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?
As I walk through the food court on my way to work, I’m amazed at the number of people I see buying breakfast. The line up at McDonald’s is always long, and takes forever to get through. I can understand going out for an occasional treat, but every day? As far as I can tell, it doesn’t seem to save you time to buy breakfast, and it definitely doesn’t save you money. Depending on what you get, you can spend at least 3 to 5 dollars a day on breakfast. That can add up to 25 bucks a week, and that’s 100 a month! That’s 1200 bucks a year, which can get you a nice week somewhere warm on a beach!
Mr. Canuck Buck used to buy a tea biscuit every day. I was always on him to change his ways because the biscuit had no protein and just ended up leaving him hungry. I started making breakfast sandwiches for both of us and he got hooked. 
Here are some great breakfast you can either prepare at work, or make ahead at home and bring in.
1) Bagel or toast with peanut butter or cream cheese. Total cost should be less than 5 bucks a week.
2) Instant oatmeal. Just bring a box in and you’re set! Total cost – 3 to 4 dollars a week. I’ve also cooked up “Scottish” oatmeal, divided it up into portions, and then reheated it at work.
3. Hard boiled eggs. Just boil them all up on Sunday night and you’re good for the week. Should be no more than 2-3 dollars a week.
4. Cereal with milk. Just leave a box at work, and some milk in the fridge. If you’re really cheap, you can use the milk work supplies for coffee, but I suggest you bring your own. I’ve often done cereal and milk at work, and just bring in fresh fruit every day to put on top of it.
5. Make ahead breakfast sandwiches. Take some bread, or those “thin” bagels, lunch meat, and cheese, and make up sandwiches for the week. Bag them and put them in the freezer. They’ll thaw on the way to work, and you just heat them when you get there!
What kind of breakfast do you have at work? Do you have any ideas I’ve missed here?