Thursday, September 22, 2011

Increasing your Starbucks efficiency.


Unfortunately, this is not me. I am not this fashionable.

Back when I thought I could make a name for myself being a college advice blogger (a.k.a. last year), I always wanted to write about how college students can save money. If you know me at all, you probably know I'm a cheapskate. (Also appropriate: n: Tightwad, scrooge, penny-pincher. adj: Stingy, frugal.) One particular money-saver I always wanted to write about was Starbucks.

Now, you're probably wondering how on earth Starbucks could be a money-saver. My favorite drink is $4.24, for cryin' out loud! I'm not saying Starbucks will save you money over coffee from home or the grocery store or even the gas station. What I am saying is that a registered gift card on starbucks.com can save you a lot of money if you insist on buying a non-fat, no-whip, grande Peppermint Mocha before your 5 p.m. class every Thursday.

I am currently the proud owner of a Starbucks gold card. It's a fancy gift card with my name on it and says, "Cardholder Since 2009." As my friend likes to say, I'm like the Jay-Z of Starbucks. Impressive, huh? I love my card because I get my peppermint syrup free (a whopping 50 cent savings!), and after every 15 drinks I buy on my card, I get a free coupon in the mail! Of course, this coupon is always saved for that day when I really need a venti to get me through the day, because the coupon is good for any drink with any special additions. Score! Needless to say, I can't remember the last time I bought a Starbucks drink without my card. Why would I, when I get so many great benefits with it? (See the full list here, including free refills on regular tea and coffee.)

After reading this, you might be nonplussed, considering I still spend an exorbitant amount on Starbucks coffee. And I will admit, if I didn't have my registered card (with automatic reloading capabilities), I might not be able to justify the amount of drinks I buy. But if you're an addict like me, and you're going to buy the overpriced skinny vanilla latte anyway, I highly encourage you to get a gift card and register it online. Really, any other form of payment is just silly.

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