Kevin O'Leary Says People Waste $15K A Year On 'Stupid Stuff' Like Buying Lunch At Work — 'It Costs You 99 Cents To Make A Sandwich'

"You go to work, you spend $15 on a sandwich—what are you, an idiot?" Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary shared some brutally direct financial advice with his viewers in a September TikTok video. Known as "Mr. Wonderful" for his sharp business insights, O'Leary took aim at two everyday habits—your pricey lunch breaks and coffee-shop splurges—that quietly drain thousands from your wallet each year.

O'Leary argued that making coffee at home costs around $0.20 per cup, compared to the $5.50 many people regularly spend at coffee shops. And then there's lunch—another major culprit. “It costs you 99 cents to make a sandwich at home,” O'Leary said. Yet, according to an October 2023 survey from ResumeBuilder.com, a whopping 71% of office workers buy lunch at least three times a week, with nearly half spending $20 or more per meal.

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O'Leary said that many individuals, especially those starting their careers in metropolitan areas with an annual salary of around $60,000, waste $15,000 each year on "stupid stuff." While a few coffees and sandwiches might not seem significant daily, O'Leary points out that these costs accumulate substantially over time. 

For example, buying lunch three times a week at $20 per meal sets you back $60 weekly. Over a year, that’s roughly $3,120. Add a daily coffee habit at around $5 each day, and you're spending another $1,300 annually. But what if you're the typical city worker who grabs lunch daily and a few coffees to keep going? Suddenly, you’re easily hitting the $15,000 mark O’Leary warned about.

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Now imagine taking that same $15,000 and putting it into the stock market instead. Historically, the S&P 500 has averaged around a 10% return annually. Invest that $15,000 each year for 10 years, and you’d end up with over $260,000 thanks to compound interest. Over 20 years, that figure balloons to nearly $860,000. Talk about turning lunch money into life-changing cash.

This spending reality hits harder when we consider that according to a Bankrate survey earlier this month, only 41% of U.S. adults could comfortably cover a $1,000 emergency expense. This is a drop from last year when 44% said they could cover the expense from their savings. And yet, workers continue to casually blow their budgets on conveniences that add little long-term value.

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O’Leary might be blunt, but his message is clear: “Stop spending money on crap you don't need!” Those daily coffees and overpriced sandwiches seem harmless enough individually, but added together, they form an expensive habit that sabotages financial stability.

So next time you’re tempted by the sandwich shop or café around the corner, remember O’Leary’s tough-love question: “What are you, an idiot?” It might just save you thousands.

Of course, O'Leary's style isn't for everyone—maybe the thought of skipping your morning coffee makes you cringe, or packing lunch daily feels unrealistic. That's totally fine. Talking with a financial advisor can help you find a happy middle ground. They'll work with you to identify small, manageable changes, so you can still enjoy your latte guilt-free while keeping your financial goals right on track.

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