Us twenty somethings are serious about our coffee. And while this is okay with me...we need to be equally serious about our spending habits early on...
While I drink for taste (always getting decaf because I don't consume caffeine)...I'm still as addicted (ok maybe slightly less) as my peers who cannot go a day without their morning (or afternoon) cup of joe. Since I've made my job transition, I've picked up a very bad habit...spending $4 a day on my 'grande decaf no foam skinny vanilla latte' from Starbucks. If I'm in a good mood, I'm getting a pastry too.
A regular coffee from Stabucks runs about $2.20 (I've got the specialty drink disease). I hear some smarty pants out there rolling their neck and saying, "Well that's why I get my morning cup from McDonalds or Dunkin' Donuts. It's good and slightly cheaper. I spend less than $2 a day on my morning cup of Joe." You think you've outsmarted me. Think. Again.
A morning cup of coffee brewed at home cost about $.17/cup (6-ounce cup). So let's say you get 12 ounces with your store-bought cup...that same cup, made at home would cost you $.34/day.
I'll cut to the chase.
By buying ground or whole bean coffee from the grocer you would spend about $80 a year on coffee.
By going to McDonalds or Dunkin'Donuts everyday you are spending $480 a year on coffee.
Andddd for me, the specialty coffee whore...by buying a $4 flavored latte from Stabucks on the daily, I am spending $960 a year on coffee.That Howard Schultz is a fawkkkking genius. By the way, Starbucks sells a pound of whole bean coffee for about $12. This makes about 45 6-ounce cups which converts into $.58/day for a 12-ounce cup. This means $128 a year. Still a come-up.
You know what you could do with an extra $880 a year? No...not save it...
Buy a pair of really nice, red bottoms.
(Although for those of you who thought "save it" first...nice work, you're learning. I needed to make a bigger point though. The red bottoms make a big point.)
Note: These calculations are assuming Mon-Fri, 48 workweeks in a year (bc most folks get 4 weeks vacay and holiday time off)...so 240 days. If you get coffee on the weekends and your off-days...you can recalculate for 365. I just would prefer NOT to see those numbers. smh.
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*Introducing: Curb Your Spending*
I received an email from a reader and she would love to see more on spending. She asked for one post. I decided, wouldn't it be fun to have a segment called "Curb Your Spending" where I talk about spending habits and advice on a regular basis.
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