If one of your goals is to become financially independent there are all sorts of adjustments you will probably have to make up front in order to do so. Typically, you have to spend less than what is coming in and you have to put some of that money into an interest bearing account or accounts. One way you can cut back significantly on the amount you spend is to “brown bag” your lunch.
I remember talking to a financial advisor years ago about this very subject and he broke down how much each lunch costs over the period of 30+ years or so. It can be quite astounding. I brown bagged solid for a year or so, but now am only doing it probably 2-3 times a week. I feel a twinge of guilt sometimes that I am not as dilligent about this as I could be. But every little bit helps right?
Premium coffee drinkers need to take heed too! Think about brewing your coffee at home versus going up to the local Starbucks for a latte every morning. I read recently that if you do that for 30 years, you will have spent something like $263,000 doing so!
Link: Hello, Dollar! – Brown-Bag It to Half a Million .
Brown-Bag It to Half a Million
One of the ways I save money is by bringing my lunch to work four days a week. I’ll treat myself to lunch out one day each week, for variety and to hang out with my co-workers. It’s amazing how much this helps me save, and all of it goes straight into our savings account (a.k.a. our future).
But it can’t really be that much, can it? After all, take-out lunches are pretty cheap. Well, that’s true, they are, but let’s just do the math for fun.
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Thanks for the mention, Brad. I have a coffee maker on my desk, too, so I can avoid the StarBUCKS.
The most amazing thing is how such a little amount each day adds up so dramatically. Keeping that end number in mind is one of the things that keeps me motivated not to cheat as often.
I quit my job 10 years ago to stay home with my son. I cook just about every night.I haven’t missed my paycheck between what I spent on tolls,gas and take out food. I watch the neighborhood women running off to work and bringing home fast food every night for dinner. A lot of the children are overweight and some are dealing with health issues because of their diet. If people did the math on what they spend on take out a year,they would be truly shocked. I know i was.