Why I Budget For a Weekly Coffee Shop Visit

Today’s Money Monday post is a little bit different from topics we’ve previously discussed. From starting a budget to detoxing your finances, money saving challenges, paying off college loans, cutting things to save money and more, we’ve focused on a lot of the basics of budgeting and saving money. Now don’t get me wrong, all of these topics we’ve covered are extremely important but today we’re taking a little bit of a different perspective.

Last week, financial guru Rachel Cruze shared a post that said “A budget doesn’t limit your freedom. It GIVES you freedom,” and it really hit home for me. A budget is key to financial success no matter what your financial situation is. You have to be smart with your spending and savings, and truly account for each and every dollar that comes in and goes out.

Yes, accounting for every single dollar and penny takes a lot of work and effort but when you take a step back, it is more than worth it! I’ve talked about this idea of budgeting for every dollar in previous Money Monday posts and it really does make a difference y’all.

If you’ve noticed recently from my Instagram stories each week, I typically go to my favorite coffee shop in Denver, Aviano Coffee, on Sundays. They are considered a third-wave artisanal coffee shop…think high-end with incredibly delicious crafted coffee but in an approachable modern setting, perfect for meeting new people or crafting up your latest idea.

With that said, it is certainly not your everyday affordable cup of joe [at least not in my budget!]. My go-to large iced latte with almond milk and blueberry muffin sets me back about $9.75 plus tip. Though a bit pricier than I’d normally spend, there is something about spending Sundays at Aviano that I love so much. Because of that, I now budget for that weekly coffee shop visit. Let me explain.

While saving money is extremely important and something I preach and practice myself, we cannot limit and constrain ourselves to the point of never treating ourselves. Now, I’m not saying to go buy yourself a designer handbag or a week-long all-inclusive vacation in the Caribbean to treat yourself. Let’s be a little more realistic here, like a weekly coffee shop visit.

For me, I use my time at Aviano on Sundays to prepare for the week ahead. I write all of my blog posts for the upcoming week, get any graphics made, and start planning out what photos I’ll need for each post. I also get a majority of my content for Pinterest uploaded and scheduled in Tailwind so I can just add in and rotate things as needed throughout the week as new posts go live on the blog. I also use this time to clean up my inbox and get organized in my planner for the week ahead.

Sure, I could certainly do all of these things from home but there’s something special about the change of scenery I love. I’m always extremely focused when I’m at the coffee shop and amazed at how much I get accomplished while I’m there. The staff is incredibly friendly, the coffee is delicious, the vibe and atmosphere are just perfect, and there’s ample natural light and seating.

I truly cherish those 3+ hours I’m there and look forward to it each week. Will I be doing this every single Sunday for the rest of the year and beyond? Who knows! But for now, it’s something important to me and a way to treat myself each week so it has become part of my budget. It’s a simple way for my to treat myself while still being productive and I savor each minute and sip of iced latte!

So there you have it, why I budget for a weekly coffee shop visit. Do you budget for this, too, or a simple way to treat yourself each week/month that is reasonable? If so, share below in the comments!