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Bringing Lunch to Work Does Not Have to Be Boring!

One of the simplest ways to save money is to bring your own lunch to work everyday. It is easy to make excuses, “I don’t have time to pack a lunch,” “I get sick of sandwiches,” “I hate leftovers.” Enough already! There are a ton of lunch foods outside of sandwiches that are just as easy to bring to work. There are also many ways to kick your standard sandwich up a notch. Many foods even taste better the next day and are especially easy for cooking newbs!

Chili, Soups & Stews

These meals do not take long to put together. The most time consuming aspect is letting them simmer for 30-60 minutes but you can just watch TV or do pilates while you are waiting.

Chili is nothing other than tomatoes, meat, beans and spices! Put it all in a pot and walk away. Leave it in the fridge and bring it to work the next day. It’ll smell great and taste even better!

Chicken noodle soup is just as easy! I’ve already posted my favorite super-easy chicken noodle soup recipe. It’s simply chicken broth, chicken and veggies. Again, just boil, simmer then eat. Soup reheats perfectly and the flavors usually blend together to taste even better when reheated.

Similarly, beef stew is just beef bouillon, beef, water and veggies. You can season it to your preference. This will be a super easy dinner and an even yummier lunch.

Chili, soups and stews work so well when reheated because it completely eliminates the “soggy food” complaint. It is also very filling and not too messy to eat for lunch. In fact, you probably already purchase soup or chili for lunch at that overpriced cafe down the street!
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Daily Spending – 12/3/09

Thursday

I had shredded mini wheats for breakfast and some muffins, peanutbutter toast, yogurt and an apple for lunch. After work, I unwound for a little bit then drove 20 minutes to Candyland Crafts. This place is amazing for baking supplies! I wanted to look at their gift boxes/bags and some cookie cutters for holiday gifts. I didn’t get too carried away and actually only bought a pack of 20 cellophane treat bags for $2.25. I figure that if I need more, I will just go get them. Back home, I made spicy blackened chicken and parsley rice for dinner then chatted with my dad on the phone for a while. I spent the rest of the evening reading and relaxing.

Total Thursday Cost: $2.41 Continue reading »

Daily Spending – 12/2/09

Wednesday

I had the leftover Mac N Cheese for dinner, it was just that good! Thankfully, I actually ended up finishing it off. Usually with large dishes like that, it takes me several days to get through all of it myself. While I was eating, I watched an episode of Everest: Beyond The Limit from Netflix Instant Watch. That show is nuts!

After thinking about how crazy it would be to climb Mt. Everest, I decided to make Banana Pumpkin Muffins to use up some old bananas my roomate donated to me. I made these a few weeks back but I wasn’t satisfied with how they turned out, so I made some scary adjustments and was almost expecting these to be duds. While the muffins baked, I cleaned up the kitchen. Once done baking, I took a taste test and they were super delicious!

Total Wednesday Cost: $0 Continue reading »

Daily Spending – 12/1/09

It was mentioned by Daniel of Sweating The Big Stuff, that even though I list my weekend expenditures, my weekly spending remains a mystery. I planned it this way because about 85% of all my spending occurs on the weekend. The only money I spend on a weeknight is either grocery shopping or paying bills. While this does help me to remain frugal, usually it’s just out of sheer laziness! However, I will begin to detail my weekly spending (and lack there of). I will do my best to make it as not-boring as … Continue reading »