Mothering › Mothering Discussion Forums › Natural Family Living › The Mindful Home › Frugality & Finances › My name is Holly and i'm a mocha latte addict
New Posts  All Forums:
 

My name is Holly and i'm a mocha latte addict - Page 3

post #41 of 108
10/1/08 at 7:18pm
I hear you on the addiction. I don't like plain coffee either, just Cinnamon Dolce lattes. And no, making your own at home isn't going to work when you don't like the flavor of actual coffee!! Start by getting a gift card and telling yourself that you can only have one for a special occasion. I found out that my grocery store's coin star machine gives out Starbucks cards with your coin total on it and I use that to fund my lattes now. When the card is empty, no more lattes until the coin jar is full again. I find myself going weeks between trips to Starbucks now and I don't even realize it. You just have to find something to break the habit. Good luck, you can do it!

You may also like:

Sitting or Squatting: What's Really Best in the Bathroom?
There Is Not Always a "Fix" For the Difficult Child
10 Things You Don't Need For a New Baby
post #42 of 108
10/1/08 at 7:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by hollytheteacher View Post
Did you know you can get them with soy milk That's what i do because my ds has dairy issues too!
Alas for right now I'm off soy too -- the proteins are too similar and DS seems to react to both. But he's five months now so I'm looking forward to 'testing' him maybe in a month or so.

Quote:
Originally Posted by jocelyndale View Post
Is your card registered with Starbucks? Keep an eye on the balance. Some gift cards start losing $ in finance charges if you go 6-12 mo without using it.

That's good to know! I did use it over the summer once or twice -- the black tea/lemonade (unsweetened) isn't bad.
post #43 of 108
10/1/08 at 8:33pm
Marry a barista. That's what I did. Of course he's not one now, but that's what he did during his late highschool/college days.

I'd say invest in an espresso machine and learn how to use it. Or better yet have your dp learn. Dp hasn't worked at a coffee shop in over a decade but he can sure make a wicked latte. It's very rare that I can get a store bought (even starbucks) latte that is better. The initial investment seemed painful, even after we figured out how much we'd save in the long run but I'm sure glad we have it now. Especially since we moved to an area with no coffee shops at all. The nearest on is 45 minutes away. <sob>
post #44 of 108
10/2/08 at 1:10am
Quote:
Originally Posted by WaitingForKiddos View Post
My name is Cindy and I'm an Iced Chai Tea Latte addict.

I was able to make my drink at home. The concentrate is still another 5 bucks...and more milk used up. But it's much better than 3-4.50 a pop!
go to the indian store and get some real chai tea mix!!! You'll never go back! my mom still makes her own chai masala, so you can do that as well.
post #45 of 108
10/2/08 at 1:12am
I just wanted to add... a tea/coffee a day won't kill you. If it's super important to you... I'd cut back elsewhere.
post #46 of 108
10/2/08 at 1:21am
This is how I cut out small, but frequent expenses:

Add it up and see what else you could buy!

So, $8/day (I assume only when you work...?) multiplied by roughly 22 work days/month = $176/month. What else could you buy with that? You could get your cable, Internet AND have a date with your DH

I do this constantly. I fore-go the beverages, snacks, fast food, manicures, pedicures, massages, etc. and mentally keep a tally. That way, when I buy 8 complete Fiesta place settings (heart them), I can easily justify it!

Is there anything you really want? Think of how many coffees you'd need to go w/o. Then, when you do, buy it
post #47 of 108
10/2/08 at 1:45am
hmm
post #48 of 108
10/2/08 at 2:06am
Quote:
Originally Posted by SAHDS View Post
This is how I cut out small, but frequent expenses:

Add it up and see what else you could buy!

So, $8/day (I assume only when you work...?) multiplied by roughly 22 work days/month = $176/month. What else could you buy with that? You could get your cable, Internet AND have a date with your DH

I do this constantly. I fore-go the beverages, snacks, fast food, manicures, pedicures, massages, etc. and mentally keep a tally. That way, when I buy 8 complete Fiesta place settings (heart them), I can easily justify it!

Is there anything you really want? Think of how many coffees you'd need to go w/o. Then, when you do, buy it

: This reminds me-- when DH and I were in college, we used to count things in 'bean burrito's'. back then a bean burrito was a meal (lunch, dinner, or breakfast) and cost about a dollar-- when ever we'd talk about buying something big, we'd say.... wow 200 bucks, that's a lot of bean burrito's!
post #49 of 108
10/2/08 at 11:15am
Quote:
Originally Posted by hollytheteacher View Post
NO it's espresso. i LOVE espresso. Dislike coffee and honestly only like espresso that's soaking in chocolate
Right. And espresso is a kind of....what? Vegetable? Mineral? Fish?


