It turns out that beating inflation is as easy as drinking a cup of coffee.
My wife grew up in the icy wilderness of a dying Soviet Union. I grew up five kilometers south of the softest bagels on Long Island.
She'd brave zero-degree frost in knee-deep snow to reach her outhouse and wash her face. My shower doubled as a bathtub.
Our poor kids. When their mother said, “I walked three kilometers in the snow to go to school,” she meant it. Feigning illness in January never worked out.
When we got married, she was polite:
“David, veggie burgers with ketchup are not vegetables. Going out for dinner on weekdays is too wasteful. Actual pieces of fruit and veggies are healthier and less expensive. In our home, we don't throw away money.”
I quickly realized that in our house, the Cold War turned out differently.
After a little adapting, it wasn't so bad. I discovered how she loved to cook. As our weekly expenses continued to shrink, we had more spending money.
“Honey, how about a nice cruise in the Caribbean?”
She smiled.
“How about a few nights camping?”
“I haven't slept in a tent since I was in the army.”
Her next words hit me like a brick.
“You're in the army now, baby.”
Packing Pita and Coffee: Savings Without Sacrifices
And just like that, my financial wellness journey continued. What seemed like boot camp at first turned out to be a masterclass in budgeting. My wife showed me 100 ways to save money without compromising our quality of life.
We packed a thermos of coffee and a few pita sandwiches when we went out. We'd find a quiet hill to watch the sunset. We saved $40 a week on dinner and had a blast doing it. In three years, we saved $6,000 — that's real money!
We also stopped buying specialty coffee. We scooped from a coffee jar instead of dropping $6 each at Starbucks. What we'd spend on a single Starbucks trip paid for a month's worth of coffee.
We even got creative. We found bulk 200-gram bags of coffee at Costco and kept refilling our jars. Monthly coffee expenses dropped to $11 - for the both of us. Going out for designer coffee became a rare luxury.
We're still living lean and loving it. My wife's financial boot camp was the best decision for our financial wellness.
By the Numbers: How We Conquered Inflation
Let's assume our yearly income is $80,000. After taxes, we bring home $56,000.
Now, consider the average Starbucks spend of $16 per week. For the two of us, that's $32 or $1,664 a year - just on coffee. Compare that to the $11 a month we spend now. That's only $121 per year: We save $1,543 annually.
This simple switch alone saves us 2.8% of our take-home salary. With inflation at 3.9% for 2023, we managed to reduce inflation's impact by a staggering 70% without taking any risk.
If a single change of habit can make such a difference, imagine the impact of multiple adjustments. Small tweaks can add up to a financial wellness strategy that will shield you from inflation while boosting your savings.
Rejuvenate Your Old Content with AI
Your old content deserves a fresh start. Let us transform them into powerful, AI-enhanced copy that generates leads. Let us utilize AI to give your old content a fresh start.
Turn Your Content into Gold: Email 300 Marketing at or Contact Us Today!