Thursday, January 28, 2010

Thrifty Thursdays- Chai Tea at Starbucks

Welcome to the first edition of Thrifty Thursday!

I'm a thrifty girl at heart. I'm positive I got this trait from my mom. She used to make me shop at the Marshall's by my childhood home, and I thought it was so lame at the time. But I grew to love it. Finding things for a bargain price is thrilling. And these days, it's also necessary. So thanks, Mom, for instilling the practice of wise spending in me.

Ok, so onto today's Thrifty Thursday tip...

I've never been a coffee drinker. But I really like the smell and the social idea of it. "Let's meet for a coffee!" I've never met up with friends for true coffee talk because I don't drink coffee. But several years ago, after meeting up with my family for a weekly ritualistic lunch, my brother offered to buy us all a Starbucks across the street. I said I'd come along, but that I didn't like coffee. But my mom convinced me to try the Chai Tea Latte (with Soy Milk). Mom knows me pretty well, and can be trusted when it comes to recommendations like this, so I ordered my first Starbucks drink. It was around Christmas time, and as soon as I took a sip, I said, "It tastes like Christmas!" I loved it. I've gone on to have many, many days of Christmas since, at all times of the year.

Not only are those teas a little pricey, they have a lot of sugar in them as well. But hey, you only live once, right?

But then, one fantastic day a barista gave me a sample of a hot soy milk with a chai tea bag in it, rather than the chai tea concentrate. Not as sweet as the Chai Tea Latte, but better! AND cheaper! By about a dollar.

I just order it by saying, "I'd like a hot soy milk (no water) with a chai tea bag." Since it's not really a named drink on the menu, each barista rings it up a little differently. I once got it as cheap as 97 cents, although it tends to be about $2.40 usually. The other chai teas lattes I used to order are about $1 more than that.

I know, it's just a dollar. But it's those little things that add up! Less money, less sugar, less calories?!! And still, it tastes like Christmas!

3 comments:

Tapestry Tree said...

I am definitely trying this! I love chai tea, but the Starbucks Chai Tea Latte was SO sweet. This sounds divine!

kerri said...

I almost feel like offering a money back guarantee!! Lemme know what you think!

Valerie said...

Mmm...I love Starbucks chai tea lattes. (I hate their coffee, except for the white chocolate mocha--I looked up the nutritional info one time and haven't had one since.) My usual order: tall skim extra hot chai. I've ordered the hot tea before, but never thought to order it as a hot milk...thanks for the tip!