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There is something comforting about drinking coffee in college. Maybe it’s the first sip of an iced latte, the smell of a freshly brewed pot while you study or the feeling that, even when you have five projects due in a week, at least one thing is going right.
For a while, stopping at a coffee shop was part of my routine. Before going to class, I had to stop for that caffeinated drink. However, I didn’t realize that simple beverage I was buying regularly would become a financial commitment.
A $6 coffee does not feel expensive on its own. But if you buy one for five days, you’re spending $30 a week. Over a 15-week semester, that adds up to $450, before considering the weekend coffee or seasonal drink that somehow convinces you it’s worth the extra money beyond your daily usual.
Small purchases rarely feel significant enough to deserve a second thought. When we spend a hundred dollars on something at once, we notice it immediately, but we don’t think about spending a few dollars every day.
Economist Richard H. Thaler explores this behavior through the concept of mental accounting. We might consider a $300 purchase bigger while barely thinking twice about spending $6 on coffee every day. A coffee before class feels like a small treat instead of a larger spending habit. However, our bank accounts do not categorize our purchases the same way we do.
After looking at my bank account, I started making my own coffee at home and I discovered that your cup of joe doesn’t have to come from a shop in order to taste good. In fact, sometimes I prefer it homemade. I can make it exactly how I like and try different creamers or milks that I store in the fridge for a month or two instead of paying extra to customize my own drink. I also found out there is something satisfying about starting my daily routine by making my coffee in the kitchen.
It's like a little ritual.
Social media is full of coffee-making videos featuring iced lattes, syrups and small coffee set-ups in apartment kitchens. A simple morning habit becomes an aesthetic experience. Making your coffee at home is being presented not merely as a way of preparing a simple drink, but as an activity to enjoy. And while these videos make coffee preparation look more elaborate than it actually is, they also make the idea of creating your own drink appealing.
Of course, I won’t turn my kitchen into a personal coffee shop. I don’t use syrups because I prefer my coffee simple, with just the milk or creamer I like, and I have been stuck with the same coffee creamer for a month now without running out of it.
Social media is full of coffeemaking videos featuring lattes, cold foams and carefully poured milk. Even a disposable plastic cup like the ones I use can look surprisingly aesthetic when they are perfectly layered with cold foam and filmed in the right light.
Research analyst Melanie Hanson estimates that in 2026, buying a $2.50 cup every day would add up to a $75 expense per month, compared to $7.80 a month if the coffee is made at home. It doesn’t specify the coffee type or brewing method, but it still represents how the cost of buying coffee regularly is more expensive than preparing it at home.
Sometimes, buying your drink at a coffee shop is convenient. Maybe you want a specific drink that you don’t know how to make at home, or you just want to study somewhere nice while having a sweet treat. But doing it every day and believing that you’re spending just a small amount of money will make saving up less effective. College already comes with enough expenses — checking your bank account can feel like an extreme sport.
Making my coffee at home has taught me that saving money does not mean giving up the things that make your routine more enjoyable. I still like coffee shops. I still like the idea of treating myself, especially after an exam or a complicated day. But now I know that I don’t have to spend $6 to drink a coffee that makes my day.
Astrid Alomia (she/her) is a sophomore studying journalism with a concentration in public relations and a minor in marketing and dance.