Oh, no. It's a very concentrated kind of COFFEE.
post #50 of 108
10/2/08 at 1:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by llamalluv View Post
Right. And espresso is a kind of....what? Vegetable? Mineral? Fish?


Oh, no. It's a very concentrated kind of COFFEE.
Well yeah, of course. Nobody's questioning that espresso is a coffee product. But an espresso-based drink is a different animal than a cup of joe (and how I do love them both ). There are a lot of people like the original poster who drink espresso but not brewed coffee. For some reason, the acid in regular, brewed coffee messes with my stomach, while the espresso in a latte doesn't. Coffee also makes me a lot more jittery-- drink per drink-- than espresso. For that reason I tend to drink *real* coffee on the weekends, when it's easier to deal with that buzzed acidy feeling, and lattes during the week when I need a smoother pick-me-up.

My problem with lattes (mochas, etc) is that they're inextricibly linked to the rest of my routine. Every morning I walk my dog to a coffee house (about half a mile away), get my drink, walk back to get ready for work. Only the thought of that mocha gets me out of bed early enough to leash up the dog before work. Also, it's an independent store (not a Starbucks or similar), I know they're struggling a bit, they all know me (and my dog) and they always notice if I miss a day! I feel guilty for wanting to save my money by withholding my business... Yeah I have issues...
post #51 of 108
10/2/08 at 1:51pm
This thread is not helping! Everytime I see it pop up in the new threads search I wanna head out to SB.
post #52 of 108
10/2/08 at 1:59pm
I am hooked on Starbucks venti double shots on ice. A full five shots of expresso.

The addictive thing about Starbucks to me is that I get a fabulous buzz and never feel jittery or get an upset stomach the way I do when I make stuff at home. What am I doing wrong?

Also -- I have a cheap expreeso maker but I am willing to learn. Can anyone guide me a website with recipes? Please? I figure I am spending over a thousand dollars a year at SB!!!
post #53 of 108
10/2/08 at 4:27pm
I am hooked as well but not on starbucks. We have a very nice espresso maker and coffee maker plus DH roasts our beans weekly-about 2K worth of equipment that has longed pay for itself. We figure if we did our coffee habit at starbucks, it would be $25-35 a week. Or as I am sipping my cappuccino that DH just made, I asked him what it would cost and he said- nothing, we are too frugal to spend that much money on coffee!
post #54 of 108
10/2/08 at 4:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by WeasleyMum View Post
For some reason, the acid in regular, brewed coffee messes with my stomach, while the espresso in a latte doesn't.

Every morning I walk my dog to a coffee house (about half a mile away), get my drink, walk back to get ready for work. Only the thought of that mocha gets me out of bed early enough to leash up the dog before work. Also, it's an independent store (not a Starbucks or similar), I know they're struggling a bit, they all know me (and my dog) and they always notice if I miss a day! I feel guilty for wanting to save my money by withholding my business...
Yes. Drop coffee = reflux. Espresso = happiness.

And you must walk your dog. The pets forum is evidence of that. Dogs need daily walks to get their migration/ranging yen out of the way. *nods* And you're in a town where everyone has a dog and a caffeine addiction and those nice people at your local coffeeshop are your neighbors and you'll run into them elsewhere and you simply can't put them out of a bit of custom. I can't say I blame you. I certainly walked down to my local coffee shop today before heading off to playgroup.

