Saving On Your Coffee
SMART SPENDER>BEST VALUE FOR MONEY
Saving On Your Coffee
Budgeting for your caffeine intake can give you the best aroma for your finances. Find out how
By Lynda C. Corpuz
Coffee starts and ends the day for Australian and master mariner Robin Lockwood, 42 – one big mug of strong instant coffee with milk and no sugar before his shower, and another mug before he goes to work. (He can finish off a 500 gm. jar of about AU D60 in only two weeks at times). He also can have café latte (up to AUD 5 per order) with his steak and it would not give him any stomach problem. Before bed time, he can have another two mugs of his brand of coffee or pick up from Mccas (McDonalds) on his drive home and to cap his long day.
Whether it was plainly for the caffeine fix, how we like coffee varies – and at times, puts a strain on our budget.
Spending for your blend and brew
When Robin was in the Philippines, coffee was a must – and kept him company while waiting for his fiancée to arrive for their meet-ups. He would hang out at Bo’s Coffee Club in Glorietta and order, yes, a big mug of café latte, and read a book until his fiancée arrived. On occasions, he would have another round of his favorite blend with her. He has been to Kota Kinabalu, Singapore, Italy, France, the Mediterranean, Japan, America, and among other countries, and he did try those coffee offers each of those locations has. “Like how I enjoy quality, at times, pricey bottle of wine, I don’t mind spending for my coffee. I know what I want and my kind or brew, or the “proper coffee” (those offered in specialty coffee shops) versus the instant brands I like,” he says.
Ordering from a nearby coffee shop
As for the new generation of Filipino coffee lovers, it’s not just about having a caffeine fix, it is about a host of other factors that define how the coffee culture is very much a part of our daily lives.
For tax accountant Maria Cristina Salvosa, 27, a daily trip to Starbucks near her office for her favorite Chocolate Frappuccino is a planned spending. She adds, she goes to the US-coffee chain not because she has coffee as favorite, but more for convenience, as Starbucks is the most ubiquitous of them all. Despite being around in almost every corner, Starbucks gets full, so Cristina would go to either Gloria Jeans coffee (for brownies) or Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf for its tea offers. “Although I go to Starbucks everyday, I only have one round of my favorite blend. It has always been a planned spending since I have budget for that. And I spend about P700 for my coffee blend,” she cites.
Drinking for the ambiance
Brunei-based copywriter Earvin Charles Cabalquinto, 26, loves the local coffee chain Figaro, especially its SM North branch for its ambiance, and its coffee and pastries, of course. “Plus, I prefer experiencing the outdoors than the shop’s interiors,” he adds. His alternatives are Starbucks and Coffee Bean, because they are everywhere and more popular.
Boosting your day
Earvin adds he likes Oreo flavor blend because it boosts him when he is gloomy and it feels like it brings out the child in him. “Admit or not, coffee could also be a reflection of our childish cravings!” he exclaims.
Depending on the mood
Depending on his mood and availability, Earvin says he gets his caffeine fix from his favored coffee shops about a maximum of thrice a week. He admits it is a part of his impulsive purchases. “Sometimes, simply walking at the mall and seeing a group of teenagers hanging around while enjoying their coffee provokes me to buy one. Plus, the smell of the coffee makes me drool. It’s totally tempting and irresistible,” he reasons.
Satisfying crave
Donor relations specialist Anna May Patao Aldana, 32, she goes to Starbucks for Caramel Coffee Jelly or Seattle’s Best for Javakula, which she says is perfect for non-coffee addicts. She adds she goes to these shops only when she has a craving, since she doesn’t classify herself as a regular drinker. For her, going to the coffee shops are expensive. “So it should be a planned spending,” she points out.
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Brew Your Savings
Literally it is the latte factor – many of us dismiss that a grande café latte of P115 from Starbucks is not that much – but multiply that by five (being five working days a week, where most usually frequent these coffee chains), you spend P575 a week, P2,300 a month, and P27,600 a year – such money for specialty coffee alone. This is excluding your weekend trips to the coffee shops at that.
