2. Buy Discounted Starbucks Gift Cards
As of this writing, you can save as much as 9% on a Starbucks gift card on CardCookie. A card, for example, costs .50.
Slash the price of your iced latte in half by ordering just shots of espresso, then add as much free milk as you want from the condiment bar. You can even order two shots of that espresso over ice. It’s essentially the same drink as a Venti iced latte, but it will be to .50 less.
3. Split One Drink Into Two
Heather Comparetto/The Penny Hoarder
4. Scale Back Your Usual Order
Order a Venti and divide it into two Grande cups. You’re basically getting two Grande coffees for around .10 each instead of .65 each. Even if you have to pay 50 cents for the extra cup, as some stores might charge, you are coming out ahead. Or bring your own insulated cup for hot coffee later.
5. Whipped Cream is Cheaper than Syrup
Here’s a tip that saves money at Starbucks and everywhere else, for that matter. Order a cup of water. The baristas will happily give it to you. Don’t pay .65 for that plastic bottle of H2O.
Ask for light ice with your iced coffee because often, the cup is so full of ice you don’t get as much coffee as you’d like. It’s not necessarily a cash saver, but this request will get you more caffeine and less water for your money.
6. Happy Hour Discounts
You get two drinks for the price of one during Starbucks happy hours, which are on Thursdays every few weeks from 2 to 7 p.m. Enable push notifications on the Starbucks app to get alerted to the times when you can save big by yourself or with a friend.
7. Supersize Your Cup
Well, maybe you can have your coffee and save money, too. Besides, Starbucks isn’t only about the coffee, or a million other variations on coffee. It’s a place to meet friends, a place to be alone but not feel alone, a destination for a walk, a workplace, a place to not drink alcohol and a place to celebrate or commiserate.
8. Light on the Ice, Please
Six ways to get your pumpkin spice latte fix without taking out a loan. And don’t forget the free drink on your birthday.
9. Assemble Your Own Drink
“You know. You could save so much money if you quit buying that expensive coffee.” And if they don’t say it, they imply it with that judgmental look.
(You get three stars per if you use the Starbucks Rewards Visa card, but The Penny Hoarder isn’t a fan of too many rewards credit cards.)
10. Bring A Cup
11. Don’t Buy Bottled Water
That means spending 0 or depending on how you pay. Yes, that’s a good chunk of change to spend to get a reward, so remember that it’s pretty easy to rack up a bill at Starbucks without even realizing it. You also get a free drink on your birthday.
12. Order a Pot of French Press
And you can make your drink even cheaper by asking for whipped cream instead of syrup. Any drink is sweeter and more fun with a dollop of whip cream, which is free.
13. A Treat That’s Always Free
If you’re in a group of four of (even two) order a pot of the French press coffee for .90. It has four cups. Don’t see it on the menu? Ask your barista.
Join Starbucks Rewards to start getting free drinks. You earn one star for every dollar you spend if you pay as you go with cash or a debit or credit card. Pay on a preloaded digital Starbucks Card on the app and get two stars per spent. <!–
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