The Price Of Staying Awake

Drinking coffee is a daily morning ritual that many look forward to. However, did you know that getting your daily latte in a coffee shop might be costing you over a month worth of rent?

We all have different morning routines. Some of us are early risers, others alarm snoozers. However, one thing is certain, most of us are coffee drinkers.

Caffeine is a legal drug that has become so engrained in people’s lives that some cannot start their day without a morning jolt. Two of out every three American adults drink coffee everyday, averaging over 3 cups per day, which amounts to nearly 150 billion cups of coffee per year consumed in the United States. Even then, when compared globally, the USA ranks 25th globally in coffee consumption per capita, drinking 3 times less coffee than Finland. With such a high consumption, I bet the Finnish population must be quite alert.

Around 20% of coffee drinkers, mostly comprising of the younger generation, do not prepare their coffee at home. As charming as it seems to purchase a morning brew from the local coffee shop with the lovely aromas, the tempting cookies behind the glass that we try to pass, and our misspelled name on the paper cup, it is hard to notice the dent that such a habit has on their finances. Paying $3.00 to $6.00 per day might not feel like much but over a year, it can rack up to a serious amount. Consuming one medium-sized latte a day from Starbucks can cost over $1,500 per year, which compares to nearly 4% of an American’s average yearly net salary or one month’s rent in Austin, Texas. If someone were to make his coffee at home, they could be sipping on higher quality beans, while only spending $400 per year, including the annualized cost of a coffee machine and frother.

Some of you may say: “So what do you want us to do? Not drink coffee, avoid eating out, and simply curl up in a ball at home all day?”. Well, obviously not; I am not advocating giving up on enjoying life. It is fine to drink coffee in a local shop once in a while with friends; coffee plans are some of the most relaxing laid-back and relaxing plans, who wants to give these up. All I am saying is that if you consider trying to make your coffee at home for two key reasons.

1. You can save money and be able to afford a new iPhone every year with the money you save.

2. You will slowly discover the mesmerizing world of coffee when making coffee at home and trying different coffee beans, roast intensities, and coffee making methods.

If you haven’t yet ventured down this path after being forced to stay home due to cycling quarantining rules over the past 2 years, you would be pleasantly surprised when you do. To start, I recommend getting yourself an espresso machine, frother — to make a heavenly latte or cappuccino — and a single origin roast. These are all the tools you need to dive into the coffee world and start experimenting. Once you do, you’ll realize how broad and interesting the coffee world can be!

When making your own coffee, you will naturally learn a lot more about the interesting world of coffee; your journey will be educational and enriching. You will start answering questions that you didn’t think of before including “what is is my favorite coffee blend?”, “does the coffee grind size matter?”, and “how does cow milk react when frothing compared to non-dairy milk?”. While you’re on your journey, don’t be afraid to fail, take a few risks and get fancy with it: try new coffee blends, make yourself a different type of coffee like a Cortado every once in a while, and educate yourself on coffee origins.

Once you go down this route, you will start looking forward to that morning cup of coffee, especially since it will be a product of your own craft. Making the ultimate coffee takes practice; why not start today!

— — — — — —

Source: National Coffee Association (2020), Coffee Market Report from Coffee Statistics (2021), Independent cost estimates