The Money Mustache Community

Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: oinkette on October 24, 2014, 07:38:16 PM

Title: Using that One Mustachian Habit You Just Can't Quit as Motivation.
Post by: oinkette on October 24, 2014, 07:38:16 PM
Ok, I've gone pretty bare bones with a lot in terms of cutting. I've gone years without internet at home.  I'm forever cable free (I don't even own a TV). I do my own hair, cook most of my food. I went without a fridge until I could save up for one. I take the bus in to work even though it doubles my commute. Heck, I've even used up all my food and unplugged the fridge prior to leaving the house for more than a few days!

But I can't quit Starbucks.  And, this I know, when I'm FIRE'D, I'll probably go that much more often. 

Why?  Because I like getting out of the house, enjoying a frou frou coffee drink and being around other people. Most importantly, I'm a morning person and what the hell else has all that going on at 7:30 am??

I do leave it for weekends only though...mostly because I get all the above at work during the work week.

So instead of finding ways to cut it out, I decided to find ways to fund it.  Then a rather drastic lifestyle plan hit me like a bolt of lightning!  I won't say what quite yet (that's for another category) but it will end up adding almost $700/mo to my savings.  All because I want a damn Chai Tea Latte (or PSL when the season is upon us) with hipster ambience.  And yes, I'm aware that the savings would be all that more if I didn't spend ~$15 a week at Starbucks.  I don't care!

So, TL;DR: Do you have some non-mustachian habit that has motivated you to ramp up your savings/earnings?

On the other hand, do you know of a place where I can drink coffee or something (indoors) that lots of people hang out at at 7 in the morning?
Title: Re: Using that One Mustachian Habit You Just Can't Quit as Motivation.
Post by: johnny847 on October 24, 2014, 07:54:23 PM
I don't have such a habit. I do have some non-mustachian tendencies (I wouldn't quite call it a habit. but I might just be kidding myself =P) but I will say...

While I am not a coffee or tea drinker, I think a lot of the Mustachian angst towards coffee habits is blown out of proportion. Because for some people, like you, it makes them quite a bit happier. We all need to balance enjoying life now vs saving for later. And being happier can mean you're more likely to work more hours (relevant if you're paid hourly) or just be more productive at your job, leading to raises and/or promotions.
But is this actually possible to track or measure? Nope. I think that's part of the reason why it's easy to criticize.

Of course, this doesn't apply to everybody. Some people drink coffee merely because it's an addiction and don't get much enjoyment out of it.
Title: Re: Using that One Mustachian Habit You Just Can't Quit as Motivation.
Post by: Milehimama on October 24, 2014, 09:24:30 PM

On the other hand, do you know of a place where I can drink coffee or something (indoors) that lots of people hang out at at 7 in the morning?

Panera has free wifi and better coffee (in my opinion) plus free refills. I love the hazelnut flavor.  A small coffee where I live is $1.89 - $2.05 with tax, and you get a freebie of some kind with every 5th visit if you sign up for their My Panera card.  I go there to work often.
Title: Re: Using that One Mustachian Habit You Just Can't Quit as Motivation.
Post by: Argyle on October 25, 2014, 12:49:30 AM
There are ways to be frugal at Starbucks as well — maybe you've found them already.  I mean once you've decided "I'm just going to go to Starbucks and the hell with it."  If you put money on a Starbucks card, there's a frequent-buyer system where you get free drinks.  You get a free drink for giving them your email address, and then they send you all kinds of info about deals.  Of course they're trying to induce you to spend more, but if you're canny you can save on the things you were already going to buy.  I've also found that if you're there when they're closing at night, sometimes they give you boxes of free leftover pastries.
Title: Re: Using that One Mustachian Habit You Just Can't Quit as Motivation.
Post by: SailAway on October 25, 2014, 07:25:12 AM
I, too, feel the lure of the 'bucks. DH and I go there probably twice a week. But, I've given up the fou fou espresso drinks for regular drip coffee (dark roast with heavy cream). I always bring my own cup, which saves me 10 cents and is good for the environment. And I use my gold card so every 13th drink is free, but also free refills. We typically go when we get off work at 7am to decompress before we go home, so I drink 2, maybe three grandes.

What I really struggle with is our craft beer habit, which is worse. Even though I try to be thrifty(ish) about it - $3 pint day, $7 pitchers, $5 growler fills....  I may also have loyalty rewards cards at a couple bars. Cough, cough.

Tell me more about your income plan to offset your habits. :-) Overtime has dried up at work, I'm considering finding a part time job pouring beer.
Title: Re: Using that One Mustachian Habit You Just Can't Quit as Motivation.
Post by: oinkette on October 25, 2014, 10:26:37 AM

On the other hand, do you know of a place where I can drink coffee or something (indoors) that lots of people hang out at at 7 in the morning?

