Sometimes it feels as though the only way to have fun is to spend money. This doesn’t have to be the case at all! Whether you want to learn a new hobby or a new skill, I’ve rounded up 42 things to learn for free!
How to Save Money at Starbucks: 10 Realistic Ways to Spend Less
It's no secret that I love a good cup of Starbucks.
In fact, most Fridays you'll find me at Starbucks with my computer, working on my email newsletter or something else behind the scenes. It makes the tasks a little more bearable!
But as much as I enjoy my Starbucks coffee, I don't want my coffee habit quietly turning into a big monthly expense.
That's the thing about frugal living: you don't have to give up everything you enjoy to save money. Sometimes it's about finding ways to enjoy the things you love while being a little more intentional about what you're spending.
Over the years, I've found quite a few ways to make my Starbucks visits stretch a little further. Some are official Starbucks perks, while others are simply habits that keep me from spending more than I planned.
Here are my favourite realistic ways on how to save money at Starbucks.
1. Join Starbucks Rewards
If you regularly visit Starbucks, joining Starbucks Rewards is probably the easiest place to start.
It's free, and you can earn Stars on eligible purchases, participate in challenges and offers, and redeem your Stars for Rewards. Starbucks has also revamped the program, so the old advice about earning a free drink after a certain number of transactions is no longer accurate.
The current program has three levels: Green, Gold and Reserve. Green members earn 1 Star per dollar, while Gold and Reserve members earn Stars at faster rates.
You can also earn Bonus Stars through qualifying digital Starbucks Card reloads, including 10 Bonus Stars for a $30+ reload or 25 Bonus Stars for a $50+ reload.
My advice: If you're going to buy Starbucks anyway, you might as well earn the rewards.
Just don't let the rewards program convince you to buy coffee you wouldn't otherwise purchase. A free reward isn't actually saving you money if you spent $50 getting there!
2. Pay attention to the offers in your Starbucks app
This is one of my favourite Starbucks savings strategies.
Open the app and actually look at the offers available to you before placing your order.
Starbucks offers personalized promotions, Bonus Star opportunities, games and other member offers.
Sometimes an offer might be worth changing what I was planning to order. Other times, I'll simply ignore it.
That's an important part of saving money: a coupon isn't a good deal if it makes you spend money you weren't planning to spend.
3. Take advantage of Free Mod Mondays
This is a newer Starbucks Rewards perk that's worth knowing about.
Rewards members can receive a coupon for one free drink customization on a select Monday each month. Starbucks says this can include customizations such as cold foam.
If you already have a Starbucks run planned, this is an easy way to make that drink a little more fun without paying extra for the customization.
4. Watch for BOGO and Happy Hour offers
If you're buying Starbucks for yourself and someone else, this is one of the better times to visit.
Starbucks Canada occasionally runs Happy Hour promotions where you can buy a qualifying handcrafted drink and get another of equal or lesser value free. The exact dates and availability can vary, so check your Starbucks app before heading out.
5. Use your free Rewards wisely
When you have enough Stars for a Reward, think about what gives you the best value.
Currently, Starbucks Canada has several redemption levels, including:
25 Stars: $1 off an eligible drink customization
60 Stars: $2 off a qualifying purchase
100 Stars: an eligible brewed coffee, tea, bakery item or packaged snack up to $6
200 Stars: an eligible handcrafted drink or hot breakfast item up to $10
300 Stars: an eligible packaged salad, lunch sandwich or packaged coffee
400 Stars: select merchandise or Starbucks Reserve packaged coffee up to $20
The exact eligible items and terms can change, so check the current Rewards terms before redeeming.
This is where I like to be strategic. If I've earned enough Stars for a $10 handcrafted drink, I'm probably not going to use them on a small item worth $3. I'd rather use the reward on something I'd actually enjoy and get the most value from it. For example, my personal favourite is a vanilla latte. Normally I get a Grande, but if I were redeeming Stars, I'd get a Venti.
6. Don't automatically order the biggest size
This is one of those “saving money” tips that sounds obvious but is surprisingly easy to forget.
You don't need a Venti just because it's an option. Sometimes a Tall or Grande is plenty of coffee.
And here's my honest rule: order the size you actually want, not the size that feels like the best deal. Getting a larger drink that you don't really need isn't saving money.
7. Skip the extras you don't really care about
It's incredibly easy for a $4-ish coffee to become a much more expensive drink once you start adding extras.
Extra shots. Flavoured syrups. Cold foam. Specialty toppings. Food to go with it.
