I am starting a new series of posts related to cooking to save money.

Let’s begin this series with today’s Frugal Friday tip.

I have been bringing my lunch to work for the past three months.

I try to bring lunch at least three times per week. I don’t do this every day because lunch time remains one of the main opportunities to socialize with my colleagues.

Three Benefits of Packing Lunch to Work

Saving Money

I have noticed that food stalls have increased prices yet again. A small bowl of noodles now cost RM4. The price of rice, flour and noodles have increased. Some of you may be working in an area where food is more expensive.

Through this 3 months, I have managed to save about RM200 by bringing lunch to work. That’s a lot of money! The savings could increase as food prices go higher.

I save money in two ways. First of all, I save money directly when I don’t have to buy food for my lunch. Second, I save money indirectly when I don’t have to walk past shops that are tempting me to spend money.

The flip side of preparing my own lunch means I have to buy more food from the market. But it doesn’t cost that much because I am buying food for cooking dinner anyway.

What I do is to cook a bit extra for dinner, and set aside a portion to bring to work on the next day.

Healthier Food

After eating home-cooked food for a while, I have started to notice how much healthier the food is. At home we cook with less oil, less salt, and no MSG.

Most important of all I am sure that I am eating fresh food that has been cleaned and prepared in a hygienic environment.

The food is also more nutritious because I am not cutting any corners in the food I cook. Some food stalls have to compromise on quality to maintain a profit margin.

Avoiding the Crowd

One of the things I absolutely love about bringing my own lunch is avoiding the lunch crowd. There’s no need to drive out, walk under the hot sun, queue up or wait for your order, or get all sweaty in a hot coffee shop.

I have my food all prepared, and finish eating with lots of time to spare.

I use that extra time to just relax, rest and catch up on some reading.

Conclusion

After three months, I can tell you that I’m hooked. I don’t plan to stop this practice any time soon.

From my understanding, this is a common practice for westerners. We don’t practice this so much in Malaysia because food is available everywhere.

But food is sadly becoming more expensive.

I understand that some of you may think that this is difficult in your current situation. Some of you may even worry what your colleagues will think.

Please share your concerns and thoughts in the comments section.

Cook to Save Series:

Photo: scol22, stock.xchng

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