Great Debate: Bring vs. Buy lunch @ Work (save, property, money)

[Mitchum Carmex]

We have a cafeteria in our building, but its not cheap. I can eat healthy for $9.00 a day. Even though I could cut back and bring somehting cheaper - I have decided that $9.00 is a part of my work. I consider it like I would my shoes, or slacks or dress shirts.

I have also found other areas where I can save, like my daily vanilla latte at Starbucks!

[formercalifornian]

Research indicates that people using credit cards routinely spend at least 10% more than people who use cash, even those who pay off their credit cards every month. This is why merchants are so willing to pay processing fees for the privilege of accepting credit cards as payment. They know that they'll make it back in impulse purchases. So, my theory is that you're over-spending in another budget category.

Now, you could be a person who watches every penny and never, ever puts anything extra in your shopping cart, but human nature being what it is, I seriously doubt it.

[8 SNAKE]

Originally Posted by Pitt Chick

It depends!

With some of my Discover Cashback Bonus, I get gift cards to various restaurants - Applebee's, Chili's, Longhorn. TGI Friday's to name a few.

DH and I can eat lunch for FREE, tip included.
That beats brown bagging it!

This has nothing to do with the original discussion, though. You're talking about the use of CC rewards instead of comparing the actual cost of eating in restaurants to brown bag lunches.

[formercalifornian]

You're absolutely right that we have gotten off-topic. Back to the subject, my general opinion is that people who think that eating out is more affordable than packing a lunch are kidding themselves.

It's true that frugal lunches may not offer the variety one can get from the drive-through, but variety is costly. Leftovers from a generous dinner can keep the cost of one's lunch well under a couple of dollars, and even the cheapest fast-food restaurant would have a tough time beating that.

If you like eating out, by all means do, but don't delude yourself about the price you're paying for the convenience.

[M3 Mitch]

Definitely can bring better food from home for a lot less than eating out, we have microwaves available at work like most office environments anymore. That said I do go out to lunch with friends and colleagues occasionally, several good restaurants around here that I like. But the lunch out is a treat, I don't kid myself that it's not costing me more than bringing food from home.

What I generally do is bring a small cooler-type lunchbox with a cup of whatever soup DW has made up, and a microwavable dish of beef stroganoff, fried or broiled fish, etc. leftovers. Sometimes supplemented with fruit.

We intentionally make big pots of whatever we cook up so there is something in the fridge to microwave for lunch at home or away. As DW is always saying, it takes no more time to make a big pot of soup than a small one.

But going to a $3 fast food lunch has to be the worst of both worlds - you have to drive to your chosen temple to High Fructose Corn Syrup, driving isn't free, you get awful synthetic food that makes Solyent Green sound relatively appetizing, your $3 mostly goes to Corporate, who are the only ones that benefit from the American "Burger in a Bag" type lunch. Read "Fast Food Nation" - I am in 100% agreement with Jacques Chirac that Mickey D's is an abomination.

[Donn2390]

I had a 'frig in my office. I kept containers of cottage cheese, tuna, beans, etc, along with a loaf of bread and lunch meat and cheese, and some apples and other snacks. My drink of choice is water, so it was convenient, inexpensive and handy, and for the most part, healthy.
There were times someone would want to go out to lunch, and I was open to that on occasions...

[texdav]

If you eat out enough your bound to catch something. I bascially much prefer bring my lunch as I eat out so many years that I got tried of the restaurant food.

[debtmonger]

I brown bag it everyday. It is cheaper, faster and better quality food.

[mommytotwo]

Yeah, there is no food I'd consider edible for under $3 from any takeout place, that I'd eat on a regular basis.

I think that is what it all boils down to, what you consider to be an acceptable meal.

Once in a while, if I'm out and hungry, I'll get a hamburger and fries off the dollar menu at Wendy's. But do this every day? I don't think so! This only happens in moments of desperation or extreme hunger.

About 8 years ago, I used to work across the street from a Brazilian restaurant. I used to get a side of rice and a side of red beans & sauce for a dollar each.

Now that was a $2 lunch I was happy to eat over and over again. hey--for two bucks, it couldn't be beat.

If I had to eat out every day, I'd probably spend at least $7-10 per day, and I could certainly make my lunch for less than that.

I am a SAHM now, but frequently I pack a lunch for me and the kids if I'll be out during a meal. I realized I was spending a lot of money and eating crap because we would go out for the day. I have packed our lunch/dinner many times, saving a lot of money and calories this way. (you can only let your kid have so many chicken fingers in a week!!--plus after hearing how much fat and calories are in the CHILI's kids meal I was floored!)

So, even if you are just going shopping for the day, you can save money (and a few pounds) by bringing something healthy to eat, or at least drink and snack on.

[nensi]

how much money that should I spend to lunch in Hawaii?