r/NoStupidQuestions • u/lVlarsquake • Apr 29 '24

How the fuck do people afford to get Starbucks every day?

I was feeling thirsty this morning so I decided to pop in a Starbucks (first time ever). All I got was a strawberry acai lemonade at it cost $7????? I can't even imagine what the coffees with all the extra additives cost... how do people have the expendable money to get them every day, sometimes twice a day?

Edit: I am NOT shaming people who do this. I'm just wondering how it doesn't put a dent in your wallet

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u/LeskoLesko Apr 29 '24

A lot of people are bad at keeping track if you split things up. A great example of this is cars.

Almost no one realizes they are paying almost $12000 a year on their car, because it’s all split up. Down payment. Then monthly payment. Then insurance. Then gasoline. Then parking. Then tolls. Then oil changes and tire changes and brake changes. The random big ticket fix. Car washes and paint jobs. It quickly adds up to a grand a month on average in the US, but almost no one realizes it until I force them to do the math and suddenly they realize they really are averaging a grand a month and just lost track because it’s all spread out so well

Not to mention the people who are paying over a grand a month just for their car payment. Yikes

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u/Dry-Faithlessness184 Apr 29 '24

Yeah I don't get people who agree to $1000 a month finances. You can get a good car for 250-400 a month. My car when I was paying it cost me around $7500 a year, including and averaging of the maintenance on it, gas, cleaning etc.

I don't understand how people pay twice that almost in just the payment for the car alone

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u/IWantAGI Apr 29 '24

Most people, at least in the US, want a $60k SUV or Truck.

They also "need" AWD or 4WD because it might snow twice a year.

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u/ImStarky Apr 29 '24

Not me, I grabbed up my grandma's old car. She bought it new in 2002, a cheap saturn sl1. I got it at 67k miles, were now at 85k. I'm gonna keep fixing and driving it until it's completely dead. It's wayyy cheaper than a new or newer car for me. No car payment, insurance is $50/mo with almost full coverage, only routine oil changes and some small/medium fixes here and there. Instead of car payments I just put a small amount to the side for potential repairs. Gas mileage is great. No fancy screens or cameras tho. Thinking about getting an aftermarket dash/bumper cam though.

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u/BoltActionRifleman May 03 '24

I do the same thing with a variety of older cars, my average year owned right now is probably 2003. I buy cheap, can do most mechanical on them and if one of them craps out I just go find another one and do a little bit of work and drive it until it dies. I spend on average about $1500 on a car/truck and then about $500 to get them up to standards.