Starbucks Gold Card

[hunniebun]

So my 20 year old cousin who is living on student loans and a minimum wage job at a hardware store just posted a picture of a Starbucks Gold Card and said I finally made it!  I have no idea what this is...but can only assume that it means she has spent about a years worth of salary on over priced coffees and her reward is a shiny gold card to advertize her complete lack of common sense.

And while I am thinking about it, I watched a bit of a show called Hockey Wives last night...which for those of you with no cable or better things to do with your time, it is a reality show following...you guessed it...hockey wives.  Many of the hockey stars are now 'retired' aka their contracts didn't get renewed and they are worried because they can't live with out the millions of dollars coming in.  I think that is generally madness and makes me feel somewhat better that I likely have a better financial future than someone who made millions for the last decade.  Makes me feel a bit sad for them...especially their kids!

[cripzychiken]

Complete 25 purchases in a year to get the gold card (might be more, not 100% on that).  But hey, it is even personalized!  That has to be worth the $125 she spent to get it (assuming $5/drink, no other items purchases).

[mrsoski]

Eh, any purchase counts, so a tall drip, which is 1.86 in my neck of the woods, times 25, equals 46.50, so more like 5 hours worth of wages.  Also! free drink every 12 drinks, and a free drink on your birthday.   I use and abuse my Starbucks card, which I have loaded on my iphone app.  If you drink a lot of Starbucks, it's not a bad perk.  As a status symbol? Not so much. 

[celticmyst08]

Eh, I have the gold card but I prefer the app. Starbucks is my husband's and my way to "go out" without spending a ton of money at a restaurant/bar/theater/etc. :P We always pay for our drinks separately, using the same card account, so we get a point for each transaction.

[JetBlast]

Yeah, I've got the gold card buried in a dwarer at home. :(

They're in basically every airport on earth and I like coffee. I buy regular coffee and only get a fancy drink when I have a free one on my card. I know it isn't mustachian, but airplane coffee is disgusting.

[LeRainDrop]

Nah, getting a Starbucks Gold Card is no big deal.  You get gold status if you earn 30 stars within a 12-month period (http://www.starbucks.com/card/rewards/gold).  There are lots of promo periods when you earn double stars per purchase.  I got the gold card after receiving a gift card for Christmas -- as I bought coffees using that card, the stars racked up.  I don't have any amount left on my gift card now, so I've stopped going.

[nazar]

Ditto on using the app instead of the card.  I purchase iced green tea, but use the freebies on the more costly frappucinos, making that high priced calorie bomb just a calorie bomb.

[vivek440]

Eh, I have the gold card but I prefer the app. Starbucks is my husband's and my way to "go out" without spending a ton of money at a restaurant/bar/theater/etc. :P We always pay for our drinks separately, using the same card account, so we get a point for each transaction.

Now this is something that never struck me :-( What a fool I am :-)
I also use the app and my wife is a big fan of Starbucks.... But I used to charge the complete transaction on 1 card only !!! But going forward, that's not going to be the case :-) Thanks!

[LeRainDrop]

Eh, I have the gold card but I prefer the app. Starbucks is my husband's and my way to "go out" without spending a ton of money at a restaurant/bar/theater/etc. :P We always pay for our drinks separately, using the same card account, so we get a point for each transaction.

Silly peoples, it's not either/or -- you add the gold card to your app account!  And yes to the idea to ring up every single coffee as a separate transaction so that you get a star for each one. -- great way to maximize!

[Davids]

So glad i hate the taste of coffee but if i liked coffee i would just drink the free coffee at my job, we have keurigs and flavia machines at my job. Still boggles my mind when i see people come to work with a Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts cup of coffee when it is free at work.

[celticmyst08]

Eh, I have the gold card but I prefer the app. Starbucks is my husband's and my way to "go out" without spending a ton of money at a restaurant/bar/theater/etc. :P We always pay for our drinks separately, using the same card account, so we get a point for each transaction.

