work lunch - I think I've asked about this before.

[georgeharrison]

Do you bring a lunch? Buy lunch? If you buy, how much do you spend on a typical day/week?

James has gotten back into the habit of buying lunch every day.  It's really adding up.

Now, to be fair, he is "in the field" and doesn't have access to a fridge or microwave. He could easily bring a lunch, but it could get gross in the work truck or whatever during the day. Also, I am sure most of his co-workers eat lunch out and I know he wouldn't want to take a brown bag with or just sit on the truck and eat alone on his break while his friends are going off to buy lunch. I get all that, and I'm not asking him to stop eating out, but maybe choose a less expensive option when he does? Especially these past/next few weeks as he's missing a lot of work for random stuff and his checks will be short. So far this week, he has spent $35 - and yesterday he had jury duty but was dismissed before lunch - was close to home and easily could have eaten at home, but bought lunch out instead.

Am I being a B? Tell me honestly. We aren't hurting financially necessarily, but we have some financial goals in mind and this much eating out doesn't help. 

Also, with him eating out so much, when Tman and I want to eat out, he wants to eat at home, because he's getting his fill of eating out at work.  I think that's kind of a rip off. 

I have been in the office every day this week (full days) and I have spent less than $10 - I bought lunch one day (again, though, my work environment is different and we have free snacks if I need them - but I'm also surrounded by some super delicious lunch options that I have chosen not to patronize because of the expense).

[Deleted]

You are not being a B. Eating out adds up quickly! In general, I tend to go in waves of eating out or bringing in food (largely dictated by whether or not I need to go grocery shopping!). When I eat out for lunch, I typically spend around $5. My typical lunches when "brown bagging" it are a Lean Cuisine + bowl of lettuce for bulk to fill my tummy without calories. I get the same exact thing usually when I eat out..mostly due to knowing what the calorie count is so I don't overeat all the time. I do NOT buy soda, I always get a cup for water. When I'm being better, I eat out maybe once a week just to get out of the office for some breathing room.

Not having a fridge or microwave just changes what kind of meal gets packed. Also, you can get a small cooler (or a soft-sided one) with some ice packs and those will keep the food ungross until lunch time! He also could definitely be choosing different options. Granted, I'm going to assume given the nature of his work that he's hungrier than I am and needs more food than me, but french fries at Arby's are cheaper and more calories than the side salad I opt for, it's maybe only a 50 cent difference for my vegan Baja bowl at Taco del mar than one with meat.

I can tell you what I spend where (the plus being whatever change for taxes, etc):

Taco Del Mar - $5+

Arby's - $5+

Banh Mi - $4+

Jimmy Johns - $8+ (I consider this a splurge)

[georgeharrison]

"ungross" hahaha

[dana86]

Nope not being a B. I used to have this issue with H and he would get coffee and lunch every day. I took on the task of making his lunch for him once we bought our house so that he had no excuse to eat out. Got him a hard lunch box with ice packs and it keeps everything he needs cold all day since he doesn't have access to a fridge. It works well for us, and there are still times where he will go out and pick up lunch but that is now more of a treat.
H thankfully doesn't care what those around him eat, he is happy as long as he has his lunch. I would recommend getting a hard lunch box and having him pack it up with snacks and everything for a day. That way if he is out and about he is good to go without problems. Then on days where it may be more complicated to tote a lunch let him eat out. The problem is just going to be breaking the habit of it being convenient and easy for him to just drive through or tag along. If he doesn't get in the mindset then odds are it will just be excuses as to why he ate out that day and why he couldn't make a lunch or whatever. Thats why with my H I just took the task of doing his lunch for him because it meant no excuses.

[alias]

I go through phases where I'm good and bring something most days and I go through phases where I eat out every day. I spend $10-15 usually if I buy something. And I get coffee. It really does add up.

[Deleted]

about a month ago i was still at that point where i was eating out for lunch at work and getting coffees every morning. D and I made a mutual decision to cut the coffees (every day it was $10 between the 2 of us) and I would get lean cuisines for lunch.

It worked so far. We are saving money and I got a cute lunchbox out of it.

[georgeharrison]

dana86, first of all, what the heck are you doing here? You better be GBCNing from your hospital bed.

Second, I have made him lunches before and he won't eat them. Not always, but sometimes. He will bring it back home. That is enough to make me not want to ever do it again! Rude.