Panera has free wifi and better coffee (in my opinion) plus free refills. I love the hazelnut flavor.  A small coffee where I live is $1.89 - $2.05 with tax, and you get a freebie of some kind with every 5th visit if you sign up for their My Panera card.  I go there to work often.

Thanks!
Title: Re: Using that One Mustachian Habit You Just Can't Quit as Motivation.
Post by: oinkette on October 25, 2014, 10:27:48 AM
There are ways to be frugal at Starbucks as well — maybe you've found them already.  I mean once you've decided "I'm just going to go to Starbucks and the hell with it."  If you put money on a Starbucks card, there's a frequent-buyer system where you get free drinks.  You get a free drink for giving them your email address, and then they send you all kinds of info about deals.  Of course they're trying to induce you to spend more, but if you're canny you can save on the things you were already going to buy.  I've also found that if you're there when they're closing at night, sometimes they give you boxes of free leftover pastries.

Trust me, I know em all!  Have the personal cup, member of the rewards, etc. etc. 
Title: Re: Using that One Mustachian Habit You Just Can't Quit as Motivation.
Post by: oinkette on October 25, 2014, 10:29:18 AM

Tell me more about your income plan to offset your habits. :-) Overtime has dried up at work, I'm considering finding a part time job pouring beer.

I'll be posting in the Show Your Badassery forum once I do it. Mostly it involves moving which is one of the biggest expenses we all have. I just decided being in a less comfortable situation was worth the starbucks..so maybe it's a good thing!
Title: Re: Using that One Mustachian Habit You Just Can't Quit as Motivation.
Post by: Undecided on October 25, 2014, 10:57:20 AM
All because I want a damn Chai Tea Latte (or PSL when the season is upon us) with hipster ambience.  And yes, I'm aware that the savings would be all that more if I didn't spend ~$15 a week at Starbucks.  I don't care!


I'm really struggling with the idea that Starbucks=hipster, but I guess that's Houston?
Title: Re: Using that One Mustachian Habit You Just Can't Quit as Motivation.
Post by: surfhb on October 25, 2014, 11:11:13 AM
I live 50 miles from my job because I like to surf.   Worth every penny
Title: Re: Using that One Mustachian Habit You Just Can't Quit as Motivation.
Post by: dcheesi on October 25, 2014, 11:40:15 AM
All because I want a damn Chai Tea Latte (or PSL when the season is upon us) with hipster ambience.  And yes, I'm aware that the savings would be all that more if I didn't spend ~$15 a week at Starbucks.  I don't care!


I'm really struggling with the idea that Starbucks=hipster, but I guess that's Houston?
Heh, I just read an interview with William Gibson (Neuromancer). In his latest novel, he took 'cronuts' (last year's hipster craze in New York) and put them in someplace like Houston, just to show that about ten years had passed and the fad had completely run its course...
Title: Re: Using that One Mustachian Habit You Just Can't Quit as Motivation.
Post by: GardenFun on October 25, 2014, 12:05:20 PM
OMG you have a vice!!!  That's it, we're cutting up your MMM card and banishing you to consumerism hell as Paris Hilton's dog.  ;-)

What about asking for Starbucks gift cards for holidays/birthdays?  That would fund a portion of the habit. 

Would you work there one shift every weekend morning?  Maybe they get free coffee at work....
Title: Re: Using that One Mustachian Habit You Just Can't Quit as Motivation.
Post by: resy on October 25, 2014, 12:13:21 PM
Books. I have a public library card and do use it but I still want/need to own certain books.
I am increasing my frugality more and more each day but this is something that is hard to cut out. I have however decreased 2/3 the amount of books I would buy monthly so that helps, also buy them at goodwill/salvation army and used books at powells (although I do slip up every 4 months or so and buy at barnes and noble. Woops.)
starbucks is not a big draw for me as I dont like the syrupy stuff, although I do find myself in there 3x weekly getting dark roast drip coffee (my coffee at home is never quite right). I do get also chais and psl once every blue moon. my resolution? Went to winco and bought pumpkin spice and pumkin puree for making psl at home. Figure if I cant get black coffee right then might as well make the fou fou stuff at home.
Kuddos though for being realistic and honest with yourself :) I also agree that life has to be balanced with now and later. I think you are doing great and are perectly fine with your starbucks :)
Title: Re: Using that One Mustachian Habit You Just Can't Quit as Motivation.
Post by: Chaplin on October 25, 2014, 02:30:03 PM
You can have almost any thing you want but not every thing. This is your thing. Don't worry about it.
Title: Re: Using that One Mustachian Habit You Just Can't Quit as Motivation.
Post by: amyable on October 25, 2014, 04:39:17 PM
All because I want a damn Chai Tea Latte (or PSL when the season is upon us) with hipster ambience.  And yes, I'm aware that the savings would be all that more if I didn't spend ~$15 a week at Starbucks.  I don't care!


