Hot take: that $5 coffee every morning is fine, but the $200 meal kit subscription is where the real budget bleed is

I overheard my coworker Sarah bragging at lunch about canceling her daily latte habit to save money, but then she mentioned she still spends $220 a month on a meal kit service. Sure, grabbing coffee adds up if you do it every day, but that meal kit fee is a big chunk of cash that could go elsewhere. On one hand, meal kits cut down on food waste and save time, but on the other hand, you can meal plan yourself for half the price. Which one do you think hits the budget harder, the small daily leak or the big monthly subscription?

2 comments

2 Comments

leo_black763d agoTop Commenter

Hmm, I gotta disagree a little here. The coffee is every single day, plus it's just easier to blow money on something small without thinking. The meal kit at least gets you cooking at home and cuts down on takeout, which is a way bigger money pit for most people.

patricia2623d ago

Start by looking at the numbers, though. A $200 subscription is a guaranteed monthly hit, while that $5 coffee adds up to maybe $150 a month if you really buy it every day, so the meal kit is actually worse. Plus, meal kits lock you into buying ingredients you might not even use up, whereas coffee is just coffee with zero waste or commitment. I get the convenience angle, but $220 is a real bill, not a guilty pleasure.