I hate when I forget to bring my lunch to work, because I hate spending lots of money on a simple lunch. I don’t mind shelling out for a fancy meal, but when it comes to quick easy work lunch I want cheap!

Here are my top three lunch hints for someone cheap like me!

Subway Sub of the Day – So Subway does a deal each day of the week for a $6 foot long sub. Because we’re serious about our food, we have a copy of the sub of the day schedule (and by we I mean I do!). I make sure I’m going on a day that it’s a good one (not tuna day…sorry Kailey) and then order the foot long. Here’s where my inner cheapo takes over: I ask them to toast one half and not the other. Then I doctor up the toasted side and do the non-toasted one with all the toppings but no dressing. This way when I eat the non-toasted one the next day it’s not soggy and still delicious. I even throw it in the toaster oven the next day to warm it up. Meal cost: $3/day

Vons Sushi – You have to be careful with this one. I am lucky to be by a fancy Vons that has chefs making sushi on-site. I usually get the California roll to be safe and it’s a lot of food! I keep a bottle of soy sauce at work so I can make up a spicy wasabi soy sauce mix. I then grab my disposable chopsticks (courtesy of Vons) and imagine I’m at a cute Japanese bistro as I eat at my desk. It’s not my cheapest option, but it is much cheaper than ordering take out and much cheaper at $8. Make sure you choose a fresh sushi bar, not the old refrigerated stuff that gets shipped in.

Kids Meals – You’ve got to be pretty shameless for this…or pretend you are grabbing something for your child. Since most adult sized meals are huge I am a big fan of choosing the kids meal option at take out establishments. Usually starting around $3, you get a meal that includes a drink (typically). Please don’t judge me for this…please. It’s the right amount of food without overeating and saves some money at the same time.

So those are my three cheapo tips for saving a few dollars when you’re stuck with no other option than eating take-out!