There's nothing wrong with ordering those things when you really want them. But if you're trying to cut your Starbucks spending, take a look at your usual order and ask:
“Which parts of this drink do I actually care about?”
Maybe you discover that you love the coffee but don't really care about the extra shots. Or maybe the cold foam is your favourite part and you'd rather keep that and skip something else.
Frugal doesn't have to mean boring. It just means spending your money where you get the most enjoyment from it.
8. Bring your own coffee on the days you don't really need Starbucks
This is probably the biggest money saving tip on the list.
If I'm going to Starbucks because I genuinely want the Starbucks experience, I'll enjoy it. But if I'm simply tired and want caffeine? That's when my coffee maker at home can save me some serious money.
You don't have to give up Starbucks completely. You can make it a planned treat instead of an automatic daily purchase.
For example, if you normally buy a $5 coffee five times a week, cutting that down to two visits would save roughly $60 a month.
That's the kind of small change that can actually make a difference to your budget.
9. Turn Starbucks into your “treat” instead of your default
I don't think you need to stop buying things you enjoy in order to be frugal.
Instead, decide what is worth paying for to you.
For me, Starbucks is part of my Friday routine when I'm working on my email newsletter. I enjoy getting out of the house, sitting with my computer and having a coffee while I work. That makes it feel like more than just buying a drink.
When you intentionally choose your treats, you tend to enjoy them more and you're less likely to spend money on random little purchases throughout the week.
10. Use gift cards strategically
This is another one that works particularly well for me.
I have often used gift cards that I've earned through rewards programs for my Starbucks purchases.
If I have a Starbucks gift card sitting in my account, it feels like I'm using money I've already earned rather than pulling another $5 or $6 from my regular spending money.
But there's an important distinction here: don't buy gift cards just because they're discounted unless you're certain you'll use them.
The goal isn't to find an excuse to spend more at Starbucks.
The goal is to make the Starbucks purchases you're already going to make cost less.
Bonus: If you're staying in the café, take advantage of the refill policy
Here's a Starbucks perk that can be easy to overlook.
At participating Starbucks locations, customers who enjoy their first beverage in the café can receive free refills of hot or iced brewed coffee or tea during the same visit. There are exclusions, so this doesn't apply to drinks such as Cold Brew, Nitro Cold Brew or Refreshers.
So if you're someone who likes to sit and work at Starbucks for a while, this can be a great perk.
And honestly, this is one of the reasons my Friday Starbucks trips work for me. I'm not necessarily rushing in, grabbing a coffee and leaving. I'm getting a little change of scenery while I work.
The biggest Starbucks savings tip of all
Here's the advice I think is more important than any Starbucks “hack”:
Don't confuse getting a deal with saving money.
If Starbucks offers me 20% off a drink I wasn't planning to buy, I haven't saved 20%. I've spent 80% of something I didn't need.
But if I was already planning to grab a coffee and I can use a Bonus Star offer, redeem a Reward, take advantage of a BOGO promotion or use a gift card I've earned? Now I'm stretching money I was already planning to spend.
That's the kind of frugal living I like.
I don't want to eliminate every little thing that makes life enjoyable. I want to spend less on the things that don't matter so I have more room in my budget for the things that do.
And for me, sometimes that means sitting at Starbucks with my laptop, working on emails and enjoying a really good cup of coffee.
So tell me, what's your favourite way to save money at Starbucks? If you're looking for how to save money at Starbucks, do you have a favourite tip or “hack” that actually works for you? I'd love for you to share it!
Does winter have you singing the blues? It's about this time of the year when I start to feel like Winter is never going to end. The endless cold and snow just gets me down! Here are some of my ideas to beat the winter blues on a budget:
Make Summer plans
Start planning your spring or summer activities. This is a great way to forget the cold momentarily and have some plans to look forward to!
Buy a bouquet of spring flowers
This is my favourite way to perk myself up! Tulips and daffodils are an affordable option to bring some life and colour into your home. I've seen daffodils as low as $1.99/bunch in the past.
Pamper yourself
Get your hair cut, get a manicure/pedicure or do your nails yourself. Pick a bright cheery colour for your nails. Spend some time making yourself pretty!
Try something new
Have you been wanting to try an art class or a pottery class? Do it. (Check out your local recreation or art center for budget friendly options.) Enjoy baking or cooking? Try an entirely new recipe that may challenge you a bit further.
Exercise
Bundle up and head out for a long walk. Try out some snowshoes. Put in a fun exercise video. It's a proven fact that exercise releases endorphins that make you happy, more relaxed and more alert!