The following are suggestions on how to still have your coffee fix, and at the same, fix your budget:
Brew from home. Invest in a good coffee maker or an espresso machine, buy your bag of beans and have them grind (or purchase also a coffee grinder), get filters, and prepare your coffee at home. Some will argue that preparing coffee daily is more laborious than going to the store, but it is about making it a routine – setting up your coffee machine would be as easy as entering a shop, waiting in line, and having your coffee.
If you really can’t avoid going to the coffee shop, you may try the following:
Dig the perks. Most coffee shops offer rewards or gift cards that entitles you to a host of perks, like free brewed coffee refills, free add-ons like syrup for select drinks, free drink when you buy a whole bean, or free hour or so of Wi-Fi use. Some of these shops also offer online promos like free coupons, or coffee club meets and tours.
Try an alternative. If you only prefer your coffee as brewed, then it might save you buying from McCafé than Seattle’s Best. (McCafé is also now giving Starbucks a tough competition in the overseas market). Better, try the local coffee chains, like Bo’s Coffee Club, Figaro, or Coffee Dream, which also make blends comparable to those offers of foreign brands.
Share a drink. Depending on the store policy, it may be possible to request for your drink to split – say, order a venti and split in two glasses than buying two tall orders. Also, it would also be good to have a friend to share this similar drink with you – you get your coffee and you also get to enjoy it with a good company at that.
Be nice. Frequent customers like Robin, Cristina, Earvin, and May, on occasions get freebies from their favorite coffee chain. The key is to be the friendliest customer you can be. Baristas who know their customers well – from what time they come in to their regular order – not only serve them well, but also can, at times, give their loyal patrons freebies or perks and discounts.
Robin jokes, had he stayed longer in the Philippines and the Glorietta Starbucks baristas got to know him well, he would probably be having his café latte for free. “They were friendly with me right from the start, asking why I was there, and would I be regularly getting my coffee from them. I told them I was just on a visit, and still, the few times I went there, I was served all right, and chatted with often,” he cites.
Cut on your coffee trips. Better, save those trips to the coffee shops on special occasions, like meeting friends on Friday night-outs or hanging out on weekends, or a friend or relative from abroad comes home.
Truly, the coffee shops are more than just for coffee, they have become the mecca for most activities outside of home (usually after lunch or dinner, a movie, or touring the mall), and it would not hurt to spend for such deserved bonding or business-related occasions.
TABLE:
Your Coffee Shop Guide
Listed here are the coffee shops with most branches in the metro, with their coffee menu and prices. McCafé offers the lowest price for P50 for a regular espresso, while Starbucks’ lowest offer is P80 for a short brewed coffee (figure gathered as of January 15, 2009):
