Dinner Stipend on Groceries?
My bank gives us $30 for dinner. $30 is honestly a decent amount to spend for me cuz I can get like BOGO deals off Uber Eats and fridge the remainder for the next day, or sometimes we will have food in the office. I’m thinking about maybe spending the $30 on perhaps the Fridays for some groceries (probably mostly protein), eat leftovers for the day, sticking groceries in the fridge, and bring it home for the weekend to eat/meal prep for the week. Not sure if this would be taboo, looking for the second opinion.
Based on the most helpful WSO content, it's not uncommon for professionals to stretch their dinner stipends in creative ways. The idea of using your dinner allowance for groceries, especially on a Friday, to prepare for the week ahead is quite resourceful. Here are a few points to consider:
Policy Check: Ensure that your firm's policy allows for such flexibility with the meal stipend. Some firms may have specific guidelines on how these funds should be used.
Cultural Norms: Gauge the office culture regarding meal stipends. If others are doing it or if it's not explicitly frowned upon, you're likely in the clear.
Efficiency: Using your stipend for groceries could be seen as an efficient use of resources, especially if it helps you save time and money for meal prep.
Discretion: It's wise to be discreet about this practice, as flaunting it might attract unnecessary attention or lead to policy changes.
Value Maximization: If you're getting more value out of the stipend by purchasing groceries and it's within the rules, it's a smart move financially.
Remember, the key is to ensure you're within the guidelines set by your employer. If in doubt, it might be worth having a casual conversation with HR or a trusted colleague to get their take. Keep it low-key and professional, and you should be able to enjoy your meal stipend in a way that best suits your needs.
Sources: The Economics of an Unpaid Internship, Updated Dinner Allowances (NYC) - May 2022, SF true cost of living, The New-New Normal | The Daily Peel | 4/27/22, Meal Stipend Benchmarking
My bank had a policy where if you bought dinner from the grocery store you needed to upload the receipt and could only expense what you ate for that meal. I used to get premade biryani and tri-tip plates from my local grocery store in SF. We could expense those and they were like $10 each, so I would get two of those and a drink on one receipt and put alcohol / other groceries on a second receipt.
Almost was let go for doing this. Would not recommend, just pay the $20.
Dang, know that it might not be great but didn’t realize they would take it that far. Thanks for the heads up.
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