Kicking my Starbucks addiction - Page 3

[momto l&a]

There is a web site that is knock off recipes, sometimes you can find a recipe for making your own there.

I think there is also web site for making 4bucks like creations.

[alsoSarah]

Originally Posted by momto l&a

I make a killer caramel frappucino for just a fraction of the cost of Starbucks.

What kind of caramel syrup do you use?

I can't find one that really satifies my occasional caramel jones.

I've been thinking about going homemade, but I'm not sure how it will "hold up" in coffee, flavorwise.....

alsoSarah

[alsoSarah]

Originally Posted by VisionQuest

Does anyone happen to know what Starbucks sweetens its tea with? I know it comes out of a pump bottle but I'd love to save money and make it at home.

I've not worked there, but.... do they use simple syrup (a syrup of sugar and water, brought to a simmer, then cooled)?

It's what I use anytime I want to sugar-sweeten a cold drink (I use it to make lemonade or limeade, iced coffees, etc.), because the sugar is already fully disolved.

It's quick to make, and keeps forever if you fridge it.

Fourbucks being corporate coffee, though, they may use a corn-syrup-based sweetener?

alsoSarah

[Herausgeber]

Eh, rather than giving the stuff up, I just went out and bought some shares of SBUX stock. I now think of my lattes as a very indirect way of contributing to my retirement savings. Just think: Every mocha y'all drink adds another inch to the length of the boat I'm going to live on in the Keys 30 years from now.

[velochic]

Originally Posted by Herausgeber

Eh, rather than giving the stuff up, I just went out and bought some shares of SBUX stock. I now think of my lattes as a very indirect way of contributing to my retirement savings. Just think: Every mocha y'all drink adds another inch to the length of the boat I'm going to live on in the Keys 30 years from now.

OT: You buy individual stock?? Wow!! I don't have the financial balls to pull that one off, but I'd like to. And within a tax sheltered account? Would you be willing to share your portfolio percentages and ROR? Who's your broker?

[Herausgeber]

It's the only the individual stock I own, besides my employer's (which I would buy anyway). Otherwise, everything's in mutual funds. I'm a financial journalist, which puts me in the odd position of knowing lots about good stocks but being fairly limited in buying and selling individual ones due to my own ethics and my company's disclosure rules about trading.

The SBUX stock is in a rollover IRA with Etrade. It represents a very small part of my portfolio (less than 1 percent) and I regard it basically like gambling money. The stock has doubled in value in 3 years, but had I lost it all due to the discovery that coffee makes people go bald or something like that, it wouldn't have hurt me badly to lose the money.

[miss_sonja]

Originally Posted by Herausgeber

Eh, rather than giving the stuff up, I just went out and bought some shares of SBUX stock. I now think of my lattes as a very indirect way of contributing to my retirement savings. Just think: Every mocha y'all drink adds another inch to the length of the boat I'm going to live on in the Keys 30 years from now.

they send shareholders a free loaded Starbucks card every year with the Annual Report :-) It's not for much, but hey, what a treat!

[Bex80]

WTH is wrong with me?! I need to follow my own advice. Since posting here all I have thought about each morning is Starbucks and I have already been twice this week.

The white chocolate mocha sings my name.

[Hindyg]

I am a coffee snob and addict as well. I got into the habit of going to starbucks every morning on my way to work. Very bad for budgeting. It east up at least $20 a week. A little over a month ago, I stopped cold turkey and started buying ground coffee for the house again. My dh doesn't drink cofee. So I usually use a one cup melitta thing that goes over my mug, or I use my french press. I now spend $10 on a pound of coffee that lasts 3.5 weeks or so. It works for me. I take a travel mug to work now.

[papercranegirl]

I used to be addicted to Starbucks but now I splurge on high quality beans and dairy. The funny thing is that I started going there to save money. DD went to a museum preschool that was 25 minutes from our house. I couldn't justify driving there and back, there and back so I camped out at the coffeshop for 2 hours.

[momto l&a]

I use Torani Carmel Syrup Its in the coffee section of the grocery store

It doesnt have HFCS in it

I sometimes also use carmel syrup thats a ice cream topper for topping my frappucino.