| Coffee Chain | Coffee Drink | Size And Price |
| Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf | Today’s Brew
(Brewed Coffee) |
Small – P85
Regular – P95 Large – P105 |
| CBTL café drinks | ||
| Café Mocha | Sm. – P105
Reg. – P120 Lar. – P135 |
|
| Café Vanilla | Sm. – P105
Reg. – P120 Lar. – P135 |
|
| Café Caramel | Sm. – P115
Reg. – P130 Lar. – P145 |
|
| Hot Vanilla | Sm. – P100
Reg. – P115 Lar. – P130 |
|
| Hot Double Choco | Sm. – P100
Reg. – P115 Lar. – P130 |
|
| Iced Double Choco | Reg. – P115
Lar. – P130 |
|
| Espresso drinks (hot or iced) | ||
| Espresso | Single – P85
Double – P110 |
|
| Macchiato | Sing. – P90
Dou. – P110 |
|
| Cappuccino | Sm. – P110
Dou. – P125 |
|
| Americano | Sm. – P85
Reg. – P100 Lar. – P115 |
|
| Latte drinks | ||
| Café Latte | Sm. – P95
Reg. – P110 Lar. – P125 |
|
| Mocha Latte | Sm. – P105
Reg. – P120 Lar. – P135 |
|
| Caramel Latte | Sm. – P115
Reg. – P130 Lar. – P145 |
|
| White Choco Dreams | Sm. – P115
Reg. – P130 Lar. – P145 |
|
| Ice blended (the original ice blended) | ||
| Mocha | Reg. – P135
Lar. – P145 |
|
| Vanilla | Reg. – P135
Lar. – P155 |
|
| Double Choco | Reg. – P155
Lar. – P175 |
|
| Caramel | Reg. – P155
Lar. – P175 |
|
| The Ultimate | Reg. – P155
Lar. – P175 |
|
| Extreme | Reg. – P155
Lar. – P175 |
|
| White Choco Dream | Reg. – P155
Lar. – P175 |
|
| Mocha Mudslide | Reg. – P175
Lar. – P195 |
|
| Non-coffee ice blended | ||
| Pure Vanilla | Reg. – P125
Lar. – P175 |
|
| Pure Double Choco | Reg. – P135
Lar. – P155 |
|
| Mango | Reg. – P155
Lar. – P175 |
|
| Sunrise | Reg. – P155
Lar. – P175 |
|
| Figaro | Hot drinks | |
| Cappuccino | 8 oz. – P85
14 oz. – P109 |
|
| Café Mocha | 8 oz. – P95
14 oz. – P105 |
|
| White Choco Mocha | 8 oz. – P105 | |
| Café Latte | 8 oz. – P85
14 oz. – P109 |
|
| Café Au Lait | 8 oz. – P85
14 oz. – P109 |
|
| Americano | 8 oz. – P75
14 oz. – P99 |
|
| Brewed Coffee | 8 oz. – P75
14 oz. – P99 |
|
| Espresso | Small – P75
Tall – P99 |
|
| Macchiato | Sm. – P85 | |
| Cold drinks | ||
| Iced Cappuccino | 8 oz. – P95
14 oz. – P109 |
|
| Iced Mocha | 8 oz. – P109
14 oz. – P125 |
|
| Iced Latte | 8 oz. – P95
14 oz. – P109 |
|
| Coffee Jelly Float | 14 oz. – P125 | |
| Iced Coffee | 8 oz. – P85
14 oz. – P99 |
|
| Frost | ||
| Cappuccino | 14 oz. – P125 | |
| Mocha | 14 oz. – P125 | |
| Choco | 14 oz. – P125 | |
| Vanilla | 14 oz. – P125 | |
| Strawberry | 14 oz. – P125 | |
| Mango | 14 oz. – P125 | |
| Dalandan | 14 oz. – P125 | |
| Coffee Caramel | 14 oz. – P115 | |
| Caramel | 14 oz. – P115 | |
| Mocha | 14 oz. – P115 | |
| Choco | 14 oz. – P115 | |
| McCafe | Espresso coffee | |
| Espresso | Reg. – P50 | |
| Macchiato | Reg. – P50 | |
| Americano | Reg. – P60 | |
| Long Black | Reg. – P70 | |
| Cappuccino | Reg. – P70
Med. – P80 |
|
| Latte | Med. – P80 | |
| Flat White | Reg. – P80
Med. – P90 |
|
| Mochaccino | Reg. – P80
Med. – P90 |
|
| Smoothie | ||
| Strawberry | Reg. – P100 | |
| Dalandan | Reg. – P100 | |
| Ice blended drinks (McFrappe) | ||
| Caramel McFrappe | Med. – P85
Lar. – P95 |
|
| Double Choco Frappe | Med. – P85
Lar. – P95 |
|
| Latte Frappe | Med. – P100
Med. – P100 Lar. – P115 |
|
| Mocha Frappe | Reg. – P100
Lar. – P115 |
|
| Mocha Blends | Espresso heritage | |
| Short Black | Piccolo – P70 | |
