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Original poster

Is it normal to buy a coffee every day?

240 replies

MatchingStraws · 30/06/2021 21:55

DD is 14 and loves watching 'a day in my life' Tiktoks and Youtubers.

We have a regular debate over how aspirational their lives are. DD seems genuinely convinced that it is totally normally to buy an iced latte every day. Whereas I am huffing and puffing about how much that costs over a month Grin

OP posts:
FurryMcFlurry · 30/06/2021 23:31

I just can’t justify buying a tea or coffee daily when I could make it at home! And the fancy coffees or Frappuccino’s aren’t really a treat if bought daily, plus who can afford that?

PerseverancePays · 30/06/2021 23:43

£20 a week is £1000 a year.

The sheer numbers of people that walk around clutching those dammed landfill cups really bothers me. Have we really evolved to the point where people can no longer be bothered to boil a kettle? That they have to stand there in a line waiting for someone else to make them a hot drink? I despair.

MissTrip82 · 01/07/2021 03:14

I do now that I can afford to do so.

I didn’t when I couldn’t.

Unclear why making use of a service-based business that employs many people should cause anyone to ‘despair’? I assume that poster has a very easy life indeed if the reality of commerce that provides the means for many to live is a source of despair.

No landfill cups here either. Unlike the other environmentalists such as the despairing PP though, I’m afraid I do drive a car and fly in planes (although I haven’t eaten meat for 25 years). It’s great to hear of so many non-driving, non-flying , non-pet-owning vegans for whom coffee cups are the next issue. Wonderful that so many are really living their principles and certainly not just shooting their mouths off like roaring hypocrites.

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Kinsters · 01/07/2021 03:26

When I was younger I preferred tea and could make a nicer cup than I could buy in a coffee shop so definitely not a daily thing to buy something.

I love a coffee shop coffee now and if I worked near a nice coffee shop I'd get one ever day, but I don't.

888central · 01/07/2021 03:42

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OneKeyAtATime · 01/07/2021 03:49

I would say 30% of my team get coffees. The other don't. It's a mix if ages in our case. I don't think there is an obvious common denominator

beingsunny · 01/07/2021 03:51

When I worked in the city a couple of coffees a day would be usual, almost all coffee shops in sydney are independent though, there's a couple of Starbucks for tourists but it's rare.

I wfh almost full time now so make it at home but occasionally buy one from the cafe we walk past on the way to my sons school. I want to make sure they stay in business as I live to go out to breakfast before school starts.

IsItAKindofDream · 01/07/2021 03:56

Not all iced coffee comes in single use plastic.
The place I go (a small independent) used a biodegradable material made from plants.

Are you making sure the cup is put into a separate recycling bin for biodegradables? They usually need to be biodegraded in an industrial facility. And if it looks like normal plastic, it will contaminate the plastics recycling.

Aliso, making cups from plants often diverts food, e.g. corn from the food chain, increasing prices and decreasing availability for some people in the world.

The best way is to take your own cup where possible.

Treehaus · 01/07/2021 03:59

I don't think it's usual in the way that more people do than don't, but still, it's not unheard of. I used to buy a coffee every day at work as we had one on site, I was in the fortunate position where I didn't need to worry about money, but now it's a bit tighter i usually just buy one if me and my friends go out and sit down for a coffee.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 01/07/2021 05:37

I buy an iced latte 3 times a week at least. Not quite every day! I am not wealthy.

I don't think it's a waste of money, surely that's subjective. Something that I enjoy is not wasted money to me.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 01/07/2021 05:40

@PerseverancePays

£20 a week is £1000 a year.

The sheer numbers of people that walk around clutching those dammed landfill cups really bothers me. Have we really evolved to the point where people can no longer be bothered to boil a kettle? That they have to stand there in a line waiting for someone else to make them a hot drink? I despair.

What a ridiculous post. Of course I can be bothered to boil a kettle, but coffee shop coffee is often a lot nicer. I have my own cup that I take as well. You really should "despair" about bigger things.
Dogoodfeelgood · 01/07/2021 06:17

In normal times id buy one each day in London office and then use the Nespresso machine in the office for the rest. Unfortunately they’ve closed the office kitchen so I’m buying two a day when in! But offset by using pods at home. I also would buy a coffee or two every day as a student. Probably why I never had any money for anything else!

AmazingBouncingFerret · 01/07/2021 06:21

It’s definitely normal. I have people come in every day, sometimes twice a day.

I can understand the popularity. We do good coffee!
I have my own inbuilt barista coffee machine at home and during lockdown when we were closed I took a lot of the ingredients that would have been thrown away, I was able to make the exact same sugary drinks with the exact same ingredients and they still didn’t taste as good as they do when I make them in the bar!

