Starbucks: The Money Monster

Each morning as I stumble out of bed at 7:15 am, I think to myself, “ah I could really use a Starbucks.” This is something that has run through my head each morning for almost 5 years. Growing up, I have always been a coffee drinker. As a freshman in high school, occasionally, I was able to convince my dad to take me to get my morning coffee fix from Starbucks. As years passed, the occasional morning Starbucks run turned into a something that was almost a daily routine. What was initially just a venti coffee at a little under $3, was now I venti ice caramel macchiato at a whapping price of almost $4.50.

            How much is too much to spend on a cup of coffee? A poll done by the Consumerist showed that 73% of Americans think Starbucks is overpriced, while 21% are unsure. Falling into the endless cycle of spending $4.50 on a cup of coffee added up fast. In one month alone during my senior year, I managed to drop almost $300 at Starbucks. Needless to say, dad was not too happy about this.


            Since entering SMU and not having a Starbucks conveniently located near my dorm, I have almost completely given up my daily coffee run. Looking back, I was stupid to spend $4.50 on a cup of coffee on a daily basis. Starbucks’ coffee prices are outrageously expensive and though the coffee is good and all, you are primarily paying for the logo on the cup. I have found that homebrewed coffee can satisfy my caffeine cravings and help cut back on the expenses.