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August 12, 2005
Coffee, the Dark Nectar of Life
Need a cup of joe to get you going in the morning? Starbucks is not your friend! They are wolves in sheeps' aprons! Sure, it's convenient, and they're very friendly (tricky wolves), but is it worth how much it's costing you? If you buy a one dollar cup of coffee every work day, that's about $250 a year. Two dollars a day is around $500 a year. You get the idea.
We've already worked out how much money a small amount can add up to over long periods of time. You can use the savings growth calculator to figure out what this could mean in your case. But let's consider this another way.
Did you get a raise last year? If you did, how much was it? Three percent? Five percent? If you manage to earn $50,000 a year, well above the average American income, a two dollar cup of coffee adds up to one percent of your salary. That might be a significant part of your yearly raise!
I have this coffee pot on my desk at work. It costs $20. Not only does it save me $500 a year, but I get to brew my coffee however I like. And trust me -- with practice, it is possible to manage the coordination necessary to brew a pot of coffee before you've had your first cup. It's a question of motivation, and that much money is worth it to me. Make your own coffee and give yourself a raise!
Posted by Frank at August 12, 2005 7:48 AM
Comments
Posted by: Duane
at August 12, 2005 9:06 AM
You can't put a price on happyness...
Posted by: jmv
at August 12, 2005 10:34 AM
If you happen to work in a building/office where the company daily puts out the coffee beans and all that for personnel, it's not much to even think about until the addiction carries over into a place or situation that isn't so giving.
Posted by: Sleeper
at August 12, 2005 11:55 PM
One guy in church called coffee "Nectar from the Bean of Life" -- though I like yours too!
Our workplace does a coffee club -- $2/month, all you can drink. It hasn't gone bankrupt yet. Pays for supplies, coffee, and new makers. Somehow I think that I get the better end of the deal because I drink a LOT of coffee.
Good stuff on your blog -- I've subscribed to your feed. I love your Ten Dollar Project, too!
Posted by: mbhunter
at August 16, 2005 7:49 AM
"Nectar from the Bean of Life" sounds much more wholesome. I was going for something more along the lines of the "Dark Side of the Force" ;)
The coffee club's a great idea, too. $2 a month is pretty darn reasonable! Thanks for the tip! (I've been reading MightyBargainHunter for a few weeks now, too -- good stuff!)
Posted by: Frank
at August 16, 2005 8:28 AM
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Never developed the coffee habit. I need a Diet Pepsi in the morning. Must be Diet Pepsi, must be a bottle, must be 24oz. Don't ask me why, exactly, anymore than people have to have Equal instead of Sweet and Low. Alas the "free coffee at work" and "brew your own" mechanisms were not available to me.
I did, however, realize that I was spending anywhere from $1.29 to $1.79 a day for my fix, when I could buy this stuff by the 6pak at the supermarket for $3, or 50cents a bottle. Much better. Sometimes I'll go to the local BJ's/Sams/Costco and get it by the case and save a bit more.