Guy at work claims that you can not beat $1.71 a day for lunch. This is accomplished by going to Quiznos and using coupons to get (I think) a large sub, chips, and water.

I am currently recording my home lunch cost data (receipts, how much a given food item will last) to see if I can beat this by making sandwiches and bringing them in.

(ibt[old thread])

11/4/2010 11:31:06 AM

[old thread]

11/4/2010 11:32:41 AM

If we are talking about going out, probably not all that well with actually having something filling. But when you consider bringing food from home like you are, sure.

11/4/2010 11:32:48 AM

Ramen (2 packages) - 16 cents.

Hotdogs ( 3 dogs and 3 slices of bread) - $1.50

11/4/2010 11:33:30 AM

what the hell coupons does he have that he is getting a large combo from quizno's for 1.71??


even if you get their "cheap" subs, that is normally like 7.50...

11/4/2010 11:37:25 AM

You should easily be able to beat $1.71 if you're making it yourself. Probably will be healthier too.

11/4/2010 11:37:30 AM

That's what I thought, but then the guy said that they would make Wal-Mart runs to make sandwiches, and would have to make runs about every 1.5-2 weeks or so. Each run was costing them around $20-$25, which at the lowest would be $2/day.

11/4/2010 11:38:33 AM

Why are we only talking sandwiches?

11/4/2010 11:39:28 AM

Dollar menu?

11/4/2010 11:39:53 AM

Post some cheap lunch ideas. Right now I'm on a PB&J kick but I would love some other suggestions. Preferably something I can pack the night before.

11/4/2010 11:40:03 AM

have you ever looked at the nutritional info for a large quiznos?

it's startling.

11/4/2010 11:40:31 AM

Can of tuna and crackers

11/4/2010 11:40:45 AM

little caesars hot n ready pizza for 5 bucks. 8 slices, 2 a day for 4 days comes out under 1.71

but i can usually eat half if not all of one at once so i would just be left hungry

11/4/2010 11:40:46 AM

So your basically arguing over who is the biggest cheapass

I spent 12 on sushi yesterday. I win.

11/4/2010 11:41:07 AM

Is someone dressed in a $1.71 costume? I'd surely beat him for lunch.

11/4/2010 11:42:40 AM

Quote :

"You should easily be able to beat $1.71 if you're making it yourself. Probably will be healthier too."

Yep. A lot healthier and more food. I'm probably around $2.50 with what I bring to work each day and that is breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack usually.

11/4/2010 11:42:49 AM

So homeboy goes to the same Quizno's every day and uses coupons to get all that food for $1.71? Wouldn't that piss off the owner? Where is he getting these coupons?

11/4/2010 11:43:19 AM

I should start bringing my lunch.

Sometimes I'll make something and then forget it at home


^Sometimes Quiznos will put out coupons in the Sunday paper or sent in the mail.

[Edited on November 4, 2010 at 11:44 AM. Reason : f]

11/4/2010 11:43:37 AM

yeh, microwave dinners. $1

11/4/2010 11:44:15 AM

I am big on having hearty meal type food for lunch (I don't know a better way to describe it other than "dinner-type food"). So make a big thing of soup, chili, lasagna, pasta/egg/potato salad, quiche, stir fry, enchiladas ... pretty much most things can be made in a budget-friendly form somehow. The cost per serving can be pushed down pretty low. I have sort of wanted to do a cost breakdown on some of the meals I make often, but that takes more work than I actually care to put into it.

11/4/2010 11:44:32 AM

Depends on what they get for the sandwiches. I could eat pb&j sandwiches and that's fairly cheap per unit. Also I think the Hotdogs price of 50 cent per unit is a bit high since you could get a bag of buns for around 1.29, a small pack of hotdogs for about 99 cents. That should be good for 8 or 10 units.

There's also the "just rice" diet.

11/4/2010 11:46:03 AM

I'd like to see what coupons this guy is getting. I love me some Quiznos and I have seen and used a lot of different coupons (online and in papers) for them but never anything that would get me what he is taking home for that price.

They do free chips and drink with a large sub all the time but obviously that isn't going to get it. They do buy one get one free on just the sub a lot, but even if he did that with a friend and they split the cost that wouldn't get you to $1.71 without even adding chips.

11/4/2010 11:48:41 AM

Dammit Skwinkle... now I'm going to have to learn how to make lasagna. He was so content with the sammiches I made too.

11/4/2010 11:49:59 AM

sry

11/4/2010 11:51:08 AM

lasagna is pretty easy- just a little time consuming. But it freezes great and makes plenty o' food (and pack one slice up with a little salad, and you got yourself a great lunch!)

11/4/2010 11:52:18 AM

I do it all the time....

3 8-packs of whole wheat buns on sale for $1.50/each = $4.50
8 pound boston butt on sale for $1.50/lb = $12.00
1 head of cabbage = $1.50
little bit of vinegar/mayo, sugar, salt, hot sauce = cheap as fuck, maybe a buck

12 + 1.5 + 4.5 + 1 = 19

makes: 24 bbq sandwiches with coleslaw
2 for lunch each day --> 12 days (make slaw in two batches, 6 days into it, freeze half of the cooked pork)

12 lunches for $20 = $1.67/day for lunch

1.67 < 1.71
BAM!!!!

11/4/2010 11:53:28 AM

Hell if you really want to be a cheapskate, a serving of lentils and rice should only cost you about 20 cents.

11/4/2010 11:53:29 AM

mmmm lasagna. Anyone have any good lasagna recipes? If so then please to pass on to Peter. kthx

11/4/2010 11:54:58 AM

It's not <$1.71 but since I'm too lazy to make my own lunch, I usually just get a $5 footlong veggie and eat half one day and half the other... and drink water.

