I’ve started venturing outside the house once or twice a week to work. After being stuck inside all winter, I am more than ready to get out and have a change of scenery :)
There is a Starbucks right down the street (it’s only a 7 minute walk! how awesome is that?!) and I have discovered the trick to getting the most value possible out of my trips there.
Starbucks for Cheap
Step 1: Choose your drink wisely.
I am a firm believer that if you go to a coffee shop to use their wifi and tables, you must purchase something. They’re trying to run a business, after all! BUT- that doesn’t mean you have to purchase a $5 latte.
My current drink of choice is a tall iced coffee. It runs me $2.11, with tax, I believe. I doctor it up with sugar, half and half, and that vanilla powder they put by the sugar & cream. Once I’m done, it tastes just like the fancy $4 or $5 drinks for less than half the price!
Other cheap drinks are plain brewed coffee, hot tea, and iced tea.
Step 2: Take advantage of Starbucks rewards.
Get a Starbucks gift card and register it online to be enrolled in the Starbucks Rewards program. (you should totally do this because they’ll send you a coupon for a COMPLETELY free drink on your birthday! Seriously, 100% free. You better believe I get the biggest, most expensive drink! haha)
If you purchase at least 5 drinks on that registered card (I think food counts too, but I’m not positive) you’ll move up to the “Green” rewards level, which means you get free refills on brewed coffee (hot or iced) and tea (hot or iced)!
So I get a refill of my tall iced coffee FO’ FREE. That is two delicious iced coffees for $2.11! You can’t beat that.
NOTE: I was confused at how this would work at first, but it’s really easy. You just bring your empty cup to the register and ask for a refill. The barista will ring it up for $0.54 or something like that, which would be the price if you don’t have the green level rewards. But when you scan your Sbux card [the same one you originally purchased the drink with!!!], it will become free.
Do you ever go to coffee shops to study or work? Does it help your productivity?
I am one BILLION times more productive in coffee shops. So much so that I am totally willing to drop the whopping $2 per visit to do it ;)
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