Cheapskate: Don’t let a pricey lunch eat a hole in your future

While all of this is certainly plausible, another statistic kind of blows a hole in that argument: 70 percent of Americans spend $18 per week eating lunch out twice a week. At $9 per day, that’s $936 a year! Lunch may well be eating a huge hole in their finances.

The solution is not hard to figure out. Taking your lunch to work or school could easily recover $2,500 per year for savings, if we consider at least 2.5 lunch-eating people per household. And every time you are strategic with using last night’s leftovers to make today’s lunch, you’ll be saving even more. (Who says there’s no such thing as a free lunch?)

The biggest hurdle for many of us may well be psychological rather than practical. No one wants to look like a nerd at the office. And not everyone is intuitively creative with loading up a brown bag with something that will be close to appealing come lunchtime. It does require a bit of planning and a rigid commitment to a plan. The secret is to make it a rigid behavior long enough until it becomes a habit.

CALCULATE. Need more proof that taking your lunch to work will pay off big? The Brown Bag Lunch Money Savings Calculator will do just that. Check it out. (It’s free.)

REUSABLE TRANSPORTS. While the traditional brown bag will hold the average sized lunch, it’s not protective, it’s not insulated and it’s a single-use proposition. To affirm your commitment invest a few bucks in a functional and attractive lunchbox or bag.

I’ve had a Freddie and Sebbie black-and-white polka dot lunch bag for a while now, and I love it. It’s just the perfect size, made of neoprene (a great insulator), has a zipper top and cleans up like a dream.

Of all the lunch transports for my male readers and their sons, I would recommend the Hango insulated lunchbox cooler set in the black option. And it’s really great in pink for ladies and girls. This set of two lunchboxes (one large and one a bit smaller) fold up for easy storage.

MOTIVATIONAL RESOURCES. If you could use some motivation, instructions and fabulous ideas for making really great lunches for kids, students and adults, too, check out these resources:

“What Are You Doing for Lunch?” by Mona Meighan (Book Publishers Network, 2012; $12). This helpful book approaches the subject of from a nutritional viewpoint and is packed with ideas and specific instructions for packing healthy lunches that will appeal to all ages and specific tastes.

“Beating the Lunchbox Blues: Fresh Ideas for Lunches on the Go,” by J.M. Hirsch (Rachael Ray Books, 2013; $12). You’ll find some recipes in this book, but mostly you’re going to find fun ideas that can be combined in endless ways to make a delicious lunch.

`Mary invites questions, comments and tips at mary@everydaycheapskate.com, or c/o Everyday Cheapskate, 12340 Seal Beach Blvd., Suite B-416, Seal Beach, CA 90740.