Take a Cue From School Lunches

If you don't have school-aged children, you may not realize that the average school lunch price is around $1.40 per day.  My parents were shocked when I told them that's what I pay for my Kindergartner's lunch each day; because they said when I went to school it was less than $1, but I have no complaints because here's an example of what they get for that $1.40:

*the main entree (could be a turkey sub, taco, chicken tenders, hamburger, pizza, soup, etc)

*a fruit (could be an apple, could be pears, peaches, etc)

*a vegetable (corn, potatoes, seasoned green beans, broccoli with cheese, etc)

*a dessert (brownie, apple crisp, pie, cookie, etc)

*milk (choice of white or chocolate)

Alternatively, kids could choose a salad or grilled cheese in place of the entree of the day.  So personally, I think $1.40 is extremely reasonable for what the kids are getting each day: a well balanced, nutritious lunch menu.  (Of course, I doubt my son is eating much other than the milk and dessert with the exception of pizza day, but at least he has the option!)

Now, that brings me to my point.  How much are you spending on your daily lunches?  If you go to work five days a week, chances are you're tempted to order lunch several days a week from the local deli or fast food place.  You're probably spending a good $6 to $10 for lunch when you order out, and if you are doing that just three days a week, you're spending between $18 and $30 on work lunches a week ($72 to $120 a month!)

If you decided to stop buying lunches, you could apply your savings to one of your credit card bills and pay it off sooner; or establish your emergency savings account with your savings.  Here's how:

At the start of your week, make sure you have food on hand to make and bring your own lunches.  If you have a microwave at work, you can just bring dinner leftovers!  If you don't have a microwave, you can still save considerable money and put those savings towards a bill or savings account. 

*buy a loaf of bread

*buy a pound of lunch meat and/or peanut butter and jelly

*get a head of lettuce and tomatoes, if you like them on sandwiches

*buy some extras, like apples, bananas, a bag of chips, raw carrots, celery

Every morning, pack yourself a sandwich with lettuce and tomato, and add one or two items from the extras.  You'll have a well balanced, filling lunch, for an average of $2-4 per day.  It's just like the lunches they serve at school!  You can drink water from the water fountain or work water cooler, or even bring a jug of your own water from home.  Not only will you be eating healthier, but the savings can really add up and help you pay your debt down faster or establish the emergency savings account you have been meaning to start.

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