The sandwich piggy

OK folks, here it is! Your sandwich pig to save money! :D

RULES

1. A 'pig' is something you keep money in. It does not have to be pink, round, or go oink. You may however be tempted to 'feed' something that looks cute more regularly. Sandwich pigs (SP) rule! :beer:

2. Each time you eat a home made lunch (HML) at work, deposit the money you have saved in your SP. The ideal amount to deposit each day is worked out by the following formula:

SPI - actual cost of food = amount saved, which should be fed to your SP.

The SPI is the Sandwich Price Index, which is the cost of an averagely tasty sandwich and banana. At the time of writing, the SPI (London) stands at £2.75. If you work in the City or in another particularly expensive conurbation, the SPI is £4. The SPI will be updated from time to time to reflect the RPI, price of bananas, and particularly persuasive arguments from other MSEs.

3. The definition of HML includes lunches assembled at work from raw ingredients (SP owners are generally advised to buy the raw ingredients in supermarkets near their home, rather than running the risk of price inflation in city centre shops). HML also include instant meals cooked on the work premises, always assuming that the instant meal is cheap enough to render the SPI a positive amount!

4. The author is a largish sandwich-pig farmer who does not particularly want to hear about people's success in going without lunch altogether. Lunch is the most important meal of the day for those of us who never get it together to eat breakfast, or are not hungry at that time of day! :p

5. You have not failed if you buy the occasional sandwich, or have to go out with your mates to celebrate important work-related issues such as the boss's budgie's birthday. Count your savings and rejoice!

6. Go on, you know you want to - update your signature now!
I was a board guide here for many years, but have now resigned. Amicably, but I think it reflects very poorly on MSE that I have not even received an acknowledgement of my resignation! Poor show, MSE.

This signature was changed on 6.4.22. This is an experiment to see if anyone from MSE picks up on this comment.
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Comments

  • lynzpower
    lynzpower Posts: 25,311
    Combo Breaker First Post
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    Top plan JM

    Sadly Ive no budget for luches any more, as its amalgamated into the weekly grocery shop- but a fab idea for newbies!

    And surely, dont forget, the extras, crisps, chocolate, drinks etc.

    Ive saved somewhere in the region of 130 per month by taking my own lunch in, all the best to everyone doing the lunch pig challenge!!!
    :beer: Well aint funny how its the little things in life that mean the most? Not where you live, the car you drive or the price tag on your clothes.
    Theres no dollar sign on piece of mind
    This Ive come to know...
    So if you agree have a drink with me, raise your glasses for a toast :beer:
  • savingpennies
    savingpennies Posts: 692
    First Post First Anniversary
    Forumite
    I'm trying very hard to take my lunch to work and not buy it from work. Most days I succeed. Today I didn't and it cost me £3. Trouble is if I buy a sandwich at work and then I am also tempted to buy other things: that packet of crisps, that snack bar. It's not doing the waistline any good either. Seeing the pennies/pounds mount up in a sandwich pig might just do the trick and I can always put the proceeds into the mortgage pig later. Great idea!
    Books - the original virtual reality.
    Tilly Tidying:
  • charlie007
    charlie007 Posts: 413 Forumite
    i have manyaged five days out of seven so far, not bad by my standards and the mornings lunch is in the fridge. I spend about 3.50 as i am awful and always buy sandwich, choc. fruit and a paper. That means so far i have saved 24.50. Will put it some of it to good use and treat myself to a piggy bank.
    Mortgage free Start amount feb 2014 227000. Current amount nov 2014 217000.

    Challenges 2015
    No alcohol January. No spend February
    Write down all spends over the whole year
  • saw this thread last night, and was inspired to make some lunch and bring it in with me today. normally spend about £2.75 for a sandwich and a cake. so now i just need a recepticle for the money. wonder how long i'll keep it up for. will amend my signature.
    thanks for the inspiration to do this, much appreciated.
    £2 saver club 30th sept 198 £2 coins = £396(£350 banked)
  • Excellent jobbingmusician!! Funny when someone takes my advice, makes me feel weird!! I look forward to seeing how much you save. It's good when you can see it mounting up!!

    Good luck!!
    Official DFW Nerd no. 082! :cool:
    Debt @ 01/01/2014 £16,956 Debt now: £0.00 :j
    Aims:[STRIKE] clear debt, get married, buy a house[/STRIKE] :D ALL DONE!!
  • second day and i've got my packed lunch with me. do you know yesterday i enjoyed my lunch more than i have in weeks. the andwich didn't taste plastic like they mornally do, lol.
    £2 saver club 30th sept 198 £2 coins = £396(£350 banked)
  • themaccas
    themaccas Posts: 1,453 Forumite
    Great idea for newbies but wouldn't work for us, we have been taking packed lunches to work for the last 18 years!
    Debtfree JUNE 2008 - Thank you MSE:T
  • day three and packed lunch again. i feel almost organsised, lol.
    £2 saver club 30th sept 198 £2 coins = £396(£350 banked)
  • nabowla
    nabowla Posts: 567 Forumite
    What a brilliant idea!!!

    My first thought was "I can't possibly afford to do this". Then I realised that I've been buying lunch/coffees/chocolate most days for the past month due to the fact that I'm deeply unhappy at work. So how can I afford to buy lunches when I can't afford to put money into a sandwich pig? Go figure!

    I'm going to start a Pret Pig to collect money every time I resist the temptation to buy something from a well-known sandwich chain close to work. I can't afford to save the money up long-term as I'm overspending right now but the plan is to fund my weekly spending (cinema, going out etc) from the Pret Pig. If there's nothing in the pig, I don't go out! That should motivate me to organise HM lunches every day :D
  • fizzel81
    fizzel81 Posts: 1,623 Forumite
    THis is a good idea as i dont work i cannot really do it but its a good idea for anyone who regulary buys lunch
    DFW nerd club number 039 :p 'Proud To Be Dealing With My Debts' :money: i will be debt free aug 2010

    2008 live on 4k +cb £6,247.98/£6282.80 :T
    sealed pot 2670g
    2009 target £4k + cb £643.89:eek: /£6412.80
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