Reader L has a question about lunchtime…
Could you perhaps do a post on bringing lunches to the office versus going out? I’m new to the 9-5 world, and eating out every day seems so expensive, but I don’t really know how to pack a lunch that will last me the entire workday. I don’t want to keep snack food in my desk because I don’t want to attract rodents, or eat mindlessly all day. It’s also difficult to say no when new co-workers invite you along for a frozen yogurt or coffee run – it’s adding up. How do you generally handle lunch during the work week?
We’ve talked about this a few times on this blog — how to eat to fuel your energy throughout the day, how to avoid gaining weight when you’re eating out a lot for recruiting season, how to diet at the corporate gig, what to eat when you have no time to eat, and what foodstuffs I consider “office staples.” I don’t think we’ve talked about it from a finances angle, though, so let’s do that.
Let’s start with the proposition that it is always going to be cheaper to bring your own meal from home. Healthier! Better! Et cetera, et cetera. I will also say that for those committed to couponing, cooking, and hunting out the best deals, inSANE insane deals can be had — this post on “Eating Well on One Dollar a Day” impressed me beyond end, for example. But let’s also assume that if you had the time and energy to make that healthy, low-cost lunch every morning, that you wouldn’t be writing to us for advice.
That said — the easiest way to cut expenses is to focus on what you’re drinking. (Warning: These prices are based on my experiences in Manhattan — in less crazed cities the prices will, hopefully, be far less.) In Manhattan, a can of Diet Coke can cost anywhere from $1-$2.50. If you get one every day for lunch, for 50 weeks out of the year, you’re spending at least $250 a year on soda at lunch. You could switch to tap water instead, or — if you’re like me and need a caffeine boost in the middle of the day — you can buy your own soda to keep at the office. Sometimes you can find the 12-can boxes on sale — two for $6 is the best I think I’ve seen — but even at the normal price of $5.99 per box, that’s a far cheaper can of soda (about $.50), and you automatically save 50%. (Pictured: It Was on Sale, originally uploaded to Flickr by Kimli.)
Similarly, a love of specialty coffees like Frappuccinos can be an expensive habit — if it costs $4, and you drink it maybe 3x a week for 45 weeks of the year (just random numbers here) — that’s $540. Switching to plain black coffee, or bringing your own coffee, makes it far less.
As for food -
- Understand where your money is going. For example, NYC is filled with choose-your-own-salad lunch spots, and adding a protein to salads often increases the price by $2 or more. So if you cook a batch of chicken over the weekend, or even just slice up deli meat to put on top of the salad, you’re automatically decreasing the price.
- Work your favorite spots. A lot of lunch places offer “rewards” cards — buy 10, get 1 free — that can add up to a significant discount over the long haul.
- Look out for deals in the pre-dinner time from 3-6. For example, a lot of bakeries will offer a 50% discount on breads and pastries in that time period — I’ve even heard of frozen yogurt places doing the same. Just heading out with your friends at 3:30, rather than 2:30, could save you money.
- Don’t adopt an “all or nothing” attitude. Even bringing lunch once a week can help immensely with the expenses — if your average lunch out is $8, bringing it from home just one Monday a week for 50 weeks is a savings of $400.
- Even the lazy cook can save. I see cans of soup marked to around $1.50 at the supermarket pretty often — stock up, those are great if you have access to a microwave at the office (and easy to grab as you’re flying out the door in the morning). Similarly, a guilty pleasure of mine is a Lean Pocket (they do have whole grain ones, though!) — and when I see those on sale for around 2 for $5, I stock up. With two Lean Pockets in each box, that’s 4 different lunches (or at least hearty snacks) for about $1.25 each — not bad. And let’s face it, I’ve known a zillion busy women who kept their offices stocked with a jar of peanut butter and a box of crackers — both for cost savings reasons, as well as the I’m-too-busy-to-eat syndrome.
Readers, what are your tips for saving money on the office lunch?
When my husband started his newest job, the office coffee was undrinkable. So in order to keep him from buying one or two cups of coffee at the shop everyday, we bought him a small French Press coffee maker. All you need is coffee grounds and hot water. Every office has hot water. We buy his favorite coffee beans and grind them up at home. He takes them to work in a zip loc baggie and stores them in an airtight jar. Working pretty well so far.
I started doing the same during the recession and it is great! I don’t even like to buy coffee anymore as they don’t make it as good as I do!
Along the same lines, Liz, in my current role, I’m on the road a few days every month. Going back to a habit from early in my career when my motivation was lack of funds, I’m filling my old Stanley thermos with a pot of fresh coffee for the road. Tastes great, saves pennies, and also the time you would spend stopping for coffee. The Stanley (think industrial strength!) keeps coffee pretty hot all day long if you first warm it w hot water. Bonus points for a cup of coffee at the end of the day! I know -I’m a nut and caffeine achiever!
Energy does not have to be stoked by constantly noshing in the office – that is a myth. Three meals a day is/are plenty. It is kind of gross to eat in the office – so be a little careful how you do it and what you eat. Also, it is good to walk out – if possible – each day to buy your take-out – if you want to eat at the desk – that little bit of exercise can’t hurt. In my office, there was a woman who drove her car about 5 miles each way at lunch time to buy take-out, and then of course brought it back to the office to eat. Talk about carbon footprint.
Seems a little harsh, 75. Do you mean that YOUR “energy does not have to be stoked by constantly noshing in the office” and that “it is kind of gross to eat in (YOUR) office”? That I can understand.
As someone who is often tied to my desk for 10 hours straight, I do need to nosh a bit to keep my energy up and I don’t find anything gross about eating a peach or a packet of almonds in my office. Apparently your mileage *does* vary.
I’ve got to agree with you on the 10 mile trek to take-out. That’s not something I would do, the gas along would make is cost prohibitive, but who am I to judge?
I agree with UnSub (are you a Criminal Minds fan? It’s all I can think of when I see your screenname), some people have no choice but to eat at their desks, if you clear up afterwards, it shouldn’t have to be “gross.”
So many Anons, I decided to be an Unidentified Subject. I don’t know Criminal Minds but I read a lot of thrillers :).
Yep, same terminology. That totally made my afternoon.
It’s not just about energy. Some people have medical issues that require them to eat more than 3x a day to keep the blood sugar up. I get migraines and my doctor recommends I have a snack in between meals to avoid getting a headache from low blood sugar.
Me too–big headache, shaky & not mentally sharp if I don’t eat v. frequently. Not pretty! lol
Competitive athlete (and lawyer) here – if I ate only three meals a day I would be emaciated and unable to perform in my sports or my job. I bring my meals (no carbon footprint) and I close my office door to eat. I really can’t see how this is hurting anyone around me.
In my country the culture is a bit more spartan so it is normal to only break for lunch, bring sandwiches most days and just drink the coffee the office supplies. Now, I mostly work at the client site and each place has its own style of restaurant and brand of coffee machine. Coffee/tea/etc. is always free, but I try to stick with black coffee and tea for health. Lunch prices vary wildly. I ususally bring lunch 3-4 days a week; sandwiches with cold cuts, cheese, alfalfa…then buy some buttermilk and salad. Friday we all go out for fish, and wednesday I often meet with a colleague that in on assignment at the other bank next door. Dinner is free if you work overtime; the secretary will order for you and your team and you eat together in the office. You can also buy dinner and get reimbursed, but this is mostly when working abroad.
My current client puts free fruit for everyone. I do buy fresh coffee in the morning to drink on the train, a normal cappucino.