Hey Big Spender

I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food. W.C Fields.

It has come to frugal tip five - which I will combine with frugal tip six, as I was so caught up in the Jubilee celebrations last night that I forgot to write!!

Frugal tips five & six- stop buying beverages when away from home and take my lunch to work.
Sounds so simple doesn't it? And something I should be doing anyway- but I haven't. 

I love, love, love, love cafe coffee. And I hate instant. There - I have said it. Yet, I am spending up to $5 a day on cafe latte -sometimes up to five days a week. That's $25 a week - and $100 a month. Almost one days full wage being spent on coffee a month. 
$1200 a year. A return ticket to Las Vegas. Hmmm- Okay - I don't love it that much.  

Did you know I am addicted to caffeine? Not only do I drink a coffee a day (strike that - used to!) I am also addicted to Diet Coke. Shameful, I know. And also not cheap. The cost of a 600 ml bottle of Diet Coke a day? $4.
$16 a week. $64 a month.
$768 a year. Time to give it up me thinks


And then there is lunch. I work in a medical centre which is situated in one of the largest shopping centres in Victoria. I am a very lazy person and taking my lunch to work is boring compared to the variety of food available to me on a daily basis. Japanese, Indian, Mexican- fried rice, chicken caesar salad, kebab. Yum, Yum and oh yeah - Yum. How ever yummy these choices are, they are not cheap. On average, lunch and a drink can cost $10 a day - usually more. Even a salad sandwich is $8.50. Yes - really. Although maths wasn't my strong point at school,  I can see this is a huge expense. I usually buy lunch 4 days a week ( I know. Shut up!). $40 a week. $160 a month.
$1920 a year.  Did you see that? ONE THOUSAND, NINE HUNDRED AND TWENTY DOLLARS A YEAR! 

Holy food court...now I can see where my money has been going..and it's not where I want it going. And did I tell you the upside to this? There isn't one! I am overweight and I am sure these eating habits are not helping with that...positively sure. This is one frugal tip that MUST be adhered to. No excuses.


I will give up store bought beverages - coffee, diet coke, juices etc. Water and a nice cup of tea will do just fine. And lunch? Yep - I'll be bringing something from home. Left over dinner, homemade soups, freshly made sandwiches, biccies and dip. For an extra $10 a week on my shop and a little time and effort, I will have enough to 'brown bag' my lunch to work every day. This is one tip I should have undertaken MANY years ago. After looking at the figures - I won't be making this mistake again. It's worth it.


AND $3888 savings a year proves it.


(I haven't even began to look at food costs on weekends out - gulp)



Need yummy options for lunch - check out
http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/collections/lunch+box+ideas.