Lunch rarely feels like a financial decision. It feels like convenience, a quick break, maybe a small reward in the middle of a workday. But according to “Shark Tank” investor Kevin O'Leary, that daily habit adds up faster than most people realize — and he has little patience for the math people ignore.

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In a 2023 TikTok video, O'Leary delivered one of his characteristically blunt reminders about everyday spending, calling out expensive lunches and coffee runs as quiet budget killers. "You go to work, you spend 15 bucks on a sandwich—what are you, an idiot?" he said, arguing that small, repeated purchases can quietly drain thousands of dollars a year without people noticing.

O'Leary pointed to simple comparisons to make his case. A cup of coffee made at home might cost about $0.20, he said, compared with roughly $5.50 at a coffee shop. Lunch, in his view, follows the same pattern. "It costs you 99 cents to make a sandwich at home and bring it with you," O'Leary said.

Over time, he said, those daily choices compound. "You start to add that up every day, it's a ton of money."

He said the issue shows up most clearly among younger workers early in their careers, especially those earning around $60,000 a year in larger cities, where daily convenience spending can quietly pile up. According to O'Leary, small purchases like takeout lunches, coffee runs, and other routine expenses can add up to as much as $15,000 a year when left unchecked.

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When Kevin O'Leary talks about wasting money, he is not only pointing at takeout lunches or coffee runs. The broader issue is how easily money slips away through habits that feel harmless in the moment. Data from an August CNET survey shows that the pattern goes beyond restaurant spending alone. US adults spend nearly $3,000 per year on restaurants and takeout, along with roughly $1,500 on groceries that are never cooked or eaten. Combined, that is close to $4,500 annually lost to convenience, waste, or both.

The numbers also highlight the other side of the argument. Some people spend more on groceries intending to save money by cooking at home, only to throw food away when schedules get busy or plans change. The survey found adults spend about $236 per month on restaurants and takeout while grocery shoppers reported wasting around $125 a month on unused food. In that sense, O'Leary's point lands less as criticism of any one choice and more as a reminder that spending habits matter most when they repeat — whether the money is spent at the counter or lost in the fridge.

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Once you've saved that $15,000 a year by mastering the art of the 99-cent turkey club and the home-brewed roast, a new question shows up: what do you actually do with all those sandwich savings?

While Mr. Wonderful is great at telling people how to stop the bleeding, a financial advisor can help make sure that lunch money actually starts working for you. The goal isn't just spending less — it's turning those kitchen-made sandwiches into something that grows over time. And unlike a store-bought panini, that payoff tends to age pretty well.

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This article Kevin O'Leary Says You Go To Work And Spend $15 On A Sandwich, 'What Are You An Idiot?' — It Costs You 99 Cents To Make One At Home originally appeared on Benzinga.com

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