Probably the best way for people to save money quick is to STOP buying lunch and start bringing it to work. Everyone knows this, yet a lot of people still don't do it. This is a great way to save some quick cash. I did a little math, and here is what I came up with:
Packed Lunch:
5-20 cents for 2 slices of bread (depends on where you buy it)
25 cents for a can of soda (less if you get store brand, free if you get water out of the tap at work)
22 cents for a serving of frozen veggies (much healthier than canned veggies)
44 cents for 2 oz of lunch meat to put on the bread (that's for the fancy pre-packaged deli-style lunch meat- cut it yourself or have the deli cut it, and it's much less)
approx. 50 cents for a large apple (8 oz)
That's about $1.61 on the high end. If you're creative, you can save a lot more. And it's a healthy meal. Now, you spend about $5.00 (at least) on a lunch out. That's a difference of $3.39 saved a day. If you pack your lunch five days a week, that's $16.95 saved, which is about $67.80 a month. I know we could all use an extra $60-$70 a month in our budget.
Now I'm not saying that eating out is the devil or that I never go out to eat. However, it's best to do it in moderation. Save it for special occasions such as birthdays and anniversaries. I love to eat out and hate to cook, so I understand that it's hard, but at the end of the day, I would rather do my wallet, my waistline, and my health a favor and pack that lunch.
P.S. For those of you (like me) who like the convenience of a frozen meal, I would try Michelina's Budget Gourmet and Lean Gourmet meals. I usually buy them at Kroger for $1.00, but I've been told that Wal Mart sells them for 88 cents. These meals are low in calories and fat, taste good, and fill me up every time. If you get water out of the tap to go with it, that's a super cheap meal.
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