[Deleted]

Jul 2, 2015 11:23:20 GMT -5 georgeharrison said:

dana86, first of all, what the heck are you doing here? You better be GBCNing from your hospital bed.

Second, I have made him lunches before and he won't eat them. Not always, but sometimes. He will bring it back home. That is enough to make me not want to ever do it again! Rude.

That is rude... D would get a talking to.

[dana86]

Jul 2, 2015 11:23:20 GMT -5 georgeharrison said:

dana86, first of all, what the heck are you doing here? You better be GBCNing from your hospital bed.

Second, I have made him lunches before and he won't eat them. Not always, but sometimes. He will bring it back home. That is enough to make me not want to ever do it again! Rude.

Oh then definitely make him do it himself! He can put the effort in and then maybe he will be more willing to eat it since he put the time in to doing it? 

[georgeharrison]

Another thing I feel is relevant is that James grew up with like no money. So, I think since we aren't struggling, he kind of takes advantage of that. We have a little extra, might as well spend it kind of mindset.

[minion]

Jul 2, 2015 11:41:30 GMT -5 georgeharrison said:

Another thing I feel is relevant is that James grew up with like no money. So, I think since we aren't struggling, he kind of takes advantage of that. We have a little extra, might as well spend it kind of mindset.

Maybe a dining out budget?

[MrsPotatohead]

I almost never buy lunch, I just hate spending so much money on a meal I don't really love. If I do go out, I'd like to pick a restaurant where I could really enjoy my meal, more of a special treat.

H has bought lunch a lot because of his schedule, *however* he gets a free meal card and/or forgets to eat lunch, lol. So it's not really the same. If I get on a kick of packing a bunch of salads, then he'll take one if I offer. Things will have to change soon though because he won't have a free meal card anymore. I think the only solution is to just have things pre-packed (which I often do for myself because I prefer leftovers).

[Deleted]

Jul 2, 2015 11:41:30 GMT -5 georgeharrison said:

Another thing I feel is relevant is that James grew up with like no money. So, I think since we aren't struggling, he kind of takes advantage of that. We have a little extra, might as well spend it kind of mindset.

This actually confuses me a little since typically after a year or two of "wow! I'm not struggling, I can BUY things!!" one usually reverts to being more frugal in concern of not having money in the future again. But i guess everyone is different. We aren't struggling but I ALWAYS have this weird mindset of thinking that money is probably a little tight.

[georgeharrison]

Jul 2, 2015 11:54:19 GMT -5 @ksta said:

Jul 2, 2015 11:41:30 GMT -5 georgeharrison said:

Another thing I feel is relevant is that James grew up with like no money. So, I think since we aren't struggling, he kind of takes advantage of that. We have a little extra, might as well spend it kind of mindset.

This actually confuses me a little since typically after a year or two of "wow! I'm not struggling, I can BUY things!!" one usually reverts to being more frugal in concern of not having money in the future again. But i guess everyone is different. We aren't struggling but I ALWAYS have this weird mindset of thinking that money is probably a little tight.

that's how I am, too. It is really rare for me to just throw financial caution to the wind. That's why I get so excited about lemon purses and Disney shoes.

[minion]

I pay for parking at work. So I rarely dine out, and normally under $10.
H's work is way more fun than mine. They have potlucks, or one person will volunteer to cook and they chip in money. H's industry is very different, and the work environment is different. But between the fact he doesn't pay for parking, and his income compared to how much he spends on food a week($25-40), it makes it worth it.

[georgeharrison]

minion - are you downtown? I know I've asked you about your work before. If you are downtown, we should have coffee sometime.

[minion]

Jul 2, 2015 12:04:01 GMT -5 georgeharrison said:

minion - are you downtown? I know I've asked you about your work before. If you are downtown, we should have coffee sometime.

I pm'd you. No I'm not downtown. Ha in my delusional mind, I think I'll have time to hang out while on maternity leave though

[polarbearfans]

We each get a $100 cash per paycheck (every 2weeks), we may go to less now, to spend on whatever we want. Going out with friends, movie rentals, random items. That includes lunches out. once the cash is gone, it is gone. Maybe give him a lunch out budget so he can make a decision on whether he wants to eat out with friends or pack a lunch in a cooler. My husband works in an environment where it is beneficial to go out to lunch with coworkers. He has his personal money for that.

