Is Eating Out Everyday Derailing Your Finances?

This is a question we need to think about seriously. It’s fun to eat out with co-workers, but can our budget handle it? Following the group could be part of the problem of siphoning our hard-earned money each payday.

No one wants to be left out. Eating lunch together is a way to bond away from the office. Besides, it was only six dollars.

This scenario demonstrates how we think about spending money on food. Food and good times seem to go together in our culture. Eating out is not the only way to bond over food.

When setting up a budget, a category is created for groceries. A weekly or biweekly shopping trip to the grocery store brings enough groceries to feed the family. Buying lunch when there is food in the house blows the budget.

Ask co-workers to try bringing in their lunch at least three times a week. Make a plan to eat in the break room together or outside at a picnic table for lunch. They will save money also.

You probably choose the same one or two places when you eat out. Make some of your favorite dishes at home and take them for lunch. The grocery trips are not just for breakfast and dinner items. Buy foods that are good in a packed lunch. Most workplaces have a microwave and a toaster oven. You can prepare your food and eat it piping hot.

If you have a group of co-workers with whom you spend most of your time, why not start a lunch club. Each person takes a day and fixes something for the others in the group to enjoy. No one has to prepare a meal more than once a week, and they will know in advance when it is their turn.

The extra food can be figured into the grocery bill. The lunch club idea may catch on, and more people will join. The more people are involved, the less often each person contributes a meal. The meals don’t have to be elaborate. Many delicious meals require only a few ingredients.

You can still eat out once a week or maybe even twice. Add it to your budget. Pay for your meal in cash. This eliminates the temptation to overspend when using a credit card. Eating lunch out means that dinner will have to be eaten at home to balance spending habits.

Lastly, opt out if the group still wants to eat out more often than your budget allows. Tell them politely that you can’t go and brown bag it. They’ll still be your friendly co-workers, and you’ll have learned a valuable lesson about resisting the temptation to follow the crowd at the expense of your money.