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The day I stopped buying coffee out and started making it at home
I used to stop at the coffee shop near my office every single morning, spending about $4.50 on a medium latte. That added up to over $90 a month, and I never really thought about it until I lost my job unexpectedly in 2021. I had to cut everything, and that coffee habit was one of the first things to go. I bought a simple $20 French press and started brewing my own coffee at home instead. At first it felt like a downgrade, but after a few weeks I realized I actually liked my own coffee better. Now, three years later, I still make it at home and I save around $1,100 a year. Has anyone else made a switch like this and found it stuck long term?
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gracewebb14d ago
I get what you're saying, but I actually see it the other way. You said "you realized you don't really miss the old habit" but I still do. I tried making coffee at home for a month during a tight spot and it just wasn't the same. For me, part of the morning ritual was the walk to the shop, saying hi to the barista, and having that little bit of human contact before starting work. It felt worth the money because it set my whole day up differently. I think some people save money by cutting things out, and other people save their sanity by keeping them. Not everyone is going to miss the habit, and honestly that's fine, but I think it's also fine to not force yourself to give it up just because it saves cash.
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...that's exactly what happened to me when I got laid off back in 2019. I was spending almost $5 every day on a caramel latte and didn't think twice about it until I had to count every penny. Bought a $15 drip coffee maker at a garage sale and figured it was temporary...but here I am still doing it five years later. The money savings is nice but honestly I just like having my coffee ready right when I wake up without having to wait in line. It's amazing how a little change like that can just stick with you once you realize you don't really miss the old habit.
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