Two breakfast sandwiches for less than $1

Photo property of Alex Grey

Often, while examining monthly expenditures, folks find that despite their best efforts to keep track of purchases, there tends to still be some small amount of money unaccounted-for in the ledgers and gone from the bank accounts.  Though minimal--usually $50-$100--the missing money frustrates and confuses the careful budgeter.

Question:  Just where the heck is that money going? 

Answer:  It's being eaten--quite literally.

Remember that candy bar and soda from the gas station yesterday?  How about the breakfast sandwich from the day before?  No?  That's not surprising.  The average consumer buys $25.00 worth of food and drink from gas stations, quick-marts and other easy-shop places every week!  And it's understandable that this money never gets recorded in the monthly budget--who's got time to stop the car and record a $2.00 purchase?  Folks instead tend to tell themselves, "I'll write it down when I get to work" or "I'll save the receipts and record the whole day's purchases tonight when I get home."  Too bad it never works that way.  People get busy, forgetful or lazy and those little receipts end up in the garbage, the street or the washing machine.

So what can be done about it?  Those small snacks are what gets a lot of people through the day and $25.00 per week isn't really that big a loss right?  Wrong!  Try bringing 2 homemade breakfast sandwiches to work every day at a cost of less than $5.00 per week and watch the savings pile up!  Don't forget to bring coffee and soda from home too--an insulated mug and small cooler are two of the smart shopper's better investments.  

These super-cheap breakfast sandwiches are tastier, more filling and better for consumers than anything sold in gas-stations and best of all:  it only takes 10 minutes to prepare two of them!

Bacon, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Bagels

2 sliced bagels, toasted ($.27)

2 slices, individually-wrapped cheese ($.08)

6 slices, bacon ($.53)

2 whole eggs ($.11)

salt ($.00001)

pepper ($.00001)

vegetable or other cooking oil ($.0002)

1.  Pour small amount of oil into 6" frying pan, set over medium heat.

2.  Break eggs into small bowl, whisk together with salt and pepper to taste.

3.  Place bacon in large frying pan over high heat.  While bacon is cooking, pour half of the eggs into the smaller frying pan and let cook without stirring.  Flip eggs once with spatula, remove from pan when cooked through and set aside.  Repeat with second half of eggs.

4.  When bacon is fully-cooked, remove from pan to drain on paper-towels.

5.  Assemble sandwiches:  place one egg-patty on bottom half of toasted bagel, top with slice of cheese.  Add three slices of bacon and cover with the toasted bagel top.  Repeat for second sandwich.

Note:  These sandwiches freeze very well.  Simply make up a half-dozen or more, place in individual plastic bags and store in freezer.  When needed, remove sandwich from plastic bag and reheat in microwave. 

Total cost for two sandwiches: 99 cents!