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Kicking my Starbucks addiction  

post #1 of 59
8/30/06 at 5:40pm
Thread Starter 
I have finally made the decision to give it up. I am horribly addicted to Starbucks and it's sucking the money right out of me. I did the math and I spend about $2000 a year on just Starbucks. Am I the only one with this problem?
post #2 of 59
8/30/06 at 8:46pm
Are we related? I visit Starbucks daily. I've tried a bazillion times to give it up and I just cant (wont). It's my only outlet. I have limited myself to one time a day and I dont get any more bakery items....just my grande iced soy mocha with raspberry

Can you limit it down to once a week? Can you make the coffee at home? What drink specifically are you addicted to?
post #3 of 59
8/30/06 at 8:54pm
I buy the beans from Starbucks, but rarely drink there. Much cheaper and totally better, as most home made things are. I CANNOT drink supermarket coffee anymore.
post #4 of 59
8/30/06 at 8:56pm
check out coffeegeek.com

its the mdc of the coffee world
post #5 of 59
8/30/06 at 9:04pm
I'm not addicted to Starbucks but I'm overcovering an addiction to mochas from my food co-op...they are almost $4/each and they aren't the healthiest.
I was getting one (and sometimes two) everyday.
I'm ttc now though and I'm thinking it would be best to be off of all chocolate and caffeine for a while.
TTC is the only thing that has really helped my will power.
I've been off them for 2 weeks...and it isn't easy.

What drink from Starbucks are you hooked on?
I've been trying to get an alternative drink (herbal tea, all natural soda, etc) Or some other treat to replace the mocha...something that is good to distract me but I know I won't get hooked on it.

Good Luck!
post #6 of 59
8/30/06 at 10:49pm
Dunkin Donuts coffee is better.
post #7 of 59
8/30/06 at 10:54pm
Ah, I hear this is a common ailment. A friend of us saves 600 a month by stopping his Starbucks binging.

Did you know that Starbucks can only use beans for 24 hours after they are ground and in the AM they give away the beans that are 25 hours old and older. They aren't allowedto sell it but they can give it away. This is what we started doing. It is enough to make a few pots of coffee!
post #8 of 59
8/30/06 at 11:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by KateKat
Dunkin Donuts coffee is better.
:Puke sorry but a coffee snob here
post #9 of 59
8/31/06 at 12:43am
Quote:
Originally Posted by KateKat
Dunkin Donuts coffee is better.
I think it depends on your DD. Only one around here has even semi-decent coffee.

Try fiddling around and making whatever you crave at home. For awhile I was hooked on Dunkin Donuts iced coffees, because on Tuesdays and Thursdays, after I dropped my DD1 off at preschool, I'd drive over to the drive-through DD and get one. It gave my DD2 just enough time to knock out in the car so I could put her down for her nap when we got home However, the next thing I knew it was coffee and a donut, and occasionally a coffee and TWO donuts, and then a coffee after dropoff and a smoothie after pickup. I got totally out of hand. So I forced myself to experiment until I figured out the process for making a good iced coffee at home, and now I only go by Dunkin Donuts occasionally if we don't have milk at home or I really need a donut or something.

And just now, I reread that story after typing it, and I feel like such a pathetic loser Iced coffee as gateway drug? Good heavens...
post #10 of 59
8/31/06 at 3:05am
I have limited myself to at least once a week. I can't give up everything to be a SAHM.
post #11 of 59
8/31/06 at 3:52am

you might try this

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=511181
post #12 of 59
8/31/06 at 6:52am
Quote:
Did you know that Starbucks can only use beans for 24 hours after they are ground and in the AM they give away the beans that are 25 hours old and older. They aren't allowedto sell it but they can give it away. This is what we started doing. It is enough to make a few pots of coffee!
iof,

