As a 3-year barista at Starbucks, I know all of the little ways to save money. When you're spending $5.25 on a frapp or $5.04 on a white mocha every day, even the baby savings can add up. Here are my tips and tricks for saving money on that green and white mermaid.
Get the Starbucks App
Or at least register a gift card. By signing up for Starbucks Rewards you can track how much you spend, get sent special offers, get free refills on coffees and teas (iced and hot) and get free drinks. By getting the app, you can pay with your phone and (depending on the store) order drinks. Also, you don't have to keep track of gift card. The app has the card balance and you can reload either in store or online. Plus, you'll eventually get a sexy gold card that gets you all of the cool things like 25 percent off sandwiches or BOGOs on your favorite drinks.
Know the sizes you can split
This works really well if you have kids or you are going with a friend. If you want two Talls of the same frappucino, ask for a Venti to be split into two cups. An iced Venti is 24 oz. and a Tall is 12 oz. This works well because the barista will probably make the drinks together anyway. If you are getting a refresher, iced tea or iced coffee for you and friend, you can get a Trenta (30 oz.) and split it into two Grandes (16 oz.). THIS ONLY WORKS IF YOU ARE GETTING THE SAME DRINK. If your friend wants caramel in their iced coffee and you want vanilla you are going to have to order the two separately. The trick is that the barista will be making one drink but splitting into two cups.
Instead of asking for an extra shot...
If you are looking for some extra caffeine, adding an extra shot is not the cheapest way to go. At 80 cents a shot, there are tastier and cheaper ways to get that extra kick.
Frappucinos at Starbucks don't actually get espresso in them. Instead, Starbucks has a special roast of coffee for their frapps because espresso melts the ice and waters down the drink. Instead of asking for the extra shot, ask for extra coffee. Extra coffee is only 50 cents and, by recipe, they almost double the amount you get (a Venti usually gets four pumps, but with extra coffee it gets seven). So not only are you getting more caffeine than an espresso shot but you are saving your money and not watering down your drink.
If you are more of an espresso, hot drink person, I suggest trying a Misto sometime. A Misto is half brewed coffee and half steamed milk. Depending on the brew of coffee you get it could taste the same, if not better than that latte you have been getting. When ordering a Misto, you can ask for any flavor that you would normally get in a latte (including mocha and white mocha) and the darkest coffee they have brewing. And they are about $2 cheaper and have more caffeine as they are half coffee instead of just two shots. Plus they taste better and probably better for you.
If you like lots of room...
If you are someone who likes lots of room or lots of whipped cream, I suggest ordering a size down but in a bigger cup. For example, a Tall coffee in a Grande cup. This way, you are only paying for the 12 oz. of coffee but you still have plenty of room for all the cream you need. This also works if you like lots of whipped cream on your hot espresso drinks.
If you are someone that likes lots of ice, order the size you want but in a larger cup. Try asking for a Grande iced tea but in a Venti cup so you can have extra ice. This works really well on long road trips on hot summer days.
Target is great for Starbucks
Who ever thought of Starbucks in Targets deserves a medal. First of all, if you have a Red Card, you can use it to save that five percent on your Starbucks drinks and merch, plus Cartwheel (an app by Target full of coupons) often has coupons for Starbucks like ten percent off pastries or 25 percent off frapps. But wait, there's more!
I haven't mentioned this yet but on all teas and coffees, iced or hot (including cold brew, but discluding tea lemonades), gets 50 cent refills as long as you stay in store. (Gold card members get free refills). So if you ever go shopping at a Target that has a Starbucks, make sure you grab a drink on your way in and then pick up the refill on your way out.
Although you are only saving a few cents or a dollar here or there, if you drink Starbucks like I do, this could save you hundreds of dollars. So if you aren't too busy protesting Starbucks for having plain red cups instead of Christmas-y designs, try these tricks out and let me know how it goes.