Now this is something that never struck me :-( What a fool I am :-)
I also use the app and my wife is a big fan of Starbucks.... But I used to charge the complete transaction on 1 card only !!! But going forward, that's not going to be the case :-) Thanks!

Haha, no problem. I used to think it was one star per drink, too, but it's just per transaction. So DH uses the physical card and I use the app. You can also just ask them to process the transactions separately, but you might get the stink eye, so it's easier to just pay separately. :P

[dude]

Ditto on using the app instead of the card.  I purchase iced green tea, but use the freebies on the more costly frappucinos, making that high priced calorie bomb just a calorie bomb.

I don't get this -- you can link your gold card to your app, so you get the rewards of the gold card.  They are automatically loaded onto your app, and you get e-mail notifications when you've earned enough stars for a free drink/sandwich.

[MgoSam]

I just realized that I can't recall the last time I purchased anything or stepped inside a Caribou or Starbucks. I had a quasi 'date' at a Caribou back in the fall but we sat outside and I didn't order anything.

[celticmyst08]

Ditto on using the app instead of the card.  I purchase iced green tea, but use the freebies on the more costly frappucinos, making that high priced calorie bomb just a calorie bomb.

I don't get this -- you can link your gold card to your app, so you get the rewards of the gold card.  They are automatically loaded onto your app, and you get e-mail notifications when you've earned enough stars for a free drink/sandwich.

I think what they meant is that they don't care about using the "flashy gold card", even though they have it, and just use the app linked to the card.

[4alpacas]

I just realized that I can't recall the last time I purchased anything or stepped inside a Caribou or Starbucks. I had a quasi 'date' at a Caribou back in the fall but we sat outside and I didn't order anything.

I only go when I'm at an airport, which is too often.  I get a large cup of hot tea for the plane because I'm always cold!  If I could bring hot water to the airport, then I wouldn't have this problem!

[MgoSam]

I just realized that I can't recall the last time I purchased anything or stepped inside a Caribou or Starbucks. I had a quasi 'date' at a Caribou back in the fall but we sat outside and I didn't order anything.

I only go when I'm at an airport, which is too often.  I get a large cup of hot tea for the plane because I'm always cold!  If I could bring hot water to the airport, then I wouldn't have this problem!

Makes sense. Most airlines will serve you tea if you want it (hot water in a styrofoam cup with Lipton black).

[4alpacas]

I just realized that I can't recall the last time I purchased anything or stepped inside a Caribou or Starbucks. I had a quasi 'date' at a Caribou back in the fall but we sat outside and I didn't order anything.

I only go when I'm at an airport, which is too often.  I get a large cup of hot tea for the plane because I'm always cold!  If I could bring hot water to the airport, then I wouldn't have this problem!

Makes sense. Most airlines will serve you tea if you want it (hot water in a styrofoam cup with Lipton black).

It's just not enough tea!  I need the warmth to survive.  I should also mention that most of my Starbucks purchases are from gift cards that I received for free.  My DH seems to get them all of the time from work, but he doesn't use them. I still treat the Starbucks purchases as spending money because I could sell the gift cards for cash. 

[MgoSam]

I just realized that I can't recall the last time I purchased anything or stepped inside a Caribou or Starbucks. I had a quasi 'date' at a Caribou back in the fall but we sat outside and I didn't order anything.

I only go when I'm at an airport, which is too often.  I get a large cup of hot tea for the plane because I'm always cold!  If I could bring hot water to the airport, then I wouldn't have this problem!

Makes sense. Most airlines will serve you tea if you want it (hot water in a styrofoam cup with Lipton black).

It's just not enough tea!  I need the warmth to survive.  I should also mention that most of my Starbucks purchases are from gift cards that I received for free.  My DH seems to get them all of the time from work, but he doesn't use them. I still treat the Starbucks purchases as spending money because I could sell the gift cards for cash.

Makes sense. Just giving you an idea for future use, occassionally when I fly and ask for tea the person next to me will be amazed that tea is an option. One guy was shocked that they would give me a second cup when I requested one.