I'm really struggling with the idea that Starbucks=hipster, but I guess that's Houston?

I also felt this way, and Houston is the nearest city to me.  Here, hipster=local coffee place. 
Title: Re: Using that One Mustachian Habit You Just Can't Quit as Motivation.
Post by: johnintaiwan on October 26, 2014, 04:25:04 AM
I love firearms and shooting. I quit cold turkey  the past 5 years as they are not allowed in this country, but when I move back to the US I am sure I will pick the habit back up again. If I can settle for .22lr it should stay pretty affordable.
Title: Re: Using that One Mustachian Habit You Just Can't Quit as Motivation.
Post by: pipercat on October 26, 2014, 06:44:59 AM
Please tell me you use the Bing.com rewards program to earn S'bux gift cards!  That's what I do, and I don't feel guilty at all.  I usually earn about $10 per month on a GC.  If you haven't followed the thread, here it is:

http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/reader-recommendations/bing-get-~$5-a-month-to-browse-the-internet/

More importantly, though, I'd love to hear about the $700 plan.  That's no small change!
Title: Re: Using that One Mustachian Habit You Just Can't Quit as Motivation.
Post by: thedayisbrave on October 26, 2014, 08:25:25 AM
Have you ever tried Cardpool.com? I love it for everything and have been using them for about 3 years - mainly for  Home Depot or Lowes.

They are offering 12% discounted Starbucks gift cards right now, meaning you only pay 88% of the face value. Buy those puppies and then link to your Starbucks profile online. I use my mobile Starbucks app with the discounted gift cards to get a free coffee more quickly and at a discount.

Thanks for this!!! I don't go to Starbucks often so the $25 should last me quite a while :)
Title: Re: Using that One Mustachian Habit You Just Can't Quit as Motivation.
Post by: tracylayton on October 26, 2014, 08:27:22 AM
I do mystery shopping, and I remember reading that Starbucks had a phone app (I think it is Mobee). You answer 5 questions and take 2 photos. You are paid in gift cards. Google Starbucks mystery shopping or Mobee. My vice is eating out, so I get reimbursed for my food on mystery shops plus paid a shop fee. This year, I will collect about $600 in shop fees (taxable) and $1200 in food reimbursement (non-taxable).
Title: Re: Using that One Mustachian Habit You Just Can't Quit as Motivation.
Post by: Melody on October 26, 2014, 05:45:24 PM
If its the ambience rather than the coffee, try having the small basic coffees. Even if you went every saturday and sunday in the year that would be like $150/year... that seems very reasonable for something you enjoy so much :) I am also a sucker for coffee, buy I always get the basic one.
Title: Re: Using that One Mustachian Habit You Just Can't Quit as Motivation.
Post by: Dicey on October 26, 2014, 09:59:28 PM
I completely agree that there's a place for a reasonable Bucky's habit in a financially stable life. It's an easy target when the budget is out of control and there are mountains of debt. It's low-hanging fruit for the credit impaired, particularly when someone has no idea where their money goes and just spends mindlessly.

Oinkette, it sounds to me as though you have managed your budget well. I am 100% impressed with the way you understand why you're there (it's not rote and it's not just the coffee), and the fact that you are in control. Funny, if you said you bought two beers out per week, you wouldn't get much of a response around here.

By 'fessing up and posting about your habit, hopefully you will learn another trick or two to make it even more affordable. Smart. I don't drink coffee, but occasionally use SB's as a convenient, nearly free meeting space. For the price of a hot tea or chocolate, I can have a warm, safe, neutral space to take care of business. Totally worth it.

BTW - Have you read "How Starbucks Saved My Life" by Michael Gates Gill? Very interesting tale.
Title: Re: Using that One Mustachian Habit You Just Can't Quit as Motivation.
Post by: Spondulix on October 27, 2014, 10:33:02 PM
Do you always get the chai latte, or could you go for something cheaper some days (i.e. cup of tea or coffee)? I was a barista years ago, and some customers found clever ways to save a buck (although maybe its not as much of a saver as it used to be)

 - if you like iced drinks, you can bring your own mug of iced milk and just get a couple shots of espresso. Or vice versa, get the flavoring (like this one) and just order frothed milk. http://store.starbucks.com/tazo-chai-tea-latte-concentrate/011017406,default,pd.html

I buy the beans from the store and use a french press to make my espresso. Heck, you could bring your own drink and not get anything! If you've got a Starbucks mug no one will probably know the difference (unless it's busy)