Sitting at my desk, sun streaming through the window, wind chimes tinkling in the wind, I glanced up at the clock. Oh no! Lunchtime was looming. I quickly checked my schedule, no lunch dates, phew! Now all I could hear was the rapid beat of my heart. As I sat quietly, I found myself wondering who was going to knock my door. Who was going to pop in and suggest a little lunchtime stroll to the local café, the new bistro, the delightful Italian on the corner, the heavenly wine bar that makes ‘to die for’ salads, the art gallery with the exquisite menu? The door slowly opened, beads of sweat forming on my brow, I looked up ready to make my excuses… Huge relief, it was a team member delivering the post. As the door gently closed, I exhaled. In that moment, I knew lunchtime was turning into a killer; mental, emotional, physical and financial.

Lunchtime is a chance to catch your breath, change the vibe, have fun with colleagues or just be still. For me lunchtime was no longer the time of day when I ate, it had become a time of worry, a time to rack up debts.

It’s great being popular and the idea that lunch is a daily social event is a delightful one. Whilst you are trying to reduce your debts, lunch can be the thing that undermines your efforts. If the thought of lunch is making you sick with worry – it’s time to do something different.

Take a few moments and answer the following questions;

1. Do you go out to lunch 3 or more times a week?
2. Do you spend more than you can afford, each lunchtime?
3. Do you go to lunch when asked, even if you can’t afford to?
4. Do you worry about what people will think if you turn down an invite?
5. When the food arrives, are you more concerned about paying the bill or the food on the plate?

If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, it’s time to regain control and make lunchtime a thing of pleasure, not pain.

• Be proactive; decide which days of the week you will set aside for going out to lunch and stick to your
  plan.
• Set yourself a budget and stick to it.
• When making plans for lunch, suggest places that fit in with your budget.
• Bring in food from home. Then tell your friends/colleagues about your culinary treats (don’t be surprised if it triggers off a competition).
• Use lunchtime to go for a walk instead of going out to eat. If you work in the city take the time to look up and appreciate the skyline, notice the things around you that you may have been too busy rushing past.
• Go to the gym – it’s a great way to reduce the number of times you eat out.
• Meditate during your lunch break, recharge your batteries and come back ready to face the challenges of the afternoon.

Finally, simply say no when you get an invitation that you can’t afford. Each time you say no or bring a packed lunch from home, put some money in your snowflake jar, once a month, pay it off a debt and see if you can’t beat your high score the next month!

Lunchtime should a nourishing experience that prepares you give your best in the afternoon. It isn’t meant to be a time of day that terrifies you and leaves you stressed and broke. Take charge, have fun and improve your health and wealth.

This post appears in The Carnival of Snowflaking

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