So was it hard to break the habit of eating out over lunch several times a week? It was actually easier than I thought it would be. I did miss having a change of scenery in the middle of the day, so I took to shutting my office door (lucky to have one!) and moving to a different part of the room to eat and read during my break. It's a bit antisocial but it works.
One of the main reasons I decided to take on this challenge was to save money. Let's break it down, arithmetic-style. I normally would have eaten out for an average of 13 lunches in a month, at approximately $6.75 each. I was able to bring lunches instead for about $2.75 each. Plus I saved just over $8 in gas.
Before expenses for 13 lunches: $95.75
After expenses for 13 lunches: $35.75
Savings: $60
Not bad!