[simplespirit]

I work in a BIG hospital and there is a Starbucks in the cafeteria. Even worse, my employee badge now works as a debit card. I don't even need "money" to get my fix- it's just taken out of my next check.

I am really afraid I am going to let this get out of hand...

[alsoSarah]

Originally Posted by momto l&a

I use Torani Carmel Syrup Its in the coffee section of the grocery store

It doesnt have HFCS in it

I sometimes also use carmel syrup thats a ice cream topper for topping my frappucino.

I'll have to give that a try!

I hadn't tried the caramel flavor, after not caring for a couple of their other flavors in the past...

I'll also try the ice cream topping on top!

I think my mistake with that was trying to just stir it into the hot latte, and the flavor always seemed to kind of get lost in there, so I would end up adding a lot of it.

alsoSarah

ps: How is it going with the chai, BabyBumblebee?

[berkshiregypsy]

Coffeeeeee

I am also a coffee SNOB............... we don't have a starbucks close at hand. Thats ok cause I don't like them all that much anyway.in my town its worse, we have 2 coffee shops, one very high brow,(high quality but....) very expensive. I don't go therre becuase of ethical reasons ( the owner is an a** , I worked they had a child emergency and he wasn't understanding AT ALL, I had to quit) the other is more reasonable ands Fantastic.. I get drip coffee, I'm a purist. I only go a 2-3 x per week so thats 9$ at the most............. We buy good quality coffee and really try to make almopst alla t home. I really wish we could budget a espresso machine buit not yet, Crossing my fingers for a YS or thrift scire on that one.

[PiePie]

me too!!

I share the addiction. My drink is a grande skim no whipped mocha. I need to lose weight (as well as save $) so I intend (but the will is weak) to substitute lattes. Also, to go down in size to tall. But I totally relate to the feeling many posters have expressed that I *need* it! I think the only thing that will work against this need is TTC or getting pregnant.

[andisunshine]

I think this is so funny! I used to work at a coffee shop and had access to whatever I wanted to drink but I mostly just drank black coffee. Thank goodness, I could not believe how much money people spend on coffee drinks, if I had gotten hooked I would be in trouble now. At home I make drip coffee and have it with cream and sugar. Costs me about $5 a week...

Andi

[Eli's_mommy]

Originally Posted by simplespirit

I work in a BIG hospital and there is a Starbucks in the cafeteria. Even worse, my employee badge now works as a debit card. I don't even need "money" to get my fix- it's just taken out of my next check.

I am really afraid I am going to let this get out of hand...

Oh no... That would be trouble trouble trouble for me. I work for a large corporation, and we have a Seattle's Best (Seattle's worst : ) coffee here. It's not very tempting. Eew.

[mizdg]

Money-saving alternative

We only have a few Starbucks here in my part of the East Coast, but Dunkin Donuts is big here and it was getting expensive and not always consistent in taste. Wanted to quit for money and health.

Since my love is Iced Coffee, I tried brewing my own, cooling it down and making it myself. I tried french press, etc. It just wasn't working out.

Then I stumbled upon Mount Hagen Organic-Cafe (freeze dried instand coffee). The coffee is delicious, better for you than those unknown coffee beans, and you can adjust the strength. And it is instant gratification!

Everyone I work with now has me buying it for them at my local whole foods -- some use the Decaf version. It's $9.99 for a 3.53 oz. jar that says it makes 60 servings - hot or cold, but that will depend on your taste/strength. It lasts me about 3 weeks and I drink a good amount of coffee each day -- it's a great savings over Dunkin Donuts at $2.30 for one medium cup each day. I mix up a huge container in the morning and take it along to work with me.

It's also cheaper through a co-op I've purchased from, and there are online sources too.


Dee

http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeu9vid/p...reebeautyblog/

[Let It Be]

I tend to be all-or-nothing with Starbucks. I'll do really well and stay away for an entire month, then I'll treat myself once and want it everyday thereafter.

One saving grace is the hot tea they serve; it's much cheaper to buy if I'm going there more atmosphere rather than coffee craving.