AIBU to spend £84 on takeaway coffees in three weeks?

[CheeseMongrel]

So I’ve checked my online banking today to add up how much I’ve spent on takeaway coffee since I last got paid.

84 bloody pound

What on earth?

I have been going more due to not having much else to do but Christ that is a serious waste of money.

I was planning to go tomorrow but now I can’t justify it.

Not sure what other things I can treat myself to (that isn’t a massive waste) to keep me going .. any suggestions?

Has anyone else had a bigger waste of money than that lately?

My only issue with my takeaway coffee habit is that nowhere is currently accepting reusable cups, and I feel guilty getting through so many disposable ones.

You’re unlucky-lots of places near me are.

@Poppingnostopping

Don't get the Pret deal if you live in a university town and need a coffee after 9 am, the queues of the students getting their money's worth from this deal are epic!

I was literally just thinking this will be brilliant for DS when he goes to uni next year

so broke atm so not spending anything but def used to spend too much on that sort of thing. the thought of lugging Tupperware on the commuter train was too much so it was a pret sandwich every day. i dread to think how much i used to spend. it's all about replacing the habit with something else that feels rewarding..... twix?

More money than you need then!

Ooh you could buy yourself a nice coffee machine with that money during the current black Friday deals. You can get so many of the branded coffee beans/grounds/pods in supermarkets, lovely syrups etc too. I really begrudge buying take away drinks now after seeing how much i saved during our first lockdown and making my own.

It's more than just having a cup of coffee, it's being out and sitting down in pleasant surroundings (well the coffee places near me are nice), relaxing and watching the world go by. Somehow the coffee tastes nicer then, too.

I made two capuccinos today, one early this morning and one late lunch time. They were lovely and tasted no different to those sold in Nero
or Costa but I couldn't create the atmosphere of being out and about, taking a relaxing break. My whole life is a relaxing break at the moment but I'm at home!

However when you add up what it all costs, it is surprising.

I couldn't create the atmosphere of being out and about, taking a relaxing break

A coffee shop is rarely a relaxing break in my experience.

A queue that makes a glacier look speedy, followed by sitting at a table next to people who talk at each other at top volume without taking a breathe. No thank you.

Coffee shops here are take away only. No atmosphere for a while sadly, i miss that

It’s never been a daily treat for me but I was surprised by how much I missed just having the option of a really good takeaway coffee in the first lockdown. Since I’m wfh for the foreseeable, an occasional coffee from an independent cafe is one of my main treats, and I’ll tend to pick up a cake or a fancy pot of jam or whatever... so it can easily be £15 a time, but I’m not beating myself up about it. It feels like if there are local businesses you cherish, it’s use them or lose them.

It entirely depends on your income. On mine, it would be utterly absurd. Actually, it would be impossible, as it would be over half of my disposable income for a month. To others, it would be a drop in the bucket. I suppose my answer is, "If you can easily afford it, and if it brings you pleasure during these trying times, then it is money well-spent. If not, rethink your priorities and get that same feeling in a more economical way."

If you can afford, and you like that coffee. Why not? I prefer tea personally. Loose leaf, I’m a tea snob!

Invest in a nespresso. 200 pods for under £60. And they’re recyclable.

I meal prep for my husband so all he has to do is cook the food. Everyday for the last two weeks (well every week day) he has bought takeaway for him and our LG. I’ve just stopped meal prepping but it’s pissed me off no end - each takeaway is about £15

@Usernamerequired

Coffee shops here are take away only. No atmosphere for a while sadly, i miss that

Me too. I work from home a lot and much preferred doing that in a coffee shop. The change of scenery was worth the price of the coffee. Take away does something to help but not enough! The coffee I make at home tastes great but it’s the psychological lift I’m really paying for.

Depends on what you get out of it/how much you enjoy it.

I or my husband go to the coffee cart at our local station most days. We're both working from home, it's a break from my dining room 'office', the guy who owns the van is lovely, he makes great coffee, sells bread and pastries from a local bakery, he's missing the regular commuters... so, yeah, we also spend too much on coffee. But I enjoy it and I'm happy to support a small business in my community.

If you can afford it, don't feel guilty!

Treat yourself to a Dolse Gusto type machine and a travel mug. I bought a Oblo machine in Curry's on sale for £28 recently. The Aldi and Lidl pods fit and taste the same as the Nescafe ones.
This way you get the lovely coffees, and save your bank balance 😊

If you can afford it and you are supporting small independent companies crack on .

I am buying all sorts from small biz atm , just to do my bit for the economy ;)

This way you get the lovely coffees, and save your bank balance

But you don’t get the lovely coffee made by someone else. And you don’t get the interaction with another person, or a reason to leave the house.

So with the prêt offer, you could use prêt as a half-day office share for twenty quid a month with free drinks thrown in? Bargain!

Proinsight is a mystery shopper website that you can sign up to and do mystery shops on Starbucks. Register yourself as a mystery shopper and you can get paid for going.

I have a proper coffee machine that also heats and froths milk. I buy in big bags of coffee beans (online) and my favourite syrups. I have a coffee grinder so make myself fresh coffee shop style each day. It saves me a fortune in the long run. I do spend a good chunk every so often for supplies, and my machine wasn’t cheap but it’s more than paid for itself over the years. It must be about 13 years old now and gets used daily.
So what I’m saying is if you love coffee but hate the expense of takeaway it’s worth investing in proper coffee making supplies.

Get the pret a manger subscription. £20 a month, first month free. All drinks. That includes smoothie at 3.35 each. 5 drinks a day. So you are in pocket if you only had 1 drink a day

@ThanksForAllTheFish

I have a proper coffee machine that also heats and froths milk. I buy in big bags of coffee beans (online) and my favourite syrups. I have a coffee grinder so make myself fresh coffee shop style each day. It saves me a fortune in the long run. I do spend a good chunk every so often for supplies, and my machine wasn’t cheap but it’s more than paid for itself over the years. It must be about 13 years old now and gets used daily. So what I’m saying is if you love coffee but hate the expense of takeaway it’s worth investing in proper coffee making supplies.

I drink black coffee. I use either my Aeropress or Cafetiere. Grind beans. It doesnt need to be pricey at all

If you can afford it, and you enjoy it, then why not?

Yanbu. You're spending your money on you, on things you like, at the same time putting much needed money back into the economy.