[4alpacas]

I just realized that I can't recall the last time I purchased anything or stepped inside a Caribou or Starbucks. I had a quasi 'date' at a Caribou back in the fall but we sat outside and I didn't order anything.

I only go when I'm at an airport, which is too often.  I get a large cup of hot tea for the plane because I'm always cold!  If I could bring hot water to the airport, then I wouldn't have this problem!

Makes sense. Most airlines will serve you tea if you want it (hot water in a styrofoam cup with Lipton black).

It's just not enough tea!  I need the warmth to survive.  I should also mention that most of my Starbucks purchases are from gift cards that I received for free.  My DH seems to get them all of the time from work, but he doesn't use them. I still treat the Starbucks purchases as spending money because I could sell the gift cards for cash.

Makes sense. Just giving you an idea for future use, occassionally when I fly and ask for tea the person next to me will be amazed that tea is an option. One guy was shocked that they would give me a second cup when I requested one.

I appreciate the advice.  When I was travelling a lot more, I would pack nice tea bags to use because I am a tea snob.  I used them at the hotel and the airport. 

[MgoSam]

I just realized that I can't recall the last time I purchased anything or stepped inside a Caribou or Starbucks. I had a quasi 'date' at a Caribou back in the fall but we sat outside and I didn't order anything.

I only go when I'm at an airport, which is too often.  I get a large cup of hot tea for the plane because I'm always cold!  If I could bring hot water to the airport, then I wouldn't have this problem!

Makes sense. Most airlines will serve you tea if you want it (hot water in a styrofoam cup with Lipton black).

It's just not enough tea!  I need the warmth to survive.  I should also mention that most of my Starbucks purchases are from gift cards that I received for free.  My DH seems to get them all of the time from work, but he doesn't use them. I still treat the Starbucks purchases as spending money because I could sell the gift cards for cash.

Makes sense. Just giving you an idea for future use, occassionally when I fly and ask for tea the person next to me will be amazed that tea is an option. One guy was shocked that they would give me a second cup when I requested one.

I appreciate the advice.  When I was travelling a lot more, I would pack nice tea bags to use because I am a tea snob.  I used them at the hotel and the airport.

Smart! If you like loose tea, I recommend something like this

http://www.amazon.com/T-Sac-Filter-Disposable-Infuser-Capacity/dp/B001BLCIN4

I use this at work to steep my loose tea.

[4alpacas]

I just realized that I can't recall the last time I purchased anything or stepped inside a Caribou or Starbucks. I had a quasi 'date' at a Caribou back in the fall but we sat outside and I didn't order anything.

I only go when I'm at an airport, which is too often.  I get a large cup of hot tea for the plane because I'm always cold!  If I could bring hot water to the airport, then I wouldn't have this problem!

Makes sense. Most airlines will serve you tea if you want it (hot water in a styrofoam cup with Lipton black).

It's just not enough tea!  I need the warmth to survive.  I should also mention that most of my Starbucks purchases are from gift cards that I received for free.  My DH seems to get them all of the time from work, but he doesn't use them. I still treat the Starbucks purchases as spending money because I could sell the gift cards for cash.

Makes sense. Just giving you an idea for future use, occassionally when I fly and ask for tea the person next to me will be amazed that tea is an option. One guy was shocked that they would give me a second cup when I requested one.

I appreciate the advice.  When I was travelling a lot more, I would pack nice tea bags to use because I am a tea snob.  I used them at the hotel and the airport.

Smart! If you like loose tea, I recommend something like this

http://www.amazon.com/T-Sac-Filter-Disposable-Infuser-Capacity/dp/B001BLCIN4

I use this at work to steep my loose tea.

At work, I use a reusable metal strainer.  I've never tried the disposable tea bags.  It might be worth it for upcoming trips instead of buying expensive tea bags. 

[golden1]

I have one of these.  I normally drink my french press coffee, but once a week I buy a fancy drink.  Having the card means I get a free fancy drink 4 times a year.