Skipping the packed lunch for the comfort of consuming out is a temptation many people give in to, myself included. On common, I discovered myself spending about $10 day by day on quick meals.
Curious in regards to the potential financial savings, I made a decision to crunch some numbers and see simply how a lot I may save by bringing my very own lunch to work.
Armed with a procuring checklist, I headed to my native Walmart to interrupt down the prices of my packed lunch consisting of a ham sandwich, a bag of chips, a pack of crackers, and a banana.
1. Ham Sandwich:
- Complete for the sandwich: $0.20 (bread) + $0.35 (ham) + $0.30 (cheese) + $0.15 (extras) = $1.00
2. Bag of Chips:
- A big bag prices round $3.00 and may comprise 8 servings, so about $0.38 per serving.
3. Pack of Crackers:
- A field costing $2.50 with 10 packs inside could be $0.25 per pack.
4. Banana:
- A banana from Walmart is about $0.27 every.
Including these up offers me the entire value for my lunch:
- Ham Sandwich: $1.00
- Bag of Chips: $0.38
- Pack of Crackers: $0.25
- Banana: $0.27
Complete Price: $1.00 + $0.38 + $0.25 + $0.27 = $1.90
So, my packed lunch would value roughly $1.90. Do be aware that these costs can range primarily based on location, model, and any gross sales or reductions obtainable.
Assuming the typical value of consuming out for lunch is round $10 per day, and a packed lunch prices about $1.90 to make, I’d save $8.10 every day I carry my lunch to work.
- Every day Financial savings: $10 (consuming out) – $1.90 (packed lunch) = $8.10
- Weekly Financial savings (5 workdays): $8.10 x 5 = $40.50
- Month-to-month Financial savings (assuming 4 weeks): $40.50 x 4 = $162
- Yearly Financial savings: $162 x 12 = $1,944
So, by packing my lunch as an alternative of consuming out, I may doubtlessly save round $1,944 a 12 months.
How a lot may you save by packing lunch for work? The reply, after all, depends upon a number of components: the place you reside, your office facilities like a cafeteria, whether or not you prepare dinner at residence, and in the event you can carry leftovers, amongst different issues.
However usually, your potential financial savings may not be too completely different from mine. Even in difficult conditions, like for an overhead crane operator caught for 12 hours with out entry to a fridge or microwave, utilizing a thermos can preserve meals heat.
Try: 20 Dust-Low cost Meals Beneath $5
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David Bakke is a private finance professional and the revealed creator of the e-book ‘Don’t Be A Mule.’ Specializing in cash administration, investing, retirement, earnings era, and entrepreneurship, he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Artistic Writing from the College of South Florida. David began his personal weblog, YourFinances101, in 2009. His writing has been featured in Investopedia, Enterprise Insider, US Information, and Cash Crashers.
