I read several simple/frugal/intentional living-type blogs, and pretty regularly someone will post a recipe for DIY specialty coffee. “Why spend $4 on coffee when you can make your own delicious iced mochas in your very own kitchen for pennies?” they ask.
Um, I’ll tell you why.
For $4, someone else will make my coffee, bring it to me, and clean up the mess.
For $4, I become a Starbucks customer, which gives me access to those comfy chairs, free wi-fi, and gratuitous air conditioning for as long as I want (well, until Stephen has to go to work and I have get back to my job as Mom).
For $4, I can stay blissfully unaware of what is going into the coffee I am about to drink, thus protecting me from any knowledge of calories, fat grams, and scary, unnatural ingredients that might take away from my enjoyment of my comforting beverage.
For $4, I also get the “free” Venti-sized, triple-filtered, ice cold water that I drink after my coffee, counteracting any negative calories I may have just consumed (not that I would know), and alleviating any guilt that I might have thought about feeling.
For $4, someone else will find the phone I dropped in the bathroom and bring it to me. At my own house, I would have to use callmyphone.com and then fetch the lost phone myself. (Not that this just happened to me…)
I don’t know about you, but I think that for all these benefits, $4 is a steal.
running in circles 
i do love starbucks…
and I feel so cared for and important when someone says “what can I get started for you?” No one asks me that at home. 🙂
completely, totally, 100% agree!!! you can’t beat starbucks
For $4 we were able to wax poetic about life to come for hours on end, as silly not-quite-teenagers-definitely-not-adults. Good times, great convo’s.
Aw, I do miss those conversations.
Agreed. I will also add that it is the only place in England where if you ask for an iced tea, they won’t give you a perplexed stare (most of the time anyway).
So, I saw Stephen’s photo of you at Panera… which is another place I enjoy coffee (and wifi) that you spend more than you should on… but have you noticed that they now post calories on their menu? Well, ours does, at least, and when I add up my bfast sandwich (it has protein, so not ALL bad, right?) and my caramel latte, um, yeah…
I love Panera, and wish we had one here (Stephen and I were in Austin when that photo was taken)! Posting calories on menus is eeevil.
Never forget that they also have the most spacious and clean bathrooms of any public place I can think of…now THAT is worth $4 (especially if you divide it between 2 adults and 3 kids on a road trip!)
YES. Love the bathrooms (which is a good thing, after a tall coffee and Venti water)!
Well, let’s see. For $4, I’ll make your coffee, clean up the mess, bring it to you. We have A/C and internet. Sounds like a deal to me…Oh no, I don’t have all the different flavors you’d probably want. Guess I’ll have to find another way to make that $4.
What’s $4. Go enjoy yourself!
Mom, I’m sure if you’re watching Abby, Lindsey will forgive your lack of flavors.
I don’t drink coffee, but reading this makes me want to go to Starbucks and get one!
Didn’t mean to post this as anonymous, this is Stacy:)