Thewiseoneincognito · 01/07/2021 06:22

No it’s a complete waste of money. Once you add up the cost over a year you soon realise how detrimental to financial health it is.

Literally pissing money away that’s before considering the calories.

cocoloco987 · 01/07/2021 06:25

@BackforGood

Depends if you live and work in a big city or not

Why ?
You do realise that there are millions of us that work in Cities that don't do this ?
Also there are people that don't live in Cities who might do this ?

I found this an odd statement too. You could work opposite a coffee shop in a tiny village and buy one every day. Or not work but pass a coffee shop every day on your way home from the gym in your small town or on the way to the park (our local park has a coffee van). Re teens I suppose they can choose what to spend their pocket money on - better than fags and booze!
CeeceeBloomingdale · 01/07/2021 06:29

No, but then I work in an out of town setting, you'd need yo drive a few miles to fetch one. I'd imagine it is much more common if you work in a city centre. It's not an expense I'd be prepared to pay daily.

billysboy · 01/07/2021 06:32

I work in a team and over 50% will buy a couple of coffees a day and also their lunch from what ever is around so probably spend a £10 a day
I have pointed out that it adds up to £2500 a year but they just don’t see it or care

strawberrydonuts · 01/07/2021 06:45

It's normal for some people. My OH walks down to the coffee shop every day as part of his work break. He only drinks decaf and doesn't like the coffee we can make at home as much as a proper barista one.

We're lucky we have the disposable income to afford it and if you do then why not? It's just a nice part of his day for him.

Mayaspecialist · 01/07/2021 06:46

@CeeceeBloomingdale

No, but then I work in an out of town setting, you'd need yo drive a few miles to fetch one. I'd imagine it is much more common if you work in a city centre. It's not an expense I'd be prepared to pay daily.
I think that's why people don't do it my work. We would need to go out of our way, to pay £4-£5 for a coffee.
strawberrydonuts · 01/07/2021 06:48

@PerseverancePays

£20 a week is £1000 a year.

The sheer numbers of people that walk around clutching those dammed landfill cups really bothers me. Have we really evolved to the point where people can no longer be bothered to boil a kettle? That they have to stand there in a line waiting for someone else to make them a hot drink? I despair.

The waste is definitely an issue. Our place has a cup neutral/ recycling scheme where you take your cup back. But the big chains like Costa are a problem. Especially since Covid as you now can't take your own cup and some places are also giving you takeaway cups even if you're sitting in for hygeine.

I dread to think how much coffee cup waste has increased this year :(

As for the money, I just see that as people's own choice. To some people, £1000 a year is worth it for something that brings a little pleasure to their day. People spend a lot more than that on frivolous things and it's all subjective.

Meruem · 01/07/2021 06:51

When I was working in an office I’d buy a coffee and a pastry every morning. It was my “treat” for the day. Then I got a wfh job (pre covid). I bought a good bean to cup machine and now I really begrudge buying coffee out as my machine makes it just as well. I find I need the “hit” of a decent coffee to get going in the morning. Instant just doesn’t really cut it.

BarbaraofSeville · 01/07/2021 06:52

It's normal in that it's common, but it's important to recognise that it's a luxury and adds up to a significant amount of money over months/years/decades. It might only be £3 or whatever, but that's tens of pounds a month or hundreds of pounds a year if you have one most days.

And the people spending a tenner a day on lunch and coffee are spending thousands a year, tens of thousands a decade, over a quarter of a million pounds over a working life so worth putting some thought into if you're in a position where you think you can't afford larger purchases like holidays, aren't paying into a pension or don't have the money for a house deposit. Because you're going to have a poor old age and lifestyle shock if you don't save a decent chunk of your income for later life.

But I think a lot of younger people don't drink alcohol so much as people in their 40s and 50s, so a lot of the people who won't consider spending £3/4 on a fancy coffee are sometimes spending more than that amount on a glass of wine, pint of beer, G&T or cocktail in a pub/restaurant a few times a week.

Roselilly36 · 01/07/2021 06:56

Could be normal or not, but the point here is the cost that you are footing, it must be costing you a small fortune. I would say everyday is fine when you can finance it yourself an occasional treat when bank of mum & dad. Have you got a coffee maker at home, or does DD like the cans of iced coffee, maybe a cheaper alternative.

starbrightstarlight8888 · 01/07/2021 06:57

I've never ever bought a coffee as I don't drunk the stuff. I've bought a tea maybe once or twice in my life.

ufucoffee · 01/07/2021 06:57

Once a week when our canteen was open at work for a treat because the coffee is lovely. It's closed now because not enough of us still at work. No way would I buy one every day because of the cost.