Coffee is a popular target for people trying to save money. We?ve all read those articles about how you can save $1,500 a year just by cutting out your daily $5 latte. But what if there is another side to this story? What if people are getting something valuable out of their daily coffee shop experience that is worth more than the money spent?
It?s no secret that Americans love coffee. The U.S. alone is home to over 20,000 coffee shops, generating $10 billion in sales each year. America has been a coffee-drinking nation ever since the Boston Tea Party, when the American colonists literally threw British tea overboard. Drinking coffee became an American status symbol and a way to show allegiance with the new identity of being ?American.? If Englishmen sip tea, then ?Americans? drink coffee.
But what are we really getting when we buy that $5 cup of coffee? Here are a few reasons why we love coffee houses, and why they give us benefits that go beyond a shot of caffeine:
- Coffee houses are social gathering places: Coffee house culture has a long tradition going back hundreds of years to the Middle East. And, surprisingly enough, the style of interaction at a coffee shop today is much like it has been for hundreds of years: people come to coffee shops to gather, socialize, hear news of the day, and discuss ideas. There?s something about the atmosphere of a good coffee shop that is ideal for conversation. You go to a coffee shop to connect with people, have some social stimulation, and get new food for thought. All of these things are valuable for your personal wellness. After all, humans are social animals and social isolation can be a sign of (and cause of) depression.
- Coffee shops relieve your stress: In the mad rush of daily life, it can be difficult to find time to unwind. Coffee shops connect with people on a primal level by helping them relax. Instead of the clutter and busyness of your daily life, instead of the demands of the office or the disorder of a house full of screaming children, a coffee shop gives you a peaceful oasis of order where you can sit down, focus on your surroundings, and let your mind wander, even if only for a few minutes. It?s no wonder that so many Americans continue to treat themselves to a $5 escape each day.
- Coffee might benefit your health: There have been many studies conducted on the health effects of coffee, with often contradictory results. The caffeine in coffee can help improve your focus with better memory and increased attention span (making it ideal for college students or freelance writers on deadline), and some studies indicate that coffee might help reduce the risks of Type II diabetes, Alzheimer?s disease, Parkinson?s disease and cirrhosis of the liver.
- Coffee shops help you be more productive: As a freelance writer, I spend a lot of time working in coffee shops. My favorite is Smokey Row Coffee Company in Des Moines, Iowa. There?s something about the busy, chatty atmosphere of a bustling coffee shop that is ideal for helping me focus and be creative. Instead of being trapped at home in my home office, or surrounded by my wonderful (but demanding) children, I can get away to my own place in the outside world ? but still be connected to a larger community of people. This is well worth $5. (Or more ? I often order coffee, lunch, dessert, or all of the above. Smokey Row Coffee has great food.)
So by all means, if you?re on a budget and looking to save, perhaps you can save a few bucks by brewing your own coffee at home. But if you get bigger benefits out of your neighborhood coffee shop, saving those few dollars might be a false economy. If your coffee shop helps you feel more socially active, more engaged in the community, more productive or more ?alive,? it?s worth shelling out the money for a cup of barista-brewed coffee. Some experiences are worth more than money alone.
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