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

ashleyfae

Because I am a weightwatchers bod I make 0 or low point soup ( very cheap as well) feeze a few portions. When I want for work I leave out overnight to defrost, heat up in morning and then put in flask.It's then ready straight away when i want.Definately need forward planning to both save money and loose weight!!

EagerLearner

VickyA - I can relate - there's a Sommerfield 1 minute from my work and it's sooo easy to just 'pop in' for essentials and come out with more. I now only go there on a Monday and buy the following for the week @ work (luckily I have a fridge at work):

- Hoummus
- Cheese rice cakes
- Pack carrots
- Apples
- Cupasoup (occasionally)
- drinking yoghurt
- Cream cheese and 1 or 2 rolls
- Cashews

This means at least I have nibbly things to convince me I don't need to go out at lunch, then I bring other bits from home like...

Sweetcorn & Tuna Salad

One thing that's worked great it peeling loads of spuds in one go, boiling them then using some for dinner and making a work lunch with the rest. I made a delicious tuna and sweetcorn potato salad on the wknd - cubed cooked potatoes, chopped garlic, sweetcorn, tuna and mayo with seasoning (paprika, pepper, salt). Works wonders and lasts 2-3 days! Total cost maybe £0.70 per meal (3 meals) but lovely in summer!

Maroccan Cous Cous

Couscous is another cheap and fun meal - lasts days! I buy the packs of mediterranean cous cous @ Sainsburys for about 39p a pack (does 2 lunches). Then I stick it in a jug with boiling water, mix in some apricot jam and sultanas, sometimes flaked almonds and a squirt of orange juice and let set for a couple mins, then mix. Done! Then just pop into tupperware. Total cost prob £0.40 per meal!

Hope this helps someone - this is a great thread and hopefully we'll be strong and carry on ;o)

EagerLearner

beautifulgorgeous_2

Orange juice cartons freeze well and can be used as coolers til lunchtime. Really good for picnics in the summer as after lunch the whole lot is disposable so no melted ice pack to carry home.

black-saturn

I'm afraid this is my big downfall. I just love going in cafes. It really is my treat. I must go in cafes about 3 times a week and spend roughly £3 a time on a roll and a coffee. So if you add that up over a month it's almost £40 per month.

I've got round it a bit by buying Subway stamps off ebay. I paid £2.50 for enough stamps for 16 Subway sandwiches. All you have to do is buy a coffee which is £1.

I'm saving for spending money for my holiday which is in December so I am really going to make an effort to keep out of the cafes.

jobbingmusician

The most wicked thing I ever did whilst on tour, in all day musical rehearsals was to take a slow cooker with me! I surreptitiously plugged it into a convenient point (I felt a bit guilty about 'stealing' electricity but rationalised that no-one would mind if I had plugged in a light above my music stand - same cost )

At lunchtime OH and I had a delicious stew to sustain us! A few people said 'Oooooo, that's what it was! I thought I was imagining things in the rehearsal because I kept smelling these delicious smells....' :rotfl:

(Perhaps this should be in the 'extreme moneysaving' thread, though!)

Bunnie1982

I have been very good this lunchtime and have not gone into town, instead I have eaten my sandwiches which my fiance made and have logged on here for an hour

new_money_saver_2

We bought some subway stamps from ebay but i didn,t realise you had to buy coffee to use them! I don't like coffee either!

Goldilox

Ooooh I'm happy this tip was included in Martin's Money Tips Email! :-) <----Big Smile

MushyPeas

Hurrah, well done Goldilox :j :T

katyk_2

libitina wrote:

Use individual bottles of water as iceblocks for your cool bags. Tip a little bit out first as they'll expand when frozen. By lunchtime you'll have cool lunch and a cold drink to go with it too. Especially nice in warm weather.

Also works with frozen Frubes or frozen CapriSun. :j I frequently put frozen frubes in children's packed lunches (also means I can buy loads when reduced and just stick them in the freezer - got about 6 packets in Asda not long ago for 30p per pack as it was their sell-by date that day No problem whn putting them straight in the freezer as soon as you get home. Kids love them frozen too - like little yoghurt icepoles - and, when taken for lunch, they remain cool albeit defrosted by lunchtime, and help keep sandwiches etc cool too.

As for my lunch, I share many of the ideas above ie leftovers from last nights meal, soups, pasta salads, crackers & cheese etc. Last place I worked had vending machines for toasties, sweets, crisps and even coffee (nothing came free) as well a well established but rather expensive sandwich van which did the daily rounds. New office much smaller - tea/coffee etc free and no-where to buy anything so no choice but to bring in. It's saving me a fortune!:D