One Starbucks grande Cold Brew with Salted Cream Cold Foam, please.
Even if your order sounds fancy, enjoying your coffee shouldn’t have to put you over budget.
Whatever your drink of choice, following these tips could help keep you from overspending at your favorite coffee spot — without giving up your habit.
WRITE A MONEY RECIPE
First and foremost, recognize your Starbucks purchases as a part of your actual budget.
“I prefer that people be realistic with themselves and say, ‘Listen, this is a habit that I’m not going to give up. It makes my day. It makes me happy,'” says Marianela Collado, CEO and senior financial adviser at Tobias Financial Advisors in Florida.
“Then it should totally be a line item. If you take $5 a day for 365 days, that’s almost $2,000.”
Those who utilize a budgeting system like Mintor Quicken should create a “coffee fix” category in their budget, Collado says. This would fall under the “wants” section of your budget, much like an entertainment or beauty category. And be sure to set a monthly spending limit.
KEEP DARK ROAST OUT OF THE RED
Then, make some trade-offs. For example, Collado says she’s noticed that some members of her team splurge on their afternoon lattes, but bring their lunches to work instead of going out to eat. They value getting coffee out more than they value eating out.
If you’re not sure if you can hold yourself accountable on your own, don’t discount the ability of a gift card to keep your spending on track. Using a gift card as your payment method is actually a forced budgeting technique, according to Tracie Fobes, founder of Penny Pinchin’ Mom.
She recommends loading a Starbucks gift card onto the Starbucks app with your coffee money allotment for the month. Then don’t reload the card again for the next 30 days.
“You put $40 on that card, and when that $40 is done, guess what? Your Starbucks run ends for the month.”
SWAP STARS FOR SAVINGS
You can maximize your monthly coffee allotment by joining Starbucks Rewards and downloading the coffee joint’s app.
The Starbucks loyalty program offers customers the ability to earn stars — two stars for $1 spent — that can later be redeemed for free drinks and other rewards. There are also other benefits, such as a free treat on your birthday, according to a Starbucks spokesperson.
If you’re going to be making purchases at Starbucks anyway, it makes sense to earn rewards for your loyalty — it’ll stretch your coffee dollars a little bit further.
BREW UP A BARGAIN
Loyalty programs are a popular savings technique. But beyond simply joining, there are less conventional ways to get the most out of your cup of joe, too.
One option? Time your coffee run strategically. The coffee chain sometimes hosts discount promotions, such as happy hours. These are deals offered through the Starbucks app and could include offers such as 50 percent off drinks or buy one, get one free. These are available to all Starbucks customers and typically start at 3 p.m.
