We’ve all had them, late nights and early mornings. Then what do we turn to? Caffeine. The many coffee establishments scattered around Iowa City’s downtown draw our exhausted bodies into their caffeinated creations. Most of us, however, do not realize just how costly this coffee craving can be. So, I decided to check out a few popular coffee spots downtown and see exactly what the cost is for the daily caffeine fix.
At most of the establishments I visited a regular 16 ounce cup of coffee cost about $2.00. Let’s be honest though, most of us who pick up a beverage from the coffee shop do not get a plain coffee. We need to sweeten it up a little to help mask coffee’s naturally bitter flavor, so we go with something like a mocha or latte instead. These tasty drinks are even more expensive. They range between $3.00 and $4.00 depending on how much espresso and other flavors are involved! For instance, an16 ounce mocha a Java House costs $3.85 and the same size mocha at T-spoons can go up to $4.00.
That means that if you pick up a mocha five days a week you’ll be paying nearly $20 for a weekly caffeine fix. Over the course of a semester this can add up close to $400! As a broke college student, one cannot afford these sorts of prices for a small caffeinated drink. Now, say you only indulge in your mocha twice a week; you’re still spending about $150 a semester. Money that you could be spending on something way more rewarding, like a new outfit.
Now, if you’re like me and cannot live without your coffee some days, try an alternative; your own personal coffee maker. It might seem more expensive initially because you have to buy the coffee maker and supplies, but once these are acquired they will last for a very long time. An added bonus is that your room or apartment will have that welcoming smell of freshly brewed coffee whenever you feel like having a tasty cup.
*Photos- Flickr Creative Commons