Save Money at Work

You may be racking up a ton of costs during your workday that you’ve never even thought about. By keeping your eye on the bottom line and paying attention to where you break out your wallet every day, you may be able to save hundreds of dollars per month!

Coffee Breaks
Heading to your local coffee shop on the way in to work or as a break during your busy morning is adding up more than you might think. You’re probably shelling out about $15 per week on coffee drinks, which translates to $60 per month and $720 annually. Do you need your caffeine fix to cost that much? Try taking advantage of the free coffee from your employer on four out of the five workdays, allowing yourself to be treated to coffee out just once per week. No coffee at work? Pick up some ground coffee and a french press – you’ll save money by making your own, and it’s usually fresher and better tasting than what you’ll get at the local shops.

Lunch Time
Are you going out to lunch every weekday? Chances are you’re paying around $45 per week, $180 per month, and over $2,000 per year on lunches! That’s based off a total of around $9 per lunch, which may or may not be reasonable in your neighborhood around the office. Instead of grabbing prepared foods every day, try stopping by the grocery store every Monday morning and grabbing some affordable snacks to munch on throughout the week. You may find that munching on carrots and crackers leaves you full enough to wait until dinner for a full meal. If not, try the two meals in one trick – and save half your lunch for the following day. You’ll cut your meal costs in half right away. Still not full? Try bringing last night’s leftovers into work instead.

Avoid Dedicated Parents
Your coworkers may love their kids – which is why they’ve brought in that wrapping paper catalogue and the girl scout cookie order forms. It’s tempting to help out your coworker’s kids and shell out some of your hard earned cash for their school fundraiser, but these can add up if you’re always feeling obligated to contribute. Telling your coworker that you’re on a tight budget, or saying that you’ve just contributed to a neighbor’s or a relative’s child’s school fundraiser is a great way to get out of the social obligation of writing that check. If they insist, tell them you’ll commit to the next fundraising event. Everyone knows times are rough, so there should be no complaints when you say you’re trying to keep your costs down.