[stretchad]

We were spending an inordinate amount of money on work lunches/breakfast and mutually decided to cut back when DH decided to start his own company and quit his previous job. It's saved a ton...I was spending between 7-15 a day on food, and DH was going out to eat to the pizza place down the street despite working from home (I think he just needed to get out of the house).

I now buy maybe 1 lunch a week, and I try to keep it to something that's less expensive. DH has cut way back too, and if he's feeling the need to get out of the house, instead of going to the pizza place and having a beer and slice of pizza and a salad, he goes during their happy hour for half price beer, and gets a small happy hour pizza deal that he eats a little of, then saves the rest for the next day at home.

I've also started making my drinks (Iced tea) at work in the kitchen instead of buying from Starbucks. Saving a lot there too.

[Deleted]

Jul 2, 2015 12:16:29 GMT -5 stretchad said:

We were spending an inordinate amount of money on work lunches/breakfast and mutually decided to cut back when DH decided to start his own company and quit his previous job. It's saved a ton...I was spending between 7-15 a day on food, and DH was going out to eat to the pizza place down the street despite working from home (I think he just needed to get out of the house).

I now buy maybe 1 lunch a week, and I try to keep it to something that's less expensive. DH has cut way back too, and if he's feeling the need to get out of the house, instead of going to the pizza place and having a beer and slice of pizza and a salad, he goes during their happy hour for half price beer, and gets a small happy hour pizza deal that he eats a little of, then saves the rest for the next day at home.

I've also started making my drinks (Iced tea) at work in the kitchen instead of buying from Starbucks. Saving a lot there too.

On this note, I was not prepared to give up my oprah chai tea lattes so i bought the loose leaf and an espresso machine and started making my own at home instead of spending $100/month for them.... I do sometimes treat myself however. Like this AM

[georgeharrison]

Jul 2, 2015 12:19:18 GMT -5 @aellasbeth said:

Jul 2, 2015 12:16:29 GMT -5 stretchad said:

We were spending an inordinate amount of money on work lunches/breakfast and mutually decided to cut back when DH decided to start his own company and quit his previous job. It's saved a ton...I was spending between 7-15 a day on food, and DH was going out to eat to the pizza place down the street despite working from home (I think he just needed to get out of the house).

I now buy maybe 1 lunch a week, and I try to keep it to something that's less expensive. DH has cut way back too, and if he's feeling the need to get out of the house, instead of going to the pizza place and having a beer and slice of pizza and a salad, he goes during their happy hour for half price beer, and gets a small happy hour pizza deal that he eats a little of, then saves the rest for the next day at home.

I've also started making my drinks (Iced tea) at work in the kitchen instead of buying from Starbucks. Saving a lot there too.

On this note, I was not prepared to give up my oprah chai tea lattes so i bought the loose leaf and an espresso machine and started making my own at home instead of spending $100/month for them.... I do sometimes treat myself however. Like this AM

I think this is one of things that really bothers me.  I would love to buy a big, giant coffee every day.  But I don't.  I don't want to call it a sacrifice, I just don't indulge.  BUT, he indulges to the 200th degree and then I feel like I should be able to get a big, giant coffee, too.  But I don't. And I get resentful. 

[madDawg228]

I don't think you are being a B, but it sounds like it might be time to have a talk with J and try to figure out a lunch and dinner going out budget. I don't think it's unfair/too much to figure out a family budget plan if you are feeling resentful.

[Deleted]

Jul 2, 2015 13:46:37 GMT -5 madDawg228 said:

I don't think you are being a B, but it sounds like it might be time to have a talk with J and try to figure out a lunch and dinner going out budget. I don't think it's unfair/too much to figure out a family budget plan if you are feeling resentful.

This.

I get lunch maaaaybe once a week, but more like twice every 3 weeks.

And when I do get lunch it's like a £3 meal deal from the grocery store downstairs that includes a sandwich or salad, chips and a drink.

Maybe once every two months I'll "splurge" on a £8 lunch.

I hate paying for lunches at work, since like MrsPotatohead said, it's a meal I don't care about.

[karebear219]

I agree, maybe a lunch budget. I would say he could always buy lunch on fridays or what not, but with his job it might be hard to stick to it.

If I go out I usually spend 7-10 dollars.

I used to do the budget thing with coffee. I got coffee if I worked saturdays and I had a $25 dollar GC to use every payday, so when it was gone, it was gone and I couldn't go any more.