Brown bag or bust!

With the New Year rung in, resolutions abound. We promise ourselves to do this and to not do that while so much of what we choose to do involves our money and our health. Self-sabotage is generally the main culprit when attempting to achieve goals. It rears its ugly head when we don’t have a plan in place that’s easily implemented. For 2010, vow to make self-sabotage no longer acceptable in your life, and pro-actively work against it.
 
In my practice as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional, my aim is to bring my clients simple solutions for seemingly impossible goals. So often I hear, “I’m tapped out!” or “What am I going to do? Get another job?” or “I can’t possibly afford to do that!” However, in many cases, I’ve had the sad realization that for the person sitting across from me, resisting change now to improve one’s position in life outweighs the joy of actually achieving the goal in the future. This self-defeating attitude can be overcome by getting clear on what you truly want for yourself and frequently reminding yourself of the goal.

The suggestion I’m about to make is a simple step towards realizing three main goals the majority of us share—to save more, exercise routinely, and weigh less. Is choosing to brown bag lunch to work at least four times a week a possibility for you? Think about it. You could make a significant dent in, if not realize your resolutions by making that ONE change. Let’s look at a hypothetical situation:

If we were to have chicken or tuna salad sandwiches, green salad with grape tomatoes and cucumber slices, and an orange for lunch; and celery sticks with peanut butter and an apple with cheese for mid-morning and afternoon snacks, respectively, and substitute water for your beverage of choice, you could actually lose weight, eat healthier cuisine, and save money! The key is to make simple food that you enjoy.

Here’s the math behind it:

One loaf of high quality bread - $4.00
1 lb. of high quality lunch meat or canned fish - $7.00
Lettuce - $2.00
Grape tomatoes - $4.00
Cucumber - $1.00
Oranges - $4.00
Cheese - $4.00
Apples - $3.00
Celery - $2.00
Peanut Butter - $3.00
TOTAL $34.00

This is the estimated cost for high-quality, non-sale groceries. If you took advantage of discounts, coupons, local produce, and bulk purchases that make sense, you could bring the cost down to $5 or less per day, while still catering to your tastes and preferences.

Now let’s compare that to the cost of eating out. In an effort not to pick on any establishment, I’ve chosen to list a few eateries I know to be packed to the gills with patrons during business lunch hours and to use their lunch specials prices.

So here goes …

Cheesecake Factory ($8 lunch, $2 soda, $1 tax, $2 tip)  - $13.00
Elephant Bar ($6 lunch, $2 soda, $1 tax, $2 tip)  - $11.00
Applebee’s ($9 lunch, $2 soda, $1 tax, $2 tip) -  $14.00
Yard House ($10 lunch, $2 soda, $1 tax, $3 tip) -  $16.00
TOTAL -  $54.00

The difference between brown bagging vs. eating lunch out is $20 per week. If you saved it, (just a suggestion), you could accumulate nearly $1,000 over the course of 49 weeks (52 weeks minus 3 weeks for vacation). I’m sure you could find lunch ingredients for less than $34 for four days, but I wanted to make a point …

…if you spend a little extra at the grocery store to get foods that you enjoy, homemade meals are so much better than going out for lunch, and they can be interesting, even exciting, with a little creativity and effort. Here are some ways how:

Choose exotic snacks, perhaps spicy soy nuts or peanut butter pretzels and celery Make soups with pastina, barley, or mini ravioli’s for a heartier version combined with a simple salad with croutons and a pear (I love this combo, especially with a little feta on the salad!)

Reward yourself for brown bagging it with a mini-chocolate snack. Milky Way, Snickers, 3 Musketeers all have bite-size versions at the local market. Or …indulge with a piece of good dark chocolate and a Clementine orange for an afternoon snack. (Might I say, “Pure decadence! Savor the delicious combination of tastes and fragrances as they linger on your tongue and fingertips.”)

A BONUS:  With the time saved from not having to drive, park, order, wait, and then eat, you can find a quiet spot walking distance from your work station, preferably outside with greenery, eat your meal or snack and then take a 5 to 20 minute walk. You’ll feel so much better and stronger, both physically and mentally.

This relaxing, self-indulgent lifestyle can be yours. All you have to do is simply choose something different for yourself. Invite your peers to join you. Visualize your goal whenever your attitude needs a boost, such as what your version of a successful retirement looks like, or the vacation you’re saving for, or if you don’t have an emergency fund, the feeling of security and self-love that results from taking care of yourself and those you love. It’s truly worth the change in behavior.

So in closing, I challenge you to start smart and brown bag the majority of your lunches if your habit is to eat out during the week. Your net worth could go up while you slim down …not a bad trade off. Let me know your comments if you take up the challenge. I’m interested in hearing how it’s going and how you feel about the changes.