Coffee, My Cup of Tea

Once you start looking for it, there is no shortage of advice from financial experts about the importance of saving, and ways to do it.  The problem with advice from the "experts" is they have probably never truly started from scratch, or they suggest giving up stuff that I think of as a simple pleasure. Like lattes. It seems everyone suggests giving up Starbucks. What is so wrong with a cup of Joe?

Its the math for starters, it always comes down to the math. Lets say you drink a Starbucks drink on average, 4 times a week. In my case we will use a Grande Chile Mocha Frappuccino (Because that is what I am currently drinking-All in the interest of research of course). The price was $5.41, including tax. Four of these drinks a week would set me back $21.64. Subtracting vacations and times I am sick or housebound by snow, lets multiply $21.64 by 48 weeks. That is $1038.72, and that doesn't include tips or gas to make that special trip. Even if I dropped to just one drink a week for 48 weeks that's still $259.68! Need more incentive to give up a fancy coffee drink? A Grande Chile Mocha has 360 calories. One drink a week for 48 weeks comes to 17,280 calories or FIVE additional pounds. Four drinks a week, for 48 weeks comes to 69,120 calories or just under 20 pounds. Suddenly that Starbucks doesn't seem all that appealing. For the sake of my wallet and waistline, Starbucks has got to go.

I still enjoy a hot beverage, but I think I'll try tea. As long as I can stay away from fancy tea houses both my wallet and girlish figure will benefit.


Coffee leads men to trifle away their time, scald their chops, and spend their money, all for a little base, black, thick, nasty, bitter, stinking nauseous puddle water- The Women’s Petition Against Coffee, London (1674)