Tuesday's Tip: Pack a Lunch

My husband normally takes lunch to work where he has the luxury of a microwave, toaster and fridge.  His lunch most often is dinner leftovers, but this week he's at a seminar near JFK airport.  A lunch in that area (and many other areas for that matter) can easily cost $10 or more.  Packing food for the road can be such an easy way to save money with a little planning.

I checked my pantry and found some chocolate chip muffin mix that I scored Free at Shoprite some months ago.  We don't make baking mixes often, but they can  come in handy.  This mix was going to expire at the end of August, so perfect time to use it up. 

Next, I headed to the pantry to find some snacks.  Since convenience foods can sometimes be more expensive, I try to save them for times when we really NEED the convenience.
By stocking up while these items are on sale AND saving them for the most needed time we can really save money.  The iced tea and combos were free, the granola bars were a recent MM, and the apple was inexpensive at Aldi this week.  To round out the meal, I made a ham and cheese sandwich and filled a water bottle. I estimate the total cost to be around $1.00 for the lunch, which is a great savings if you compare the possible $10 meal!  That's a great deal!

Final thought:  Don't forget to save those convenience foods for the times you really NEED the convenience!

This post is linked to:
Frugal Tuesday Tip
Works for Me Wednesday
Frugal Fridays