Does anyone actually get Starbucks every day?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am actually shocked that anyone living/working in a city would consider it weird for people to buy their lunch daily. I have done this every single day for the 22 years I have worked in DC, including low-paying summer jobs during college. When I worked in biglaw, I can honestly say I did not know a single attorney who brought their lunch. Now I work at a non-profit, and I continue to love venturing out with my coworkers to find something good to eat.

Getting outdoors, eating delicious foods rather than something packed or frozen -- it is one of the joys of working in a city. I especially love food trucks.

It is a matter of whether one can afford it. In addition, some people I know make plenty to eat out daily but are on a specific diet so they make their lunch at home and bring it in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am actually shocked that anyone living/working in a city would consider it weird for people to buy their lunch daily. I have done this every single day for the 22 years I have worked in DC, including low-paying summer jobs during college. When I worked in biglaw, I can honestly say I did not know a single attorney who brought their lunch. Now I work at a non-profit, and I continue to love venturing out with my coworkers to find something good to eat.

Getting outdoors, eating delicious foods rather than something packed or frozen -- it is one of the joys of working in a city. I especially love food trucks.

Ew, do you seriously not even consider the environmental factor, at all? Shame on you. All that styrofoam, plastic, glass, paper waste...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You people would put a lot of people out of jobs if everyone followed your miserly advice.

Not really....most major cities have tourists visit all the time, and restaurants get their money from them at the very least.

This comes down to where one wants to spend money.

Starbucks changed their rewards program recently, and that probably contributes to people going there multiple times in a week.

I work in a govt building with a huge cafeteria. There is not a single tourist coming through during lunch time. The Starbucks nearby is full of workers getting their caffeine fixes, hence the early hours when tourists are sleeping. Tourism does a lot for the hospitality industry but most restaurants get their bread and butter from locals. Have you ever seen downtown restaurants on weekend days? Pretty empty in comparison.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am actually shocked that anyone living/working in a city would consider it weird for people to buy their lunch daily. I have done this every single day for the 22 years I have worked in DC, including low-paying summer jobs during college. When I worked in biglaw, I can honestly say I did not know a single attorney who brought their lunch. Now I work at a non-profit, and I continue to love venturing out with my coworkers to find something good to eat.

Getting outdoors, eating delicious foods rather than something packed or frozen -- it is one of the joys of working in a city. I especially love food trucks.

Ew, do you seriously not even consider the environmental factor, at all? Shame on you. All that styrofoam, plastic, glass, paper waste...

Troll score, 2/10

[Anonymous]

Yeah the environmental one is a reach.lol

[Anonymous]

Guilty as charged. I get Starbucks or similar 4-5 times a week. When it is cold, I get a latte. When it is warm or moderate, I get an iced coffee.
I have played with the cost of getting an actual, decent espresso maker to do the lattes at home. I would also need to get the beans, and our household milk consumption would at least double. I am not sure how much a difference it would make financially. Family members often gift me SB cards, and let me tell you it is one of my favoirte gifts because I actually use and enjoy it.
If I were somewhere with regular, free coffee access I would just drink that.

[Anonymous]

please buy buy buy more food from chain restaurants and starbux, buy more prepared meals!

i like my increasing dividends from UL, NSRGY, MCD and the like!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You people would put a lot of people out of jobs if everyone followed your miserly advice.

Not really....most major cities have tourists visit all the time, and restaurants get their money from them at the very least.

This comes down to where one wants to spend money.

Starbucks changed their rewards program recently, and that probably contributes to people going there multiple times in a week.

I work in a govt building with a huge cafeteria. There is not a single tourist coming through during lunch time. The Starbucks nearby is full of workers getting their caffeine fixes, hence the early hours when tourists are sleeping. Tourism does a lot for the hospitality industry but most restaurants get their bread and butter from locals. Have you ever seen downtown restaurants on weekend days? Pretty empty in comparison.

I have been to countless restaurants inside the DC line on weekends and seen crowds. I wouldn't doubt that some areas are more popular than others on a weekend though.

[Anonymous]

My dh drives me crazy. Gets Starbucks every single day along w a breakfast sandwich. He buys lunch every day also!
I have a quick breakfast at home and bag lunch every day.
He says he shouldnt have to do that. End of story.
We are in pretty dire straits and he won't make any sacrifices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Starbucks helps me focus and work better, so I can thank them for my raise and I reinvest by buying Starbucks!

Exactly what I was thinking... I do a much better job with a jolt from Starbucks and have been financially rewarded for putting energy into my job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Packing lunch is not free food. You either spend it at Giant or some local cafeteria.
If a cup of coffee is your enjoyment in life and you do not have time to make it every morning, or if you prefer it when you arrive at work, then go for it.
What is wrong with this?

I could save more by buying cheaper coffee for the house, making my kids drink water instead of fruit juice, not buying cheese, cooking meals with low quality sausage instead of real meat

But why must I? Food is going to cost, you need your little luxuries for enjoyment of life.

No need to judge anyone.
My parents struggled financially, but still had the newspaper subscription. Reading the morning paper was my dads joy in life. He could have heard the news through the radio, but so what?

Packing your lunch ends up being cheaper.

Let's say for example you pack a ham and cheese sandwich. You buy a loaf of bread, divide the cost by the number of slices in the bag. Divide the amount of ham in a container by the cost, same with the cheese. That is the real cost. In addition, you are getting multiple meals (although it gets old) from buying 3 things that have a high quantity in it.

I do not drink coffee as I do not like the taste of it.

Another example, let's say you get TV dinners. Safeway (that is where I shop) usually has 5 for $10 on certain brands. If you go to Subway, Chiptole, or a restaurant, you are spending close to that in one day. That is $50 a week (give or take). $200 a month (give or take).

Lunches also come down to health choices. TV dinners are not the most healthy, but the cost savings is pretty good.

I have no desire to eat a ham and cheese sandwich multiple days in a row- ugh.

[Anonymous]

I'm so glad I work from home 3x/week and can make myself a nice little spread (crackers, cheese, prosciutto, grapes), heat up leftovers, make a chicken salad sandwich, throw together a salad with leftover veggies, etc. Even when I go into the office I usually pack something.

I do splurge on the occasional Starbucks because that is what is nearby. I could afford to eat out everyday, but I get tired of take out after a couple of days and want something home made. Not to mention it seems like a waste of money.

That said, packing my lunch and skipping Starbucks is not going to make me rich.

[Anonymous]

^^ Oh and when I do take out lunch it's usually something like a sushi lunch special from a nearby restaurant. That's something I don't know how to make at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My dh drives me crazy. Gets Starbucks every single day along w a breakfast sandwich. He buys lunch every day also!
I have a quick breakfast at home and bag lunch every day.
He says he shouldnt have to do that. End of story.
We are in pretty dire straits and he won't make any sacrifices.

Set up a monthly budget. Each of you gets $X for discretionary spending during the month. If he wants to spend his money on breakfast and lunch out, he can. If you want to spend money on a movie at redbox, you can. If he wants to spend money getting his car detailed, he can. If you want to get a haircut, you can. Within your budget. If something is outside your budget, then you have to save from one month to the next to get what you want. When the money runs out, he stops getting takeout and has to brownbag it.

Then you stop judging what the other spends their "allowance" or discretionary spending money on. The value of X varies based on the current family finances. It may be $20 this month. It may be $50 in November when a CC gets paid off.