Invite a friend over for coffee or tea
I tend to hibernate in the winter months so inviting a friend over or inviting myself over to a friend's, really is a great pick me up! It's so nice to indulge in great conversation and if you have children, a great excuse for a play date.
Read a book
Stop in at your local library and pick up some books that take place in the summer months or that will "take you away"!
What are your favourite ways to beat the winter blues on a budget?
The following is a guest post by Liz from Sturm und Mom.
As a Mom of six kids, I rely on hand-me downs to stretch my budget. But sometimes an item doesnʼt get “worn out” enough by the time the last child has outgrown it. And what about the oldest — where can I get hand-me-downs for her? The solution: childrenʼs consignment stores!
Consignment stores are gold mines for the de-cluttering Mom. Buy and sell all types of childrenʼs gear: clothing, toys, footwear, swings, strollers, high chairs, books, tapes — in other words, the works. They are an fantastic place to get barely used childrenʼs clothes, often with the tags still on, for a fraction of the price.
Consignment stores work by selling gently used items for you, and keeping a portion of the price (usually around half.) Unlike thrift stores, they pre-screen and organize all the merchandise into a shopper friendly format, making them a super go-to resource for the frugal parent.
Here are some tips to make your consignment shopping and selling, something youʼll be doing again and again.
Research your Store’s Policies
Before you bring your items in, either phone or drop by to see what your local storeʼs policies are. For some stores you need an appointment, and others are drop in. Find out if they pay you up front for the items they take, or after they sell. Most stores have a limit on the amount you can bring in at one time, and the type of items they will take, so check ahead to avoid aggravation and a wasted trip.
Bring in Great Condition Items
Make sure the items you want to sell are clean, in good repair, freshly washed and folded (if clothing.) If itʼs been washed so many times that you canʼt read the tag, itʼs not suitable for consignment. Time your items to correspond with the seasons (bring in summer things during the spring, not November.)
Find Out of Season Clothing Easily
Camping trip in August and no warm sweaters that fit, or swimming birthday party in February but the swimsuitʼs bit the dust? Consignment stores are great places to get out of season clothing in a pinch.
Shop with a List
Come shopping with a list. Donʼt undo your savings by buying what you donʼt need.
Check Consignment First
I donʼt know how many times Iʼve ended up paying full price, only to find the exact same thing on consignment for significantly less.
Check Back Often
My experience has usually been that consignment stores have a lot of what I am looking for in stock, but not always. Supply can vary from week to week, so check back and donʼt get discouraged.
So, attack those kid piles! Your local consignment store is waiting and ready to turn your bursting drawers and over-flowing toy box into some money for your pocket.
Liz is a Mom to six kids 10 and under, who is always trying to get her dollars to go further, and do things better. Her hobbies are cooking, reading and crafting. She blogs about motherhood at lizsturm.wordpress.com.
After all the shopping you did for Christmas, you may not want to open your wallet again for a long time. But there are a few things in January that may be worth purchasing.
Here’s what to buy in January:
Christmas Items
Now that Christmas is over, the stores are trying to rid their shelves of Christmas stock. Expect deep discounts on wrapping paper, Christmas cards, Christmas candy, decorations and pretty much anything Christmas related!
Organization Products
Organization tends to be a top priority in January. Look for sales on plastic containers (Rubbermaid for example), baskets, clothes hangers, storage ottomans, shoe racks, or anything related to organization!
Exercise Equipment and Weight-Loss Products
Perhaps your New Years resolution is to get more active? You’ll find anything related to exercise equipment (treadmills, yoga mats, athletic shoes, athletic clothing), dieting, gym memberships and even programs like Weight Watchers on sale.
Linens
Now is the best time to purchase sheets, duvets, pillows, towels, table cloths and more since they go on sale in January during what’s known as a White Sale.
Winter Clothing
January is the perfect time to buy winter outerwear, sweaters and boots since they’re on high demand this time of year. Once spring stock starts to arrive, look for these items at even greater reduced prices.
Computers
Right around Boxing Day, you’ll start to see computers/laptops/tablets go on sale as new models are introduced. You may even find the newest models with a bit of a discount. But if you don’t mind not having up-to-the-minute technology, then you’ll find the greatest discounts on older models.
Cold & Flu Products
Unfortunately, January is cold and flu season, well, winter in general, which means you’ll find medicine and vitamins on sale this time of year.
Tax Software
The dreaded tax season is commencing. If you do your own taxes, look for sales on tax software such as Quicken and TurboTax.
Homes
January is a great time to get a “deal” on a new house. Since the winter months are the slowest in the real estate business, many home sellers are willing to drop their prices just to get the home sold.
What are some other items that are great to buy in January?
