How much do you spend on eating lunches out?

A new Visa survey suggests many are spending hundreds of dollars a year on their midday meal, with sixty percent of Canadians surveyed reporting they buy their lunch once or more a week.

The survey reveals most are spending between $7 and $13, while nine percent are spending between $14 and $25. The survey also suggests the average Canadian who opts to buy a lunch spends about $8.80 on the meal.

Ontarians appear to eat out the most often, with 20 per cent hitting up restaurants three or more days per week.

Quebecers, on the other hand, seem to make a habit of packing their own lunch more than anyone else, with the survey suggesting half brown bag it every day.

Andrew Rice, a Toronto-based senior financial advisor with Stewart and Kett Finacial Advisors Inc., said it’s unreasonable to pledge never to eat out, but there are a few tricks to avoid doing so all the time.

His first tip is to add up the cost of eating out over a prolonged period of time.

After tax, eating out three times per week at $8.80 a pop could add up to about $20,000 after 10 years, he said.

“Spread that out over five years,” Rice said. “Is it really that much of an inconvenience (to pack lunch)?”

If that’s not enough of an inspiration, he suggests bringing some fruit and a drink from home, and grabbing just a simple sandwich while you’re at work.

“Some is better than none,” he said.

The survey is followed up with some words of wisdom from Visa: Regularly dining out for lunch at these prices can significantly affect your budget, regardless of your income.