I know, I know, this is a pretty familiar topic. But I’m going to have some serious tips and some more tongue in cheek tips – all of them useful, I hope!
1. Transportation. This can really cut into your budget. Try walking (if you’re very lucky!) biking, or taking the bus, or carpooling. I take the train. It’s way too far to walk or bike. See if your company will let you work from home at all. The few times I’ve been able to do this it saves me 2 hours and 15 dollars a day.
2. Food – it’s certainly cheaper to make your own breakfast and lunch then it is to buy something at the food court. But you know what’s even cheaper? Taking advantage of free food at work. Now, this doesn’t mean you don’t contribute to the office potluck, and then take all the leftovers. However, we frequently have food from catered meetings leftover, and it is put out for general consumption. Save your home made lunch that day, and dig in. Also, have take out containers available. A lot of times, there’s left over cake or potluck food, and there’s no point in it just going in the garbage. Volunteer for committees – they often supply snacks at meetings! Troll the office for candy jars (help yourself – within reason).
3. Drink – no, not alcohol. Not unless you work in a “Mad Men” world. My office supplies free coffee, tea, and hot chocolate (mind you, one person actually suggested taking it away..grr..) It’s much cheaper and quicker just to use what the office supplies than go and buy something.
4. Freebies – Sometimes offices run promotions, and have leftovers. I got a great “Dragon hat’ for my niece to wear after our Chinese New Year celebration. There are often companies promoting something that offer free samples in the courtyard by work.
5. Discounts- we have “WorkPerks” at work, which offers everything discounts on anything from restaurants to movie passes. I purchased a regularly priced membership to Costco and got 2 free movie passes. Even the management company for the building I work in offers discounts on things such as musical and museum tickets.
What “outside the box” ways do you use to save money at work?
The Buck Stops Here
I used to walk to work when my office was closer. I loved it. It saved a ton of money and it was great for the mental health. I now carpool with my husband which still saves money.
We are big proponents of bringing our lunches to work. Not only is it cheaper but we actually prefer our own cooked food.
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And it’s great for saving time! When I buy lunch, I spend half my lunch hour trying to decide what to get and lining up!
My last job was straight out of Mad Men with plenty of drinking on the job. So my out the box way of saving money was to stop drinking at work lol. Before that decision I was wasting so much money on pitching in for alcohol. Now that I work from home for a different company I managed to save so much money on lunches and gas.
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Wow – that’s amazing. I didn’t think anyone did that any more.
And WAH is a great money saver.
Carry a big bag and take toilet paper, paper towels, and pens home from the office. No, that was not serious. Don’t ever do that! At the clinic where I work at once a week, people are always bringing in extra produce. I guess lots have gardens. I stocked up on fresh peaches and corn last week. I’m wondering what they will bring in the winter. Hopefully cake and chocolate.
I like where you work! Produce is good, but cake and chocolate are nice too.
I used to save so much money with free tea and coffee and work. But my current workplace doesn’t offer it
Instead, I bring some grounds to work and brew my own coffee.
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Well, if they won’t give it to you for free, you’ve come up with the best money saving option.
Don’t you just love free coffee and tea at work. I’m loving it!
Anyways, you raise some solid points, but I’d like to add one more to your list that’s a little different – networking and relationships.
I’m fortunate to have been with the same company for 6yrs, In my time I met a lot of great suppliers and others within the industry that we developed relationships – these relationships have led to free lunches, a lot of free golf, wine, gift cards and more. It’s like they all rotate, and the best part is that their expense account takes care of it.
I know, it may sound tedious a bit, but I’m not going to lie….it’s nice. So, develop those relationship and network, network, network.
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Great idea! I hadn’t even thought of that -definitely something to look into.
Never make reckless purchases and do your utmost to become an educated-consumer. By saving some money you can build wealth for the future.Thanks
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I started bringing my own lunch and my morning coffee from home. I usually buy 1 extra small coffee to get me through the day though. I can’t say public transport if a good option for me as the cost of a monthly bus pass is (almost) the same as I would spend on gas for the month getting to and from work and I would have to leave an hour earlier. Public transport sucks where I am. The paper bag lunch saves me about 50-60 bucks a month so at least that’s good. I wish we had free coffee here or free anything man I wish pretty badly.
In any case good tips!
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Glad you enjoyed them! Brown bagging it is definitely a good way to save money!