I HAD to share this bit in Passion Saving about Rob Bennett giving up his lunches out (after much kicking and screaming) to brown bag it.
"I agreed to bring a brown-bag lunch to work one day each week to come up with the remaining amount in spending reduction needed to reach our goal for the year. I stressed that I was agreeing to this only on a temporary basis. In the even that the switch was as painful a change as I feared it would be, I wanted the opportunity to come up with a different means of meeting the budget goal."
What happened?
"I ended up enjoying the brown-bag lunch experience better than I expected as well. I liked to use my lunch breaks to read, and not having to leave the office and wait in line at a sandwich shop gave me more time for it. I ended up taking a brown-bag lunch all five working days instead of just one, saving about $30 a week, or $1,560 a year."
Forget the savings for a moment.
What I like about brown bagging it is that it gives me an option. If I really wanted to go out for lunch, I could always put it in the fridge (praying the lunch thief didn't steal it) and eat it tomorrow. If it was raining or snowing, I could happily stay inside and eat in the lunchroom. I have options. Not taking a lunch meant no options.