunch to work? What do you normally bring?

For the first 14 - 15 years of my working career I brought my lunch just about every day. I often wonder how much money I saved, only for my wife to blow it, during that time?
 

GT1999

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 1999
5,261
1
71
Kashi Frozen Meal - ~$3-4
Lunch Meal from Cafe - $7-8
Jimmy Johns Meal w/ Tip - ~$10

So I eat Kashi everyday... and save about $7/day.
 

Ns1

No Lifer
Jun 17, 2001
55,420
1,600
126
I calculate the savings @ $4/day.

My budget is $8.13 per day to go out for lunch; bringing a lunch usually costs between $2-5.
 

SandEagle

Lifer
Aug 4, 2007
16,809
13
0
i used to spend $200/month. on lunch. :(
now i'm broke and spend about $160/month on lunch.
 

GT1999

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 1999
5,261
1
71
Those little things keep you satisfied?

I used to eat more but I'm losing weight by eating them. They have pretty good ingredients too compared to other frozen meals out there. The Chicken Florentine is awesome IMO.
 

Dumac

Diamond Member
Dec 31, 2005
9,391
1
0
Lunch at the cafeteria at my work is pretty subsidized, so I don't save that much by bringing my own.
 

TheNinja

Lifer
Jan 22, 2003
12,207
1
0
I can take a sandwhich, chips, veggies, and fruit for probably $3. If I got out to eat I try to buy the cheapest things but even that is usually like $5 at fast food (and that's buying the crap food). If you want something that is "OK" for you like Chiptle, then it's $7 just for the burrito.
 

z1ggy

Lifer
May 17, 2008
10,010
66
91
Spend about.. $125 a month on bfast and lunch here at work. Im single and a young guy.. making that crap everyday for myself requires too much effort. If I had a wife make it for me, then sure, I'd take it. But only if it was a yummy sammie.
 

GT1999

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 1999
5,261
1
71
Spend about.. $125 a month on bfast and lunch here at work. Im single and a young guy.. making that crap everyday for myself requires too much effort. If I had a wife make it for me, then sure, I'd take it. But only if it was a yummy sammie.

Try a box of those Jimmy Dean Low-Fat Breakfast Sandwiches. That's what I do for breakfast... and save by doing it... 3 min in the microwave, and eat it on the way out the door to work.
 

SillyOReilly

Golden Member
Aug 11, 2007
1,532
6
81
Spend about.. $125 a month on bfast and lunch here at work. Im single and a young guy.. making that crap everyday for myself requires too much effort. If I had a wife make it for me, then sure, I'd take it. But only if it was a yummy sammie.

You poor disillusioned soul. :(
 

terry107

Senior member
Dec 8, 2005
891
0
0
I save about $5/day bringing my lunch, which generally consists of leftovers, sandwich/chips, or a lean cuisine type meal.
 

Exterous

Super Moderator
Jun 20, 2006
20,576
3,764
126
I spend ~$16-25 a week on going out to eat lunch but then I eat with a lot of people who are at other companies. I view it less of a food cost and more of a networking/socializing cost. Its how I met my current boss and if we take the cost of lunch per year and compare it to how much more I am making after he hired me I definitely come out ahead
 

ShawnD1

Lifer
May 24, 2003
15,987
2
81
How much money do you think you save by taking your lunch to work? What do you normally bring?

For the first 14 - 15 years of my working career I brought my lunch just about every day. I often wonder how much money I saved, only for my wife to blow it, during that time?
$0. I just go without eating when there's no food. Bringing food to work costs more than eating nothing, but I sure feel a lot better. I keep a giant box of granola bars at work. I think they taste like shit, but they taste better when I'm really hungry.
 

Squisher

Lifer
Aug 17, 2000
21,204
66
91
I just about always brought my lunch to work and lunch could be just about anything practical from a hearty salad or a sandwich or leftovers from a previous dinner.
 

surfsatwerk

Lifer
Mar 6, 2008
10,110
5
81
I bring in a pound of two of animal flesh, no other real option for me than to bring in my lunch.
 

corwin

Diamond Member
Jan 13, 2006
8,644
9
81
I started bringing my own lunch and it costs me $1 or less a day for lunch

4 slices of bread, couple slices of lunch meat, some lettuce, sandwich bag with some cheez-its or like today I had 3 corn dogs...going out gets old fast and it's just too damn expensive
 

z1ggy

Lifer
May 17, 2008
10,010
66
91
Try a box of those Jimmy Dean Low-Fat Breakfast Sandwiches. That's what I do for breakfast... and save by doing it... 3 min in the microwave, and eat it on the way out the door to work.

I have oatmeal thats made here at work for $1.17 or something. I might try those kashi meals because even just saving like $100 a month would be nice. I'm a broke ass mofo. I might need to start hooking and selling my body soon. Anybody interested in a $5,000 bj?
 

Saint Nick

Lifer
Jan 21, 2005
17,722
6
81
My lunch cafe is super cheap (subsidized). I just had meat loaf and mashed potatoes with green beans for like $5. A much better meal than I could make at home and about the same price.
 

Saint Nick

Lifer
Jan 21, 2005
17,722
6
81
$0. I just go without eating when there's no food. Bringing food to work costs more than eating nothing, but I sure feel a lot better. I keep a giant box of granola bars at work. I think they taste like shit, but they taste better when I'm really hungry.
This is pretty funny because I do the same. I need lots of food throughout the day and don't like skipping meals. I keep some granola around for this purpose. And sometimes extra milk.
 

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
60,202
10,662
126
I used to spend about $300 per month eating at work. If I took food, I could do it under $150. Here's a sample of stuff I might bring...

Tinned fish
Canned vegetables
Cheese/crackers/hot sauce
Shelf style TV dinners
Fruit
Cheese sandwiches
 

amish

Diamond Member
Aug 20, 2004
4,295
6
81
I have oatmeal thats made here at work for $1.17 or something. I might try those kashi meals because even just saving like $100 a month would be nice. I'm a broke ass mofo. I might need to start hooking and selling my body soon. Anybody interested in a $5,000 bj?

only if you use the proceeds to buy a new video card.
 

olds

Elite Member
Mar 3, 2000
50,124
779
126
How much money do you think you save by taking your lunch to work? What do you normally bring?

For the first 14 - 15 years of my working career I brought my lunch just about every day. I often wonder how much money I saved, only for my wife to blow it, during that time?
Dude, I have the copyright on taking lunch to work, you can't take yours. I didn't give you permission.