Asked 2w ago
🍽 One of my New Year's Resolution is to try to keep my lunch below $5 when eating out to reduce my monthly expenses!
😋 Thought it'll be fun for everyone to hop on and share your lunch ideas (whether it's eating out or home cooked!) as well!
Feel free to update your answers along the way (click on the three dots on the top right corner of your answer and click edit) if you have new lunch inspirations! Thanks for sharing heh 🤤
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15 answers
Answers (15)
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Jansen Ng, Business Student at Ntu
Answered 1w ago
Skip the drinks:) i find that it helps cut costs significantly for me
Your body will thank you for less intake of sugary drinks too
6
4 more comments
2d ago
1. Nasi Padang - $4.50 @ Timbre+
Gosh I miss it already... $4.50 is the price when using the Timbre+ App and not including the $1 for the tray since it gets refunded anyway.
2. Salad - ??? @ Home
I like to believe this is below $5 since the ingredients are quite affordable and also it's whatever I can grab at home HAHAHAH - eggs, tomato, red onion, carrot, cucumber, nuts, anchovies, homemade salad dressing (garlic, spring onion, pepper, salt, lemon, chilli powder, chilli flakes, honey, olive oil AKA anyhow)
2
4d ago
Andrew Tan
Updated 1w ago
Meal prep yourself. If you wanna go even cheaper go all vegetarian and replace proteins with tofu options. I managed to spend <$2 per meal if I went vegetarian. Use cheaper vegetable options (carrots, cauliflower, mixed veg etc) and buy in bulk. If you want meat then buy the cheaper cuts. Sauces and stews are my preferred way to prepare cheaper meats as they need the extra seasoning 'boost'. And you need to prepare for the next 2-3 days to spread out the costs. If you buy ingredients just to make for one day and have excess left behind, then it won't make sense. Drink water, or if you want coffee buy nescafe powder from value shops.
Preparing food yourself is a good way to save money and also to watch your own health. And I feel like because you're working with such limited ingredients, it really trains your palate to detect flavor and seasoning as you need to constantly taste and adjust the flavors. Weirdly it has made me more aware about the taste of food I buy outside and better appreciate them.
1
Use 1 for 1 apps like Burpple, or look out for Eatigo 50% discounts when dining with friends! I find that helps me to keep within budget even when I'm out :) E.g. 1 for 1 Curry Don ($14) at Sakae Sushi with Burpple
1
Harish Jayaraman
Answered 6d ago
Usually I pack my lunch to work.
Hard to get meals for <5 , with good potion size and quality , unless it's located outside the malls .
Avoid eating at malls for lunch time and sugar drinks . Have a bottle of water with you. This will definitely save some bugs.
Don't keep on munching . Have a break between the meals and by this you will not over spend on eating.
Either hawker center mixed rice stall ( 2 veg and 1 meat ) or at vegetarian stall . Mostly the prices are less than <5$.
1
1) Always hawker, especially market as some coffee shop stalls tends to overcharge. Compare to restaurant, no inflated charges , no GST , no service charge.
2) if is rice & dishes , 1 meat 2 vegetables usually within $4.
3) don't buy drink. Drink from home / office , bring own drinks , save $ and healthier
4) Switch around different dishes and even if exceed $5 but if total daily budget is $12 or $15, then if lunch is more than $5, balance it with less than $5 breakfast or dinner.
Other major expenses would be Telco (use sim only plan below $20) and go for free instead of paid entertainment.
Happy savings. Cheers
2
Investorean
Answered 2w ago
2 Egg Prata and 1 Kosong Prata (1.60 x 2 + 1.00 = 4.20)
Economy Rice 1 meat 1 vege (2.50 to 3.50)
Ban Mian (3.50 to 4.00)
Buy bread from the day before arounf 7+ when they clearing their bread (most stores have promotion of 1 dollar per bread). Usually I will buy 2 bread and eat each about 2 hours to 3 hours apart to stop hunger)
Wanton Mee (3.00 to 3.50)
3
1 more comments
5d ago
Hi Rachelle,
I usually have a couple of 'combos' that I employ when outside and don't feel like spending too much.
It's usually a mix and match of one main course and a drink, and most combinations would be lesser than $5
Main meal:
McChicken ($2)
Ananas ($2.20-$2.50)
Chicken Rice ($2.20-$3)
Drink
Soya Bean milk from Mr Bean ($1.60)
Whatever's on offer in 7-11 or cheers ($1-$1.50)
Coffee/Tea or the iced version on a hot day ($1-$1.60)
With the McDonald's app you can often get a cheap drink with a burger. I had a cuppucino for $2 yesterday.
I've found that Soya Bean milk tends to help me feel full.
1
snow er
Answered 2d ago
Cai png!! hahah generally hawker food and like many have said, skip the drinks!
1
Gregory Tay
Answered 4d ago
Kembangan MRT station has Chicken rice $2.50. it's halal as well. Nasi lemak at $2.50 too. Can afford to have a kopi-o or kopi-c too!
1
William Lim
Answered 4d ago
Few Years ago i keep eating Pizza Hut for lunch at S$3.41
Now the exploit is gone.
1
Daniel Kok
Answered 6d ago
Cai Png no fish will be my fav! 2 meat 1 veg usually $3.6. 2 meat 2 veg usually $4.5. 99% of the time I don't get drinks and drink plain water.
1
Mixed vegetable rice. 1 meat, 1 veg and rice. This usually costs between $3 to $4.
1
YJ
Top Contributor (Dec)
Updated 2w ago
$5 actually i would just eat filet-o-fish meal. Got drinks, got fries, got burger.
If really budget, i will go to those stall at mrt with $2.30 nasi lemak, dont taste great, so everytime ask auntie put lot of sambal chilli😆, just to fill the stomache. cheers/7-11 normally have offer $1 bottle soft drink every week. Total $3.30 food with drink
1
Jesslyn
Top Contributor (Dec)
Answered 2w ago
To keep costs low i usually buy cai fan from the mixed vegetable rice, very economical and good price, wallet friendly too
1
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