Have you ever stopped to think about how much your daily coffee habit costs you—long term? Let's say you grab your favorite latte from the coffee shop every day before work. It might feel like a small treat or a little boost to start your morning. But have you looked at the bigger picture?
Imagine this: if your daily latte costs around $5, and you buy one every weekday, that's about $25 a week, $100 a month, or $1,200 a year. Now, think about “latteperday” as more than just a hashtag or a joke. It could be the missing piece in your plans to build wealth over time.
Here’s where things get interesting. If you took that $100 per month and instead put it into an investment that earns you an average return of 7% per year—such as a low-cost index fund—and you did that for 30 years, your latte money could grow into more than $100,000. Really.
This isn’t to say you should give up all the small joys in life—coffee isn’t the villain here. The idea is to bring attention to how small choices, made every day, can quietly shape your future. We often think we need a big salary or a lucky break to grow our savings, but it’s the consistent habits that really count.
The power here is in delayed gratification and compound interest. If saving money sounds difficult, start small. You don't need to cut out coffee completely. Maybe make it at home a few days a week. Or set up an automatic transfer of just $25 a week into a savings or investment account. The key is doing it regularly.
It’s easy to overlook small spending because it doesn’t seem like much. But those little amounts can add up to serious money over time. This doesn’t mean you have to stop enjoying things, but being aware of your spending helps you make smarter decisions that can pay off big later.
So next time you grab your latte, just stop and think: Is this worth $100,000 to me? Maybe it is—but maybe skipping a few a week could be your first step toward something even more rewarding.