can you elaborate? Starbucks will give away coffee beans if you go in and ask them?! that sounds so odd - but great, I want to try but am shy to ask...
post #13 of 59
8/31/06 at 8:27am
My husband loves a good cappucino a day (or twice, or thrice). He did the math and compared buying a very good machine, Illy beans, organic milk for one year vs. Starbucks. Needless to say, the home machine is more economical, cappucinos made at home taste much better (probably also has to do with Illy beans), and how else can you afford to have cappucinos for everybody at a dinner party? The ability to make a spur of the moment latte at 11 pm in your pajamas cannot be overrated.
He limits himself to bought cappucinos when he/we travel.
post #14 of 59
8/31/06 at 9:12am
Well, my solution to this problem wasn't exactly frugal - but its saving me money in the long run. I bought a super-automatic espresso machine. They are major $$$ but there is so little work involved in making a cappuchino or latte or just a delicious shot of espresso that going to Starbucks was ridiculously inconvenient in comparison. We are on track for the machine to pay for itself in one year.
post #15 of 59
8/31/06 at 9:52am
I don't like Starbucks...I don't think the coffee is very good and I know good beans, but I will drive out of my way for Caribou (the got a much higher rating for the quality/taste of their coffee). I limit myself to once a week. We even have a coffee bar at work and I had to stop cold turkey. I purchased a high quality thermos that will keep the coffee warm for 8+ hours and now splurge on select whole beans from area roasters and brew at home. It's saves me money even if I pay $30/lb for Kona AA or Blue Mountain.
post #16 of 59
8/31/06 at 9:57am
Do a little research into Starbucks as a company and how they treat their managers and you'll be cured. I would never give that evil life-sucking empire a dime of my money.
Two brothers=both Starbucks managers=2 broken families=2 nervous breakdowns

F*#$ Starbucks.
post #17 of 59
8/31/06 at 10:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eli's_mommy
I have finally made the decision to give it up. I am horribly addicted to Starbucks and it's sucking the money right out of me. I did the math and I spend about $2000 a year on just Starbucks. Am I the only one with this problem?
No you are not the only one. That is why there is a new term coined for it, the latte factor.

That being said I am not a coffee drinker, but do like chai latte's once in a while ( usually made myself)
post #18 of 59
8/31/06 at 11:17am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Amys1st
:Puke sorry but a coffee snob here
I don't really like Starbucks coffee, either! We buy organic central American coffee (Peruvian is my favorite), grind it ourselves, and it is sooooo good.

That said, I do love those Frappucino lights. I might have one this afternoon to comisserate the fact that this baby still hasn't decided to make his/her appearance.
post #19 of 59
8/31/06 at 11:20am
I used to beat myself up about going to Starbucks too much, but I truly love it and it's a real treat for me. I go a couple of times a week, probably. I solved the budget issue by asking for a Starbucks card at every holiday (birthday, Mother's Day, Xmas, etc.). I try to limit my trips, but would never give it up completely!

It can definitely hurt your budget, so I understand wanting to cut it out. Women can be really stingy with themselves, though, so if it's something you really adore, let yourself splurge once in awhile!
post #20 of 59
8/31/06 at 1:21pm
welcome Maddie, I keep seeing people put their first post in this forum!1

If Starbucks is eating up 2 grand of your money, I agree cold turkey is not an option but cutting it down to maybe $200 is better.

That being said, yes I am a coffee snob. We do not do Starbucks if at all possible. But OTH, we have close to 2K worth of coffee equipment in our kitchen. Our drip coffee maker, our grinder, and our new Anita espresso machine all together is about 2 grand.

The cheap part is buying green beans online that are fair trade and we roast the beans ourselves in a $1 popcorn maker after the hand me down one got way too gross. Funny, at a garage sale one day there was a brand spankin new popcorn maker for $1 and dd1 said- Look a coffee roaster!!

We have 4 cups all together every morning at 6:15 am together for adult time. That at Starbucks would be $28. We also do espresso style drinks at least 4 afternoons each week. That would be a about $30 bucks. So if we did it at Starbucks or another coffee house, this is a $230 mo plus habit.

We bought the espresso machine this year to celebrate being together 20 years. IT was bought and paid in full used with non household funds. Meaning, side jobs etc was saved up to pay for it. It makes the best foam, has the best temp... I could go on and on.

But that being said, if its the coffee- you can do it cheaply at home and then splurge once in a while for starbucks.

But if its the outing and going there, just cut the amount in half or more so you still have it and you will appreciate it more when you get it.
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