11/4/2010 11:56:33 AM

lol, I just kinda mix and match all my lasagna/italian recipes... even the boxes of meullers lasagna noodles have a decent recipe on them. But if you want really good lasagna, take the time and make the sauce yourself (I rarely do this, but when I do, it makes me wonder why I don't do it every time). Also, I find mixing up the meat helps too... like 1/2 ground beef, and 1/2 spicy italian sausage (ground).


http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/worlds-best-lasagna/Detail.aspx

that recipe isn't bad

[Edited on November 4, 2010 at 11:59 AM. Reason : example]

11/4/2010 11:57:44 AM

awesome! thanks!

11/4/2010 12:03:13 PM

My lasagna trick is mixing cooked spinach in with the ricotta cheese. Fresh if I have the time, frozen if I'm feeling lazy.

11/4/2010 12:04:28 PM

http://www.quiznos.com/qmail/20101102/index.html

Quizno's Coupons

BOGO
$5 off $25+
$5 large after 5PM

11/4/2010 12:14:48 PM

^^, ^^^ there are lots of little tricks I have


one time you should try adding a little cinnamon to your sauce... it is amazing!


^still wondering how he got a large combo down so low though... I think the best I ever got was 5 bucks and change with a student meal deal

[Edited on November 4, 2010 at 12:18 PM. Reason : vervrev]

11/4/2010 12:17:49 PM

I used to eat like that, but then I got some money.

11/4/2010 12:18:27 PM

eat like what? Make your own lunch with food that you like?

11/4/2010 12:20:59 PM

We po' folk

11/4/2010 12:21:52 PM

this thread is inspiring me to stop eating out for lunch every day.

11/4/2010 12:23:59 PM

I will say, for 3.79, my tuna wrap from sheetz fills me up and is damn tasty. For someone with an appetite like mine, that is pretty cheap

11/4/2010 12:25:36 PM

Just got back. The coupons are ones that this Quiznos offers, likely because its a brand new store and they need customers. There are two coupons, one is "Free sub when you buy a sub of equal or greater value", other (the cheap one) is "Free Lunch (small sub, choose two, or chopped salad) with purchase of chips and fountain drink". The BOGO Sub you need a partner to get maximum savings. Also, they offer a reusable bag that you can bring in, and when you bring it you get their "Bag special" of the month, which this month is free bag of chips with meal purchase.

So today I got a bullet sub, broccoli and cheese soup, bag of chips, and fountain drink for $1.71. I also bought a bag (1.56) and got another free bag of chips so the total price was $3.33.

These coupons are in a stack next to the register. The place is only 4 months old, and all the coupons emphasize that it is a new quiznos. Since its a stack, we grab a ton and save them to bring them in. Their plan is that if they stop offering those coupons that they will bring in this other coupon they found online that doesn't have an expiration date...not sure what its for.

The point of the "cheapest meal" is to have the cheapest, filling meal, so two packs of ramen doesn't cut it.

Quote :

"Why are we only talking sandwiches?"

Well its what I normally eat for lunch. Sandwich, apple, random sides.

Quote :

"So homeboy goes to the same Quizno's every day and uses coupons to get all that food for $1.71? Wouldn't that piss off the owner? Where is he getting these coupons?"

Yeah pretty much. But usually he brings anywhere from 1 to 4 extra people too, so the store is getting more customers. They definitely know him :beatup;

[Edited on November 4, 2010 at 12:54 PM. Reason : $]

11/4/2010 12:52:23 PM

is this not a prison thread?

11/4/2010 12:57:27 PM

Quote :

"But if you want really good lasagna, take the time and make the sauce yourself "

Normally I'd agree with this but I have come to find out Trader Joe's makes some amazing pasta sauce.

11/4/2010 1:20:41 PM

Cereal and soy milk ftw!

BOGO Special K ... 2 boxes for $4
BOGO soy milk ... 2 cartons for $2.50

That's enough to last for workplace lunches for a month. At approximately 22 lunches in a month.

Under 30 cents per meal!

11/4/2010 1:29:16 PM

Quote :

"YOUR MOM"

11/4/2010 1:31:41 PM

my rice and beans is like $0.50 a serving

and it is killer

coconut rice with black beans, onions, jalapenos and carrots

11/4/2010 1:42:15 PM

^

Quote :

"Hell if you really want to be a cheapskate, a serving of lentils and rice should only cost you about 20 cents. "

11/4/2010 1:43:51 PM

Typically when we cook at home we make way more than we need for dinner and freeze it for lunches. I have done the math before, and the typical meals we make in large batches (Chili, chicken pot pie, chicken noodle soup, etc etc) cost less than $1 per serving.

11/4/2010 1:47:25 PM

Quote :

"Trader Joe's makes some amazing pasta sauce."

11/4/2010 1:54:17 PM

Spending very little on a meal is difficult to do if you actually eat a lot of food. I eat around 3500-4000 cal a day on average and spend around $6-7 per day on food, which includes grocery store shopping, restaurants and fast food.

I think that's a respectable budget.

[Edited on November 4, 2010 at 1:57 PM. Reason : lol at all the paupers in here]

11/4/2010 1:57:15 PM

You can easily make a huge sandwich every day for under 1.71, it's what I always do.

I also make giant pots of short-grain brown rice at the beginning of the week and make breakfast/lunches with that. I'll fry the rice with egg and green onion in the morning for breakfast, or take it with two sauteed boneless chicken breasts for lunch. Et cetera. Fucking love brown rice.

11/4/2010 1:58:33 PM