Lunchtime plan to save money at work - lets see how much we can all save in a month!

Goldilox

I have been on this site for a few days now and I think it's fabulous! I am trying to reduce my student loan by as much as possible and although I am under the threshold of £15,000 at the moment - I am now paying off £50 per week for the forseable future so the current interest of £360 per year doesn't keep mounting up! (Naughty Student Loans Company! LOL)

Anyway...I know I waste quite a bit of money each month - a large majority of it during my lunch breaks at work...so here is what I am going to do and I'd love it if people would join in with me and keep an update of how well they are doing in their signatures?


LEAVE CARDS AT HOME - All I will have in my bag each day is emergency money - eg for Bus Fare / Phone call. Ideally you will not have any notes in your purse/wallet - but the shear minimum amount of money you can get away with each day! If you can't use your cards..then there is no chance of spending money on items you don't really need or want!

MAKE LUNCH THE NIGHT BEFORE - I have to make lunch the night before because I often don't have time in the morning. I love making pasta salads etc. Making your own lunch means you don't have to waste money each day buying overpriced sandwiches / snacks in the shops. Considering most sandwiches are £2 if you don't buy one monday to friday thats roughly a saving of £10 per week or £40 per month! Yipppee!

Homemade food is also so much nicer and healthier! :-)

WALK AWAY FROM THE SHOPS - I waste a lot of money during my lunch break simply because I go shopping out of boredom and to get away from my desk at work. I hate the fact that I enjoy buying things that I don't really need...I have enough shoes and clothes to last a lifetime!! Most of my impulse buys occur during my lunchbreak anyway!!

I am now going to walk in the opposite direction of the shops during my lunch break so I won't risk the temptation and if it is raining I will pay a visit to the library or somewhere similar instead - as long as it's free!

Anyway - hopefully these three lunchtime changes will help me save money each month! Hope everyone else wants to join in too! :-)

lynzpower

Im doing this already, giving myself a quid a day for incidentals ( newspaper, bars of chocolate etc) but if I dont spend it, it carries over for the next day!

Mind you Ive been struggling for money for such a long time, Ive forgotted what clothes & shoes shopping is ( thankfully lol)

All the best with it, I cant believe i used to spend 100 pm minimum on lunches, me & OH are spending that on food for both of us PER MONTH!! LOL xx

Actiongirl_2

It is also massively healthier. I take my lunches to work for two reasons: 1) To save money on the overpriced restaurant in the office and 2) I have been doing weigh!!!!chers on and off for the past 2 years and this is the only way I can control my points.

Great idea. Also, tried the card thing in January and it really worked. I am with you and will start again from tomorrow!

Goldilox

I just hope I remember to make my lunches! LOL :-)

Kevicho

I was going to suggest taking a book, but then i caught a glimpse of the library thing

It seems like you are taking all the steps you can to avoid spending at lunch time

Bunnie1982

I'd like to join in on this as I am a sucker for lunch time shopping, everyday I go into town even though I have a packed lunch and buy snacks from Asda, it is the disadvantage of working so close to the town centre.

I only really need to take my card with me one day a week and that is to purchase my train ticket (£22.20) if I took cash it would mean drawing out £30 and I would only spend the change on snacks

I always take packed lunches but get really fed up of bread, so might try some pasta salads, pitta breads, or food I can reheat in the microwave

LookingAhead

Hi Goldilox! I do already take HM lunches into work every day and luckily I don't work near any shops really (except Tesco) as I work on the outskirts of a little town. However yes you are right about leaving the cards at home. Sometimes I go to Tesco to get the fresh veggies I need for the weeks dinners...but because I have my Switch card with me I end up buying other things that I could really do without or at least do not need for a few weeks.

So I am going to give that a go.

Good luck with your debt reduction!

oops_a_daisy

some good ideas there Golilox. I have banned myself from all shops unless it it budgeted for. I am also doing my own lunch too but I always eat it before lunchtime . I also try not to carry cash about with me because Im packing in smoking so if I dont have any money I cant get any ciggies without going to the cash machine - and i have banned myself from that too :rotfl:

LizD_2

Idea for lunches:

make double for evening meal, then take into work next day

oops_a_daisy

I already do that with big dinners - I put out 4 plates instead of 2 and then put 2 in the fridge ready for the next night so we have a full dinner without all the hard work I have done it today with a chicken so we have had a full dinner today and will have the same tomorrow ( mmmmm cant wait ) I am having chicken sandwiches in the meantime and the rest will go into a curry. If I was being really OS I would boil up the bones for stock :rotfl:

Zabl

Great Idea - i'm a sucker for going to the supermarket at lunchtime and always end up spending money on things i don't need.
I'm going to try and walk for 30mins each day instead of mooching around supermarket, plus try the tips above