Dave Ramsey Warns: Be Aware of Lunchflation

Your mid-day meal might really break the bank.

Working from home wasn't all that common before the COVID-19 pandemic, but since early 2020, a lot of people have been doing their jobs remotely. And what started as a temporary safety measure has evolved into more of a long-term perk for a lot of people.

Not only does working from home mean not having to spend money on commuting, but for many drivers, it means less expensive auto insurance. And there are other cost savings to be reaped via remote work, like not having to spend money on lunch.

Granted, when you work at an office, you're not forced to go out and buy lunch every day. But when your colleagues are all doing it, it's hard to say no.

Also, brown-bagging your lunch every day could mean never getting to escape for fresh air or taking a break. So if you're starting to work out of an office, whether on a part-time or full-time basis, you may be racking up a bit of a credit card tab in the course of buying lunch.

But it's not just that those returning to an office are having to bear the cost of a store-bought mid-day meal. It's also that lunch, like just about everything else, has gotten more expensive due to inflation.

Is lunchflation busting your budget?

Financial expert Dave Ramsey talked about lunchflation in a late 2022 blog post. And he said that while the term might sound silly, "lunchflation is a real thing."

As he explained, as of late October 2022, the cost of wraps was up 18% from a year prior, while the cost of sandwiches was up 14%. Meanwhile, salads were 11% more expensive and burgers were 8% more.

The problem with lunchflation, though, is that it deals consumers returning to the office a double blow. First, workers in that situation are bearing more expenses by virtue of having to get to work. But now, they're paying more than they used to in the course of getting fed.

It may have been the case that prior to the pandemic, you worked out of an office five days a week and bought lunch twice weekly for $10 a pop. Well, if you're now buying lunch twice a week but are spending $12 or $13 instead, the cost is apt to add up.

It pays to bring your own lunch

If the cost of lunch is wreaking havoc on your budget and leaving you with credit card bills you're not happy about, then it may be time to consider packing your lunch daily and pocketing the savings involved. But that doesn't have to mean that you'll be destined to eat at your desk with no break every day.

Instead, encourage your colleagues to bring lunch from home and find a park with benches you can escape to. Or, eat at your desk but round up coworkers for a lunchtime walk so you can get some time away from your computer and much-needed fresh air.

The fact that store-bought lunch is more expensive than it used to be isn't at all surprising. But that doesn't mean you have to let those higher costs wreck your finances.