What does your dog look like? I'll happily pet your dog next time I see him or her tied up outside a local coffee establishment.
post #55 of 108
10/2/08 at 4:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by WeasleyMum View Post
Well yeah, of course. Nobody's questioning that espresso is a coffee product. But an espresso-based drink is a different animal than a cup of joe (and how I do love them both ). There are a lot of people like the original poster who drink espresso but not brewed coffee. For some reason, the acid in regular, brewed coffee messes with my stomach, while the espresso in a latte doesn't. Coffee also makes me a lot more jittery-- drink per drink-- than espresso. For that reason I tend to drink *real* coffee on the weekends, when it's easier to deal with that buzzed acidy feeling, and lattes during the week when I need a smoother pick-me-up.
You need to try some cold-brewed coffee All the yummy coffee flavor, without any of the bitter acid aftertaste! I learned about it from a post here back in early summer, I'm sure you can find it doing a search
post #56 of 108
10/2/08 at 5:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by WeasleyMum View Post
Well yeah, of course. Nobody's questioning that espresso is a coffee product. But an espresso-based drink is a different animal than a cup of joe (and how I do love them both ). There are a lot of people like the original poster who drink espresso but not brewed coffee. For some reason, the acid in regular, brewed coffee messes with my stomach, while the espresso in a latte doesn't. Coffee also makes me a lot more jittery-- drink per drink-- than espresso. For that reason I tend to drink *real* coffee on the weekends, when it's easier to deal with that buzzed acidy feeling, and lattes during the week when I need a smoother pick-me-up.

My problem with lattes (mochas, etc) is that they're inextricibly linked to the rest of my routine. Every morning I walk my dog to a coffee house (about half a mile away), get my drink, walk back to get ready for work. Only the thought of that mocha gets me out of bed early enough to leash up the dog before work. Also, it's an independent store (not a Starbucks or similar), I know they're struggling a bit, they all know me (and my dog) and they always notice if I miss a day! I feel guilty for wanting to save my money by withholding my business... Yeah I have issues...
But, once again: The solution to frugalizing your morning routine is to make your own at home. Which is what I have done. Or, rather, trained my husband to do FOR ME.

No work AND no expense. Ta DA!
post #57 of 108
10/2/08 at 8:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jocelyndale View Post
Yes. Drop coffee = reflux. Espresso = happiness.

And you must walk your dog. The pets forum is evidence of that. Dogs need daily walks to get their migration/ranging yen out of the way. *nods* And you're in a town where everyone has a dog and a caffeine addiction and those nice people at your local coffeeshop are your neighbors and you'll run into them elsewhere and you simply can't put them out of a bit of custom. I can't say I blame you. I certainly walked down to my local coffee shop today before heading off to playgroup.

What does your dog look like? I'll happily pet your dog next time I see him or her tied up outside a local coffee establishment.
OMG OMG you think you're kidding about petting my dog but I live in Charlottesville too!!! We go to La Taza every morning (in the Belmont area), she's the blackish-greyish medium-sized hound/mutt tied to the stair railing!

Quote:
But, once again: The solution to frugalizing your morning routine is to make your own at home. Which is what I have done. Or, rather, trained my husband to do FOR ME.

No work AND no expense. Ta DA!
What, and put my local place out of business? (yes, my daily 4 dollars is *all* that's keeping them afloat, don'tcha know! ) Anyways I don't have a big problem with the cost, I was really just expounding on the coffee versus espresso idea anyway. Also, I have to bring back the mocha to my DH-- he gets a few sips to wake himself up, still rolling out of bed when I'm coming back in with the dog... I don't think he'll be 'trained up' anytime soon!
post #58 of 108
10/2/08 at 8:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by aquarian View Post
: This reminds me-- when DH and I were in college, we used to count things in 'bean burrito's'. back then a bean burrito was a meal (lunch, dinner, or breakfast) and cost about a dollar-- when ever we'd talk about buying something big, we'd say.... wow 200 bucks, that's a lot of bean burrito's!

YES! Except ours was those little Totino's pizzas! Oh, memories... misty water-colored memories... of the way we were...

So, DH and I decided we spend probably $40/month on drip coffee. Why is that stuff $10/pound???
post #59 of 108
10/2/08 at 10:41pm
Quote:
Marry a barista
That's what my DH did. I worked at an independent place during college. He married me and THEN bought me a Breville espresso machine last Christmas. He's one smart man. Now he gets a latte whenever he asks, and a mocha one at that!

Even with the machine I still go to SBux sometimes, but no where near as much. Everything in moderation, even Pumpkin Spice lattes!

For all you starbucks fans out there here's a great website.... www.starbucksgossip.com
post #60 of 108
10/2/08 at 11:44pm
Good luck with resisting the call of the "Latte".
New Posts  All Forums:
 
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Frugality & Finances

You may also like:

Sitting or Squatting: What's Really Best in the Bathroom?
There Is Not Always a "Fix" For the Difficult Child
10 Things You Don't Need For a New Baby
Mothering › Mothering Discussion Forums › Natural Family Living › The Mindful Home › Frugality & Finances › My name is Holly and i'm a mocha latte addict