Today has been a quiet day. I went to the office in the morning - there had been an accident on the freeway and three of the four lanes were closed! Needless to say the freeway was clogged. I got to the office later than usual, but it wasn't too bad. I spent most of the morning attending a meeting. The afternoon was more productive.
I wore my new sweater to the office today and received several compliments on it.
I boiled some eggs, last night, and made egg salad, before I went to sleep. This morning, I made an egg salad sandwich for breakfast and took the last two curry puffs for my lunch. My colleague in the cubicle next to me asked me what I was doing for lunch and I told her I had brought my lunch. She said she used to bring her lunch, but she has been going out to eat almost every day since we moved to the new building and it gets to be expensive. I didn't say anything, but the cheapest lunch in this area costs at least $5 for just a sandwich; that's $25 per week for lunch. At $25/week for 50 weeks (with 2 weeks off on vacation), that's $1,250 per year. Yes, it is a bit of work to make sandwiches or pack leftovers, etc., and it is nice to be able to treat yourself to a meal out, every so often, but packing a lunch from home is one of the easiest ways to save money.
After I came home, I brought the trash cans in and put water to the back garden. The weekly grocery ads were delivered and I took a look. Strawberries will be on sale for $.99/lb, this week; I plan to get some, along with bread, milk, and some type of meat to cook for the week.
Later in the evening, I video chatted with my daughter. She has started taking ice skating lessons; she had her second lesson, today, and said she really enjoyed it. I'm glad she found something to do.
Today, I am grateful for:
- A sunny day
- A safe commute to the office and back
- A relaxed evening at home
- Video chatting with daughter
- Working sprinklers
Wednesday's To Do List:
- Doctor's appointment
- Put gas to the car
- Grocery shop?
How was your day? Did you have a good Tuesday? Do you (or did you) take your lunch to work? Or do you prefer to buy lunch?
Quiet days are nice! Or is that my age talking,lol. I am not surprised your sweater received complements it is lovely. When I worked, I used to take my lunch and occasionally ate out. Most people did as our building was in an expensive part of the city. Have a lovely Wednesday, mine was good!
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the quiet days, Sharon. I still tire rather quickly and the quiet days help to restore my energy. I ran some numbers, yesterday - even if one ate lunch out once a week and brought a packed lunch 4 days a week, that's still a savings of $20/week; $80/month, $960/year. Now, multiply that by however many years one might work and that's a serious chunk of money!
DeleteI take my lunch to work. I don't really have time to go out and there aren't that many places to go to anyway. Saving money is a nice added bonus. However, when I was younger and made more money, I ate out almost every day. At one point, I worked downtown in a city with lots of fun places to go to and another time there was a good cafeteria in the basement. But always, I was with a group of people. Sometimes in an intense job, you need a break like that.
ReplyDeleteOne of my friends at work, who buys her lunch daily, says she looks on it as a work-related expense, like gas, parking, or a transit pass. She says it is worth it to her not to have to trouble with making a lunch, every day. I am sure that going out to lunch with a group of people makes a nice break, too, and gives one a chance to socialize with co-workers. When I do go out to lunch, I like going to places where I get to eat something I might not make at home on a regular basis. Sometimes, that is something as exotic as a hamburger! LOL!
DeleteMeetings that lasted for almost half a day were never worth it in my experience!
ReplyDeleteI almost always packed my lunch for work. It just seemed like such a waste of $$ to purchase. I even took my own soft drink and we were provided free tea and coffee. The very same people who did choose to spend this way didn't hesitate to ask me how did we afford to travel abroad, send our children to good universities. Didn't occur to them that this type of spending adds up!
Do hope your daughter enjoys ice skating. My youngest son was a very good skater both on ice and roller skating.
It was a long meeting and ran well over the time that was allotted.
DeleteYes, I am a firm believer that the small savings add up, over the years. Even if I ate out once a week and packed a lunch the other 4 days, that's a minimum of $20 saved during the week; that's $80/month; multiplied by 12 months, it is $960/year ($1,000 if you just multiply by 50 weeks - 52 weeks in a year, minus 2 weeks when you might be on vacation). Multiply that by the number of years one might work (let's say 30), and that's a nice amount of money one didn't spend!
I don't work away from home so I eat whatever is left all the time. Saves both money and leftovers going into the trash. I would like to eat what I want occasionally, though, instead of just what is left.
ReplyDeleteAnne, that is the problem with eating leftovers all the time - after awhile, it becomes less than appealing. Maybe, once or twice a week, the leftovers can be frozen for a later meal and you can treat yourself to something you would like to eat.
DeleteWe had a Nature's Table in our lobby, right under my office, back when I worked so it was really really hard to resist buying breakfast or lunch and I often bought both. Aaargh, when I think of all the money I wasted back then! Good for you for bringing your lunch with you. YS and Greg bring a packed lunch to school and work every day and it saves us a ton!
ReplyDeleteI wish our strawberries went on sale for 99 cents a lb again. They are on sale at Aldi for $1.69/lb this week but they're $2.50 to $3.50 everywhere else! And those are Florida strawberries too!
How fun that your Daughter started taking ice skating lessons! Is she doing this on her own or with friends?
Yes, the cafe is located in the lobby and I pass it on my way to the elevators! I've been told their breakfast burritos are very good, but I don't much care for breakfast burritos, so I am not tempted. And I refuse to pay $8 for a sandwich! Or $3 for a bagel with cream cheese.
DeleteI was happy to see the strawberries for $.99. I might buy another couple of containers, next week, before the sale ends.
Daughter is going for the ice skating lessons on her own. She has always wanted to learn how to ice skate and ride horses, but I was unable to take her for those lessons. I didn't see how we could fit in more lessons - she was already taking piano, several types of dance, gymnastics, etc.
It can soon be tedious to eat out all the time. Restaurant food loses its attraction if you overdo it. I know this because our son takes a packed lunch for this very reason. When they visit, he often takes back a portion of Mom's cooking for his lunch the following day!
ReplyDeleteOur driveway is a mess of deep snow with deep muddy ruts! DH drove the car out to the road for me and I left it when I came back, for him to put away. On the plus side, the sap is running well again.
Bushlady, I am sure your son appreciates your cooking! Glad too, to hear that the sap is running! Nice of your husband to help you with getting the car out and putting it away, again. :)
DeleteWhen I was working full time in the Cicil Service I used the canteen as the meals were subsidised and it worked out a lot cheaper to eat there every day. When I went part time and started teaching it was a combination of making my own sandwiches to take with me or eating early/later at home, depending on how long I was going to be out of the house.
ReplyDeleteYes, subsidized meals in a canteen or cafeteria would be a good option, if available, I'm sure. Especially if it was cheaper to eat there, in the long run! :)
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