If sipping on a store-bought cup of coffee is one of your daily rituals, you could be laying out a lot more cash than you realize. Sure, a standard 16-ounce grande cup of plain black coffee at Starbucks costs a modest $2.25 before tax. That's chump change. But when you multiply that by one work week or one month or one year, even, the numbers become substantial.
If you could give up your coffee addiction or get used to the free brew in your office, you could save that money, or use it to buy a host of other treasures. You might not have the energy to enjoy them at first (hello, caffeine withdrawal), but in a year's time, you could be saving enough to enjoy a caffeine-free tropical vacation. Loyal latté or Frappucino drinkers could extend that vacation by a week. Yeah.
For sake of simplicity, the infographic calculations below were based on Starbucks' pre-tax grande-sized coffee price ($2.25), assuming the drink is purchased once per weekday per time period. (Perhaps you have the time to brew a pot at home on weekends, or you treat yourself to an extra-fancy, extra-pricey java at brunch). And if you're Frap-happy, scroll scroll down: if you buy a plain grande Frappucino ($4.45) every weekday for a year, well, you're probably being fiscally irresponsible (and likely over-sugared).
The numbers may be alarming, but you can have your cake and eat it, too. Invest in a coffee maker. Buy store-bought beans. Join the rewards program at your favorite shop. Order an iced coffee with no ice -- you'll get twice as much liquid, and you can save it for the next day.
Note: The price for the Bermuda getaway was determined by a deal found through Kayak on June 1, 2015. It includes 4 nights hotel, no airfare.
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