Follow us as we answer the question “Does bringing your own lunch actually save money?”
The question of bringing your own lunch does spark quite a few conversations on how can this actually save money in the long run. While it is true that it can prevent you from not spending too much by eating out during lunch, but how much you can save up is the bigger question in this equation.
We frequently discuss being mindful of your spending and making sure it is something you want to do with your money. If you don’t keep track of your spending, it can add up, reduce your savings, or even raise your debt.
1. Making your own food vs eating out
Making your own food can have its perks, you can meal prep or adjust your food based on your diet or your liking is one of the main advantages. Even though by prepping your meals you have more control and maybe knowledge of what you are putting in and out of your meals. You also need to learn how to eat healthily, make sure that you have a balanced diet, and not starve yourself throughout the day.
However, some people consider cooking quite the hassle, and they miss the comfort that eating out brings. You don’t have to do the dishes, you don’t have to clean up afterward, and you don’t have to spend the extra hour of the day preparing your own food. People might argue that between eating out and cooking your meals, they don’t have much of an impact on your savings as much, and we have to spend our money regardless of the situation. Look at it this way, it was never about how we spend our money, but it’s about how it adds up as time goes by.
2. How much does it cost?
If we really look into it, the cost of eating out can add up a lot more in the long run. For example, if you spent 10-20$ by eating out every day, at the end of the week you can easily spend around 60-80$ per week. You can also buy a week’s worth of groceries alone with the same amount of money you spent on ordering food (Please keep in mind that this also varies on where you are from and your own units of currency).
We have to preface this by saying that saving money should be enjoyable, so we are not insisting that you always pack a lunch. It can be fine to dine at a delicious restaurant occasionally, but not every day.
When you’re feeling overwhelmed, remember that you can harness the power of little improvements. That is to say, start by making your lunch for one day and work your way up from there rather than having to prepare it for five days in a row!
3. Practice makes perfect!
By having discipline you can definitely learn how to save your money, there’s nothing wrong with sticking with a savings plan or when you are tight on budget. One of the things that you can do other than preparing your own food is you can save money by just following a plan and working it out.
This can be excruciating at first because you are so used to spending money, but as you are getting the hang of it, it’s not too much of an inconvenience as we think it is. Being realistic with oneself is crucial. Going cold turkey on buying meals can be a major change if you’ve been doing it frequently. Plan for indulgences rather than putting yourself in a position to fail.