[USER]

One of the hardest things about being frugal for me is watching and listening to your co workers buy lunch everyday from subs to Chinese to amazing looking salads. It does make me happy that I am not spending 50 of 60 dollars a week.

How does everyone else handle this

Thanks for listening

[April]

I mostly brought my lunch. Some snickered at my selection sometimes but I will never forget learning one of my coworkers and dearest friend had over 25k in credit card debt and that didn’t stop them from buying lunch and spa days.

Bottom line is you just never know someone’s situation.

[JoAnn]

Delicious leftovers. Then put $10 in and envelope and at the end of the week, put that $50 towards one of your financial goals.

It’s more fun when you see the money physically add up

[Lauren]

I feel you. Your meals are cheaper and most likely healthier. You’ll come out way ahead in the long run. I would treat myself to a takeout lunch at work once a month or so.

It might not be as much better as you think! Good luck to you.

[Lizzard]

I just mind my own money. If they want to spend money on burgers and stuff that’s their life.

[Brenda]

I bring excellent smelling and tasting food from home and announce that it was $2!!

[Regina]

I splurg on Wednesday at this BBQ place. It $5 for a pulled chicken sandwich with whatever sauce you want a bag of chips and a can of pop.

[Regina]

Maybe lunch is their splurge and they are frugal home alone at supper?

[Melissa]

I have no envy. I love my friends and actually most people. I do think it’s a shame that big beautiful house, new shiny car and credit debt; the bank owns them.

The only thing the bank has on me are my investments.

[Sheri]

Funny story I pack a lunch for hubby and he takes a microwave to work with him. He works on construction sites. Most time the others get take out or bring a sandwich.

When hubby heats his food the guys always comments on how good that smells.

He just grins and enjoys his hot meal. And we save my money too.

[Jessica]

I don’t even look at it like that. I feel happy knowing I have the self control to pack my own lunches. And my lunches are much healthier.

I get those bagged salads and chicken sausage from Costco.

My lunches cost me about $30 a week or less.

I’d rather if I’m gonna eat out, that I get a nice dinner with my husband than rush for lunch at work.

[Eric]

Exactly agree, but it pays off, as wife n I retired at 52 while our coworkers still soldier on… lol

[Christine]

I intermittently fast for the entire day until I get home from work. I avoid those cookies, donuts, etc. I don’t have to pack a lunch. I drink ginger and lemon tea all day.

It’s my new normal.

I feel so much better. And I don’t envy them!!!!

[Jennifer]

I admit that I take the time to make my lunches look pretty. A little extra care and I focus on how nice they are VS what I don’t have.

[Karen]

Enjoy a packed lunch from home then go for a walk. Soon they will ask to join you because a nice break at lunch is better than an expensive carry out lunch.

[Lori]

I remind myself that my coworkers are probably up to their eyeballs in debt! And bringing my lunch allows me the comfort of not doing the same thing with my finances.

[Tommy]

I’m the co-worker that goes to the cafeteria 5 days a week. They have meals that are healthy and not so healthy. It’s not very expensive I can get a nice filling lunch for $8.

I did stop going out for dinner/ happy hours this year.

I have zero debt and spend way way way way less than I make.

[Tammy]

I sit next to a girl in her early 30’s who has more health issues than most 80 year olds. Seeing her eat garbage all day reminds me that making better food choices(homemade) makes me feel better physically.

The tradeoff isn’t worth it.

[Christine]

To be honest, I treat myself now and then, but I order something off of the kids menu. It’s usually just enough to satisfy my craving and satisfy my hunger.

[Sam]

I just remember being dead broke and how that felt. It’s easy for me to recall, because it was so wretched!

You know and I know, that eating the home food will allow you to save money for a special lunch in the future, not just a day to day waste of the same money.

Eyes on the prize!

[Darla]

Life stages: Do what you can afford. Never go into debt just to eat out.
Age 16-51: I packed my lunch for work.

Age 52-present: I buy my lunch whenever I want. There is a local family restaurant near my office and I’m there at least 3 days a week for lunch.

I eat a lot of fish (which I rarely cook for dinner at home), and specialty salads and I drink water.

The staff is the best and I feel like Norm from Cheers each time I walk through the door.

When the pandemic permanently shut down many restaurants, this one stayed open for carry-out and my husband and I patronized them as much as possible to keep money flowing within the community.

When our small community reopened for business, we felt that this was a good way to keep supporting a local business and the employees.

People are frugal for different reasons and in different seasons of life.

Eating out was once out of reach for us in our younger years. Our children didn’t know what fast-food was until they were in late elementary school and our neighbors invited us to a birthday party at a local McDonalds.

Now that our children are young adults and self-sufficient, we made eating at this local family restaurant a priority in our budget.

Their food is high quality, the staff are people who love their jobs and working for the company.

In this season, I’m eating according to my daily calories, my macro, and eating a variety of produce. Being able to custom order a meal has advantages.

On the days that I pack, I’ve meal prepped, again, according to my macro.

I have a minimalist wardrobe from TJMaxx, Meijer and Amazon because I like simple. High end clothing is not my priority and I don’t like shopping, in general.

Packing a daily lunch for nearly 4 decades helped us get to a point where we can ‘pay it forward’ to our community.

[Dawn]

I have a similar frustration in the way my husband leaves for work with ease every morning knowing he’ll pick up breakfast on the way and go out with work peeps for lunch EVERY SINGLE DAY.

I haven’t begged but he has zero interest in change Of course they do balance it out plenty with Costco pizza and hot dogs

[Airaki]

I once had a coworker who always complaining about not having money, come to find out she order foods for her family every day, she said she don’t know how to cook.

I told her I could show her, and she can learn on YouTube, but she was not interested.

[John]

Fortunately before I retired I worked at a place where we all took individual lunch breaks so we could eat alone and in peace.

I didn’t care what others brought or bought because I wasn’t eating with them!

[Janet]

I always took my lunch to work, mine was just as good looking as take out and tasted better. My splurge was fish sandwiches during lent.

We had a small place near us that had the best fish and homemade pierogi.

[Author]

Posts