| Long Black | Piccolo – P75
Medio – P85 |
|
| Café Vienna | Pic. – P95
Med. – P105 |
|
| Cappuccino | Pic. – P90
Med. – P100 |
|
| Café Latte | Pic. – P85
Med. – P95 |
|
| Flat White | Pic. – P85
Med. – P95 |
|
| Espresso in ice | ||
| Iced Coffee | Med. – P80
Supremo – P90 |
|
| Iced Latte | Med. – P90
Sup. – P100 |
|
| Signature mocha (hot) | ||
| Café Mocha | Pic. – P100
Med. – P115 |
|
| Mocha Adorata | Pic. – P130
Med. – P150 |
|
| Signature mocha (cold) | ||
| Mocha Frost | Med. – P130
Sup. – P140 |
|
| Non-espresso (hot) | ||
| Hot Choco | Pic. – P85
Med. – P95 |
|
| Moo Steamer | Pic. – P75
Med. – P85 |
|
| Non-espresso (cold) | ||
| Iced Choco | Med. – P115
Sup. – P130 |
|
| Iced Moo | Med. – P80
Sup. – P90 |
|
| Freddoccino | ||
| Espresso | Med. – P120
Sup. – P130 |
|
| Mocha | Med. – P120
Sup. – P130 |
|
| White Mocha | Med. – P130
Sup. – P140 |
|
| Vanilla Plain | Med. – P130
Sup. – P140 |
|
| Banana Mocha | Med. – P130
Sup. – P140 |
|
| Black Forest | Med. – P150
Sup. – P165 |
|
| Mocha Javajello | Med. – P130
Sup. – P140 |
|
| Caramel | Med. – P130
Sup. – P145 |
|
| Choco Nutella | Med. – P130
Sup. – P145 |
|
| Cookies & Cream | Sup. – P135 | |
| Seattle’s Best | ||
| Starbucks | Espresso | |
| Caramel Macchiatto | Short – P115
Tall – P130 Grande – P145 |
|
| Café Mocha | Sh. – P100
Ta. – P115 Gr. – P130 |
|
| Café Americano | Sh. – P85
Ta. – P95 Gr. – P105 |
|
| Café Latte | Sh. – P95
Ta. – P100 Gr. – P115 |
|
| Cappuccino | Sh. – P90
Ta. – P100 Gr. – P115 |
|
| Espresso | Sh. – P85
Gr. – P95 |
|
| White Choco Mocha | Sh. – P115
Ta. – P130 Gr. – P145 |
|
| Iced Espresso | ||
| Iced White Choco Mocha | Sh. – P130
Ta. – P145 Gr. – P160 |
|
| Iced Caramel Macchiato | Sh. – P130
Ta. – P145 Gr. – P160 |
|
| Iced Dark Cherry Mocha | Sh. – P145
Ta. – P155 Gr. – P170 |
|
| Iced Praline Mocha | Sh. – P145
Ta. – P155 Gr. – P170 |
|
| Iced Coffee Mocha | Sh. – P100
Ta. – P115 Gr. – P130 |
|
| Coffee (brewed coffee) | ||
| Hot Brewed Coffee | Sh. – P80
Ta. – P90 Gr. – P105 |
|
| Café Misto | Sh. – P80
Ta. – P90 Gr. – P105 |
|
| Pressed Coffee | 12 oz. – P100
16 oz. – P110 20 oz. – P200 |
|
| Classics | ||
| Signature Hot Choco | Sh. – P105
Ta. – P115 Gr. – P130 |
|
| White Hot Choco | Sh. – P100
Ta. – P110 Gr. – P115 |
|
| Frappuccino (Blended coffee) | ||
| Mocha | Ta. – P125
Gr. – P135 Venti – P150 |
|
| Espresso | Ta. – P125
Gr. – P135 Ve. – P150 |
|
| Caramel | Ta. – P125
Gr. – P135 Ve. – P150 |
|
| White Mocha | Ta. – P135
Gr. – P145 Ve. – P160 |
|
| Coffee Jelly | Ta. – P145
Gr. – P155 Ve. – P170 |
|
| Java Chip | Ta. – P145
Gr. – P155 Ve. – P170 |
|
| Cream | ||
| Caramel Cream | Ta. – P125
Gr. – P135 Ve. – P150 |
|
| Choco Cream | Ta. – P120
Gr. – P130 Ve. – P145 |
|
| Strawberries & Cream | Ta. – P145
Gr. – P155 Ve. – P170 |
|
| White Choco | Ta. – P135
Gr. – P145 Ve. – P160 |
|
| Choco Cream Chip | Ta. – P145
Gr. – P155 Ve. – P170 |
Thanks Lynda! Love the article! I better follow your tips on getting my caffeine fix while working on a budget! =)
love this … hope you have updated prices =)
Hay, I miss a latte at starbucks. But since I need to tighten my belt this year, Kopiko brown is a great alternative. Thanks for this info. I don’t have a cup of coffee beside me but a glass of extra joss.