The other day when I was watching the news, I heard that Starbucks has decided to close 600 stores nation wide. How can that be? Obviously the fact the a cup coffee is about the same price as a gallon of gas might have something to do with it. But, I’l be super sad if my Starbucks gets cut. While it isn’t a daily addiction for me, I do really enjoy it a couple times a week!
For me it is Non-Fat Chai Tea Lattes in the winter and Chai Frappuccinos in the summer. It does definitely hits my wallet and budget, but even more than that I have to worry about the calories. Have you seen how many calories are in those blended drinks? Yikes!
Does Starbucks impact your finances? What is your favorite drink and how often do you indulge?
It totally impacts my budget. My spending at Starbucks was getting so bad my husband had to create a separate envelope in the online budgeting software program we use that was just for my Starbucks purchases. It gets worse! Now I started meeting many of my clients at Starbucks. So, not only am I getting myself a drink, I get them drinks as well. Yesterday, I was at Starbucks twice. Yikes. $3.50 here and $3.50 there really does add up. Maybe it would be better for me if they closed a few stores around here!
Starbucks does not effect my budget, mostly because I have not let it. I think it is the calories and the cost that has kept it at bay. I admit that drinking starbucks coffee does make me happy. I always have a smile on my face if I am holding that cup in my hand. I like the non fat vanilla latte’s. I have been trying to find a cheaper alternative. It just isn’t working. Mcdonalds came out with specialty coffee’s so they could compete with the starbucks of this world. I received some free coupons in the mail. I was so excited. i thought if I can get my vanilla latte for a dollar or so cheaper this would be GREAT!…….needless to say the coffee was horrible. I took about two drinks. Even if i could get unlimited free coffee from McD’s I wouldn’t do it.:). A good friend of mine gave me this tip for drinking at starbucks for cheap. Get a regular coffe than pay a little extra and put flavoring in it. The tea is only a $1.00, so if all you have is a buck and your friends want to go to Starbucks you can still get something. That is for ice tea, not hot…..okay that is my two cents. later.
I have also cut way back on my Starbucks drinking partly because of finances, partly because of calories, though I have to confess that last week I went more than I would like to admit. I have recently stopped drinking coffee almost completely. I have about a cup a week now compared to before when I would at least have one if not two a day. Instead I am drinking green tea. When I go to Starbucks now I either get a iced passion tea or I get the blended green tea with lemonade. Both are very yummy especially on these 110+ days when you just need something to keep you from questioning your sanity. But I do admit every once and awhile I splurge and get an iced vanilla latte. I have learned recently though that if you ask for a grande iced vanilla latte but then just ask for one shot of espresso, they only charge you for a tall. =) It is quite the deal. I also get non-fat milk so it is less of a calories worry for me. I am also sad that they are cutting Starbucks stores especially because there are very few in Mesa as it is. Ironically though, they just opened a new one right by my house….
I’m a bean lover & a Starbucks fan. They make the world seem smaller, you know? I go for the cheaper americano and use their free 1/2 & 1/2, sweeteners and condiments to feel indulged. When traveling out of town- it’s a little slice of something familiar. It all reminds me of my dad and the cafe he would have breakfast at every Saturday morning- even though we had perfectly good food at home. (The Sunriser in Paris, Texas) The waitress always knew that he liked his scrambled eggs a little on the soft side with lots of pepper. It made him happy to sit there and read his paper.
Starbucks doesnt affect by budget too much…I dont love coffee for some reason (lucky me I guesss…)However, I do enjoy a sweetened black ice tea during the summer with a venti ice water…
Since I dont like the taste of most of the stuff that is offered there, it makes it easier to not spend (money or calories) there as often…
i do like starbucks as well. I like the Pikes Place Roast for the coffee and i really like an iced white chocolate mocha or iced caramel latte. My hubby like chai as well, but prefers Caribou Coffee’s. Have you ever had that kind? He likes it with a shot of irish cream , which is kind of weird but tastes so yummy!
Courtney, a venti ice water? What in the world? I’m amazed at your self control!
I don’t know Caribou Coffee Mandy. I actually prefer the chai lattes at Coffee Bean but they don’t have a drive through which usually eliminates them for me. But they are super good and dessert like.
I’m impressed with those of you who can resist the draw and temptation of Starbucks!
I can’t resist Starbucks! We only have one in town (isn’t that unheard of?!) When we first moved here I was going once or twice a week. It wasn’t so much affecting my pocket book as it was my waist line. (Comfort food from the BIG move, ya know!) I had to scale back. I’m a big fan of the chi latte but I get mine with soy. In the winter I also love their hot chocolate with a flavor syrup added to it - like either almond or peppermint. In the summer I love their black tea/lemonade and I have been known to get their chi iced.
Starbucks would totally impact my budget, if I ever followed one!! But instead I worry that the closing of Starbucks is a sign of the times and the economy, so meanwhile I’ll try to keep them in business!!
Too keep myself on a budget with starbucks, I buy myself a starbucks giftcard and limit myself to $30 a month.
That’s my starbucks allowance right there. Interesting huh? Before I didn’t realize that I was spending over $50 on starbucks before… insane isn’t it? I’d always pay with cash and never realized how much I my drinks were putting a hole in my pocket weekly… But since i started doing this… No more holes in my pocket haha… just a plastic starbucks card 
It’s my creative way of limiting myself to when and how much starbucks I can have in a month. Haha…