How much is that coffee on the go costing you?
If you’re anything like me, you may have slipped into the habit of grabbing a quick coffee when you’re out and about. I think my Starbucks Gold Membership, year after year, is a pretty good example of that!
And while I really enjoy picking up a coffee without having to make it myself, I have to admit I don’t always pause to consider just how much it’s actually costing me.
With the “Auto Top-Up” set up on apps like Starbucks and Greggs, it’s so easy to just grab one—often without even needing to get out of the car when driving places.
But just how much is this really costing? I decided to take a closer look, and the results were, frankly, a bit scary.
My coffee of choice is a Grande extra hot latte with an extra shot, coming in at £4.65 (thanks to the extra shot being free with the Gold Membership, more details can be found here).
When I looked at my habits, I realised I was buying around four per week. That’s £18.60 a week, or £967.20 a year. Not an unsubstantial amount—and that doesn’t even include the coffees I used to buy when I was in the office.
Keeping that number in mind has definitely helped me change my behaviour. I haven’t stopped altogether, but I’ve started treating it more like a treat again rather than something to mindlessly purchase.
I’m avoiding those “I’ll just grab a coffee for the journey” moments and instead taking ten minutes to sit down and actually enjoy it.
And for coffee on the go? I’ve switched to making a cafetière at home and pouring it into a takeaway cup.
So what about you?
It’s worth taking five minutes to work this out for yourself. What’s your “go-to” order? How often are you buying it each week?
Multiply it out and see what the yearly number looks like—you might be surprised.
I’m not saying you should stop altogether. But if you can turn a daily habit back into an occasional treat, you might find you save a lot more than you expect… without really feeling like you’re missing out.
