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Brown Bag Savings Calculator
Calculate how much you can save by bringing lunch from home instead of eating out
Eating Habits
Cost Comparison
Potential Savings
Weekly Savings
$0.00
Savings each week by bringing lunch
Monthly Savings
$0.00
Potential savings every month
Annual Savings
$0.00
Potential savings every year
Savings Breakdown
Detailed Comparison
Category | Eating Out | Brown Bag | Savings |
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This calculator provides estimates based on your inputs. Actual savings may vary. Print Results
This calculator reveals how much money you can save by bringing lunch from home instead of eating out - and how those savings can grow when invested.
How It Works
Compare your lunch costs (home vs. takeout)
Enter your work schedule
See daily, annual & lifetime savings (with investment growth)
Key Inputs
Field | Example Value |
---|---|
Average takeout lunch cost | $12.50 |
Average homemade lunch cost | $4.25 |
Workdays per week | 5 |
Weeks worked per year | 50 |
Years to calculate | 10 |
Investment return (optional) | 7% |
Savings Formula
Daily Savings:Takeout cost - Homemade cost
Annual Savings:Daily savings × Workdays per week × Weeks per year
Decade Savings (invested):Annual savings × [(1 + r)^t - 1]/r
(r = return rate, t = years)
Example Calculation
Scenario:
Takeout lunch: $12.50
Homemade lunch: $4.25
Work 5 days/week, 50 weeks/year
Invest savings at 7% return
Results:
Metric | Amount |
---|---|
Daily savings | $8.25 |
Annual savings | $2,062.50 |
10-year value (invested) | $30,480 |
Why Brown Bagging Matters
The average office worker spends $3,000+/year on lunch (Forbes)
Investing those savings could grow to:
$150,000+ in 20 years
$500,000+ in 30 years
Additional benefits:
Healthier eating
Reduced food waste
More consistent budgeting
Cost Comparison Table
Lunch Type | Cost | Annual Cost (250 workdays) |
---|---|---|
Fast food | $10 | $2,500 |
Restaurant | $15 | $3,750 |
Homemade | $4 | $1,000 |
Potential Savings | $1,500-$2,750/year |
Advanced Features
Meal prep cost breakdown (ingredient-level pricing)
Health cost savings (potential reduced medical expenses)
Time investment (calculating your effective hourly wage for meal prep)
Pro Tip: Making extra dinner portions for next-day lunch doubles your savings with minimal extra effort.
Try It Yourself
Quick Estimate:
Every $10/day lunch habit costs you:
$200/month
$2,400/year
$72,000 over 30 years (without investing)
$245,000 if invested at 7% return
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