Comments on: Why I Probably Won’t Ever Pack a Lunch

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 03:47:37 +0000

Couldn’t agree more CC.

By: Canadian Capitalist

Canadian Capitalist — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 22:04:07 +0000

Don’t forget to double your calculations if you are a couple and more if you have kids. That said, I do enjoy lunching out with friends, colleagues and former co-workers every once in a while. Lunch at our workplace costs a lot less than $6 because of employer subsidies. Either way, it is a personal choice and if your financial goals are met, why not lunch out?

By: Moneymonk

Moneymonk — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 23:56:27 +0000

I eat out mainly because of the convience, but I agree with Dave, once you run the numbers you are not saving a significant amount. 2nd, I think it is hard to cook for one or two people.

If you have a family, it may be more worth packing a lunch.

By: Dave

Dave — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 20:19:12 +0000

Fawn, good point. When I read your first comment there, I also kind of forgot about the cost of packing a lunch…

By: Fawn

Fawn — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 00:33:15 +0000

Umm, right. I guess I forgot to take into account the cost of packing your lunch (duh!). Wow, I am tired today! But in my case, there really isn’t any networking happening, so I might as well eat my leftovers and avoid going out in the -35 weather we’ve been having in Whitehorse these days…

By: Fawn

Fawn — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 00:21:24 +0000

Well, if you know you spend between $6-$12, you can calculate how much your lunches out cost. Assuming you get 2 weeks of holidays a year (where you eat at home… yeah, right)and that you don’t eat out for lunch on weekends, it’s an easy calculation:

$X * 5 days a week * 50 weeks per year

So in your case, you’re spending between $1500 and $3000 a year, not just $988. And that’s just on lunch.

Why let someone else’s numbers demotivate you?

By: Dave

Dave — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 18:31:17 +0000

When I go out for lunch with colleagues we spend between $6-$12 each unfortunately. Not sure how much packed lunches would be for me.

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 18:19:13 +0000

I just looked at the clever dudettes menu…perfect for a 90lb female maybe.

I’m sure it costs $2-3 for my packed lunch and since my takeout lunches average $5 - I’m not really saving much. Plus the social aspect of the packed lunch is somewhat lacking.

By: Dave

Dave — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 17:41:36 +0000

Agreed, using net income is probably better, but I just wanted to get a ballpark percentage of income. I was just surprised that it was only $1000 in the end. I thought it would be more. I was motivated (solely for financial reasons) to bring a lunch to work…but now I’m less motivated.

By: Tim D

Tim D — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 16:26:27 +0000

The $1K is after-tax money; think about how much you need to make to get that $1K. If you are in the highest tax bracket in Ontario, that is almost $1.5K. Sure, it is still small potatoes - but, hey, there are plenty of other things I can do with that money.

Of course, there are other benefits of packing your lunch. You actually know what you are eating. This is getting more important as I get older…and more concerned about health issues.