CHICAGO, IL -- (Marketwire) -- 01/10/13 -- Think that joining your buddies for lunch won't break the bank? Think again. If you go out for lunch four days a week, over the course of a 40-year working life, you've eaten away nearly $60,000!*

As part of BMO Harris Bank's commitment to "Making Money Make Sense," here are several reasons to bring your lunch to work:

It's healthier. Packing your own lunch gives you complete command over exactly what you eat and how much you eat. Think portion control.

It's cheaper than eating out. A typical sit-down lunch at a restaurant can run you anywhere from $8 - $15. Add tax and tip on top of that, and you could be spending as much as $350 PER MONTH on lunch.

You can make new friends. Since everyone shares the employee lunchroom, eating your lunch there (and not at your desk) may provide you the opportunity to have conversations with others whom you may not typically interact.

Leftovers. Leftovers aren't just for dinner. The next time you make one of your favorite meals, prepare at least one extra, smaller, portion to take to work. Pasta typically heats up easily.

Time is your friend. You aren't wasting precious minutes getting to your lunch destination, standing in line, or waiting for your order to be prepared.

Can't see yourself going cold turkey and bringing your lunch every day? Then start out small. Even taking it to the office twice a week will help build your savings.

"You can save hundreds of dollars each year if you simply cut back on that morning latte," said Julie Curran, Regional President, BMO Harris Bank. "You'll be amazed how quickly the savings add up."

For more information on budgeting and saving, visit: helpful steps or stop by your local BMO Harris branch.

About BMO Harris Bank

Based in Chicago, BMO Harris Bank N.A. provides a broad range of personal banking products and solutions through over 600 branches and approximately 1,300 ATMs in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Nevada, Arizona and Florida. BMO Harris Bank's commercial banking team provides a combination of sector expertise, local knowledge and mid-market focus throughout the U.S. Deposit and loan products and services provided by BMO Harris Bank N.A. Member FDIC. BMO Harris Bank(SM) is a trade name used by BMO Harris Bank N.A. BMO Harris Bank is part of BMO Financial Group, a North American financial organization with 1,600 branches, and a retail deposit base of approximately $180 billion.

*Calculation based on $7.50 per day, 48 weeks per year, over 40 years.