7 tricks for saving money at Starbucks

Rose Gerber

It's likely you go to Starbucks at least once in a while, if you don't have a full-blown addiction to lattes.

Here are a few tips to save you money.

1. Register your Starbucks card

Starbucks

Earn stars and join My Starbucks Rewards.

If you really like going to Starbucks often, you might as well get rewarded for your coffee runs. The MyStarbucksRewards program has 3 levels: “Welcome” “Green” and “Gold”. 

At the “Welcome” level you get a free birthday reward: Get a free drink on your birthday!

At the “Green” level you get free refills. And “Gold” earns you free rewards that can be used on food or drink.

I’ve over-simplified the MyStarbucksRewards and of course, it is subject to change. Always check the official website for reward details and terms.

So you register a Starbucks card – pick any Starbucks card you like, a Teavana card, or an Evolution Fresh card. Each time you use the card as a form of payment, you earn one star.

You’ve unlocked the door to rewards.

2. Make coffee and tea at home

Robert Libetti/ Business Insider

No matter what anyone says, it’s cheaper to buy a pound of coffee and make coffee at home than to buy it at Starbucks.

This is also true of iced tea. It’s probably cheaper to buy fancy tea makers and expensive tea than to buy iced tea. I recognize that there’s a learning curve with making coffee, tea, and iced tea at home.

It will never taste as wonderful as the coffee at Starbucks if you don’t pay attention to the fundamentals of making great coffee.

The bottom line is though buying Starbucks whole bean coffee at making it at home is cheaper than getting it at a store. You can even subscribe to the Roastery subscription and have exclusive small-lot coffee delivered to your doorstep once a month.

This also ties into the MyStarbucksRewards program mentioned above.

When you buy at-home coffee at Starbucks, you earn a bonus star for each unit of at-home coffee that you buy.

So if you bought one pound of Verona, and half-pound of Jamaica Blue Mountain in one transaction, you should get 3 stars. One for the swipe of the card and one for each unit of coffee.

3. Try a Caffe Misto instead of a latte

Associated Press/Elaine Thompson

Maybe you love the taste of perfectly steamed foam in your hot beverage.

Try a Caffe Misto, which is less expensive than a latte. It’s “a one-to-one mix of fresh brewed coffee and steamed milk add up to one distinctly delicious coffee drink.”

Starbucks prices vary from region to region, and licensed stores sometimes have a different price structure than company-operated stores.

Nonetheless, a Caffe Misto is almost always cheaper than a latte and might give you the satisfaction of having a drink with great foam.

I like Caffe Mistos, too. I recommend trying a Caffe Misto with a dark roast coffee.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider