Is This a £1,000 Coffee Habit?
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.
My Own Numbers
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. Here’s how that breaks down:
| Frequency | Weekly | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 a week (my habit) | £18.60 | £80.60 | £967.20 |
| 5 a week (weekdays only) | £23.25 | £100.75 | £1,209.00 |
| 7 a week (every day) | £32.55 | £141.05 | £1,693.80 |
Four a week alone comes to £967.20 a year, near enough a £1,000 coffee habit once you round it up, and that doesn’t even include the coffees I used to buy when I was in the office. If your own habit is closer to one a day, you’re already past £1,000 before anything else gets added on.
Worth saying too: this number isn’t static. I track the price of a Starbucks Grande Latte every month as part of the Sensible Basket, and like most things in that basket, it tends to drift upward rather than down. So if anything, a £1,000 coffee habit today is more likely to become an £1,050 or £1,100 coffee habit next year than to shrink on its own.
What Changed Once I Knew the Number
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. It sounds like a small mental shift, but it’s made an actual difference to the number, not just to how I feel about it.
Work Out Your Own Coffee Habit Cost
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. Or you can use my free coffee cost calculator to do it properly.
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.
If you do want to keep buying coffee out, the least you can do is make sure you’re getting something back for it. I’ve reviewed the main loyalty schemes so you can pick the best one for your habits: Starbucks Rewards, Costa Coffee Club, Black Sheep Coffee, and McDonald’s McCafé.
For more on understanding and changing everyday spending habits, take a look at my spending habits guide.