Is your coffee habit breaking the bank?
If you need your caffeine fix but need to save a few Washingtons, we've got several ways you can help save money at Starbucks.
Prices vary based on the chain's locations, but we used New York City prices to give you an idea on how small requests can save you big.
1. Iced latte for a fraction for the price
A Starbucks drink is seen on a table in New York's Times Square April 21, 2010. Shares in coffee chain Starbucks, which is due to report results later in the day, fell 0.6 percent. McDonald's encroached further into Starbucks Corp territory this quarter by introducing lower-priced frappes designed to compete with Frappuccinos. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton (UNITED STATES - Tags: BUSINESS) - RTR2D3CV (Reuters)
A tall iced latte costs $2.75, while a single shot of espresso only costs $1.75. Order espresso over ice and use the free milk at the bar to create a latte and save $1.00.
2. Get a short
A barista holds a cup of coffee at Starbucks' Vigo Street branch in Mayfair, central London January 11, 2013. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth (BRITAIN - Tags: BUSINESS LOGO FOOD) - RTR3CBZG (Reuters)
Never heard of a short? That's because it's on Starbucks' secret menu. A short is one size smaller than a tall and reigns in at 8 ounces. If you order a short latte, you'll get the same amount of espresso as you would in a tall for less so you're not losing any of the caffeine buzz.
For example, a tall cinnamon dolce latte costs $3.95. Order a short and only pay $3.55, saving yourself $.40.
3. Get more tea for your buck
Freshly made drinks await customers at a newly designed Starbucks coffee shop in Fountain Valley, California August 22, 2013. REUTERS/Mike Blake (UNITED STATES - Tags: BUSINESS FOOD) - RTX12TYD (Reuters)
When you order iced tea at Starbucks, you're actually getting a watered down version of their tea concentrate. The baristas fill half of your cup with the tea concentrate and half with water. If you ask for an iced tea with "no water," you'll get twice as much tea for your buck and won't pay for the added water. That's almost like getting two iced teas for the price of one.
4. Light ice
An iced coffee sits on a counter in a Starbucks outlet in New York July 25, 2012. Starbucks Corp. will report earnings on July 26. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid (UNITED STATES - Tags: BUSINESS) - RTR35BIA (Reuters)
Next time you order any iced drink at Starbucks, ask for "light ice." That means the baristas will fill your cup with more of the drink you ordered as opposed to paying for ice.
For example, a grande iced coffee costs $2.65. If you ask for "light ice" you'll get approximately 1/6 more coffee than you would normally.
5. Save money and calories on chai tea
A woman holds a Starbucks takeaway cup in London October 24, 2012. Starbucks's reputation among consumers in Britain has been hit by wave of criticism of its tax affairs from politicians and the media, pollster YouGov said. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett (BRITAIN - Tags: BUSINESS FOOD) - RTR39IQG (Reuters)
If you love Starbucks' chai tea lattes but don't love the price or calorie count, we've got the perfect solution. Next time order a chai tea misto which is half chai tea (from a bag) and half frothed milk. You can sweeten it yourself with sugar at the bar or ask for a pump or two of vanilla and/or cinnamon syrup but that will add to the price.
To put that in numbers, a tall chai tea latte costs $3.15 and has 190 calories with 2% milk, while a tall chai tea misto only costs $2.35 and has 122 calories.
6. Bring your own cup
Coffee mugs are pictured on display at a Starbucks coffee store in Pasadena, California July 25, 2013. Starbucks Corp on Thursday posted a bigger than expected jump in quarterly profit after new fruit "Refresher" energy drinks and seasonal Frappuccino iced beverages helped drive more visits to shops in the United States, its top market. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni (UNITED STATES - Tags: BUSINESS FOOD) - RTX11ZCQ (Reuters)
If you bring your own tumblr or mug you can save $.10. It may not seem like a lot, but everything adds up and you'll save $36.50 per year (or 20 tall coffees).
7. Share with a friend
Patrons sit in a Starbucks Coffee shop in central London December 3, 2012. A committee of UK lawmakers has called on government to crack down on multinational companies that make substantial sales in Britain but pay little tax here, echoing demands from leaders across Europe for measures to tackle corporate tax avoidance. REUTERS/Andrew Winning (BRITAIN - Tags: BUSINESS POLITICS) - RTR3B5YV (Reuters)
Order a venti (or a trenta from Starbucks' secret menu) and split with a friend. At 20 ounces, there's more than enough to go around.
Let's say you order a tall vanilla latte which costs $3.45. If you split a venti vanilla latte with a friend, which costs $4.45, you'll only pay around $2.25, saving yourself $1.20.
8. French press
Cups are displayed at a Starbucks restaurant in Hong Kong April 15, 2010. Starbucks sees the potential for thousands of stores in Greater China, where it currently has around 700, and is also keen on expanding in India and Vietnam, the head of the world's largest coffee retailer said. REUTERS/Bobby Yip (CHINA - Tags: BUSINESS) - RTR2CU2P (Reuters)
At participating stores, order French press to share with friends. The order costs $3.50 for 32 ounces. 12 ounces of coffee costs $1.75, saving you roughly half of the per-cup price.
9. Skip the venti
A cup displaying the Starbucks Coffee logo is pictured at one of the coffee chain's store in Boca Raton, Florida January 19, 2010. REUTERS/Joe Skipper (UNITED STATES - Tags: BUSINESS FOOD) - RTR292ZA (Reuters)
Both a grande and venti latte have two shots of espresso. So if you order a venti latte at $3.95, you're paying $.30 more for extra milk not caffeine.
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