My day usually starts after I’ve taken the train to campus and dragged my groggy self to the CUA Starbucks to order a dark roast. People flock to Starbucks as part of their daily routine, especially on my campus. The average college semester has about 15 weeks, which makes me wonder: how much does Starbucks cost per semester?
The amount of money that a Starbucks customer spends varies depending mainly on budget and schedule. So I created a poll on Facebook to get a better idea of how much money students at Catholic University of America spends at Starbucks.
Here’s What I Found
It looks like the majority of people spend $11-20 on Starbucks per week. The total cost of that ranges anywhere from $165 to $300 each semester—not including vacations or days off.
The next most common amount is $6-10 per week ($90 to $150/semester). See the ones in the green? They’re paying $30+ a week for Starbucks, that’s at least $450/semester. Damn.
Put This in Perspective
A 24.2 oz container of Folger’s ground coffee lasts for around 3 weeks, if you make a couple cups every day. At about $8.79 a container, that’s only $45 per semester.
If you’re trying to save money, switching to homemade coffee is a great idea, whether it’s a percolator, a French press, or cold brewing. You can even use these recipes to recreate your favorite Starbucks drink. But keep in mind what you might be spending at Starbucks each semester. It might help you with your budgeting.