How Much is Coffee Costing You?

If you're anything like me, you might be spending a lot of time and money drinking coffee outside of your house. Have you ever wondered what it's doing to your bank account? This recent video went viral on twitter for attacking coffee drinkers because it costs you lots of money over a lifetime.

This lady, Suze Orman, has got that haircut that looks like she's about to talk to the manager about how much her coffee costs.

All jokes aside, I felt personally attacked because I spend SO much money on coffee, and it is something I've tried to cut down on. However, I think there's a difference between being aware of how much you're spending and cutting out things that make you happy. For me, it's not just about the coffee. I love traveling somewhere new and catching up with friends in a cool environment. I love talking to the baristas and walking around the neighborhood afterwards. I love having a good motivator to study and get things done. Making coffee at home doesn't taste as good and it isn't as enjoyable of an experience in my opinion. Sure, maybe the average person spends a lot of money on coffee, but what about alcohol? It's probably more per year than coffee. Does that mean we should cut out drinking? What about eating out at restaurants? My point is that maybe these things aren't necessary, but they certainly make people happy. When you pay for a beer or a latte when you go out somewhere, you're paying for the drink but also the experience. And I would argue that experiences are what life is really about, not the money you have in the bank. If we didn't go out and spend our money at coffee shops, or bars, or restaurants, what would happen to the economy and our mental health? I think moderation is key, and while it's a good point from an economical perspective, it doesn't capture the complexity of the human experience (that involves coffee.) Maybe it's my addiction talking, but the American people should not stand for this kind of disrespect!

I just tried to imagine a world where no one drinks coffee.... I think we'd all fall asleep at the wheel on the way to work, get no work done, and be a lot sadder as a society. Maybe this speaks to our overworked way of living, but nonetheless. Let's keep coffee around.

Jenny

Source: Orman, S. (n.d.). Suze Orman: How Your Daily Coffee Habit Is Costing You $1 Million. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5pW7bFcVN4.