Quit Drinking Lattes and Receive $77,000

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It’s an amazing drug.

There are times we feel invincible, super-human, unbreakable.  We lose common sense and forget our limitations; we focus with tunnel vision to achieve true clarity or creativity.

Combine caffeine with the right song and it’s game over.

Deadlift PR or 15 page term paper – it doesn’t matter.  No challenge is unfeasible. You behave as the very best version of yourself.

In my ear right now:

Part of being on the regimen is making smart financial decisions.  Money might not generate happiness; however, money creates freedom.  It is debt, or the absence of substantial net worth, that chains us to jobs and lifestyles we dislike.

Don’t believe me?  Ask yourself this, what would you do for income if you had 10 million dollars?  You wouldn’t be taking orders from anyone.  And you would choose something you love .

Tiny tweaks in your spending can have a drastic effect on net worth, thus increasing freedom and happiness.

For that reason, we are going to evaluate different caffeine beverages, not from a health and fitness standpoint but from a cost standpoint.

Crystal Light released their “Energy” product line about two years ago.  Grape is the best.

While I endorse the taste 100%, the real upside here is cost.  These boxes sell for $2.48 but are often on sale for $2.00.  At 10 packets per box, that is $0.20-$0.25 per packet (Caffeine: 120mg). Pour into 12-16 ounces of water and mix.

What are our other caffeine options?

Starbucks “Tall” Coffee (12 oz)

  • Caffeine:  260mg
  • Cost: $1.90

.

Diet Mountain Dew (12 oz)

  • Caffeine:  55mg
  • Cost:  $4.28 / 12 = $0.36 

.

MiO (per bottle)

  • Caffeine:  1080mg
  • Cost:  $3.78

.

Sugar Free Red Bull (12 oz)

  • Caffeine: 114mg
  • Cost:  $9.88 / 4 = $2.47

.

Diet Coke (12 oz)

  • Caffeine:  45mg
  • Cost:  $4.28 / 12 = $0.36

.

McDonald’s Coffee  (16 oz)

  • Caffeine:  133mg
  • Cost: $1

.

5-Hour Energy

  • Caffeine:  208mg
  • Cost: $24.49 / 12 = $2.04

.

Rankings – Cost per 100mg of caffeine

  1. Crystal Light Energy      $0.17
  2. MiO                                $0.35
  3. Diet Mountain Dew         $0.65
  4. Starbucks “Tall” Coffee  $0.73
  5. McDonald’s Coffee         $0.75
  6. Diet Coke                       $0.80
  7. 5 Hour Energy                $0.98
  8. Sugar Free Red Bull      $2.17

.

“But I just like getting a latte.” 

That’s fine.  I am not telling you what to do, I am just providing information and perspective.

Therefore, I must ask how much you value your latte.

  • Would you trade it for a new car?  
  • A cruise through the Mediterranean Sea?  
  • A lb of gold?
  • Twenty shares of Google stock? 
  • How about for all of the above?

That is $77k in your pocket to swap out your daily latte for two packets of Crystal Light Energy.  It may be slightly less cool, but you’ll get the same productivity buzz.

I’m being a little facetious.  You obviously won’t replace all of the other caffeine in your life.  But, Energy can supplement your caffeine regimen.  It is cheap, convenient and delicious.  And it’s great pre-workout.

Brewing your own coffee is another cost efficient option, but you miss the on-the-go convenience of the Energy packets.

Don’t go nuts on this stuff, especially if you are prone to anxiety or nervousness. Too much caffeine is no fun.

*Note: I used the “bulk” prices that one would get shopping at walmart/amazon.  Obviously buying any of these in single serving at a gas station would be more expensive.

Post Script

If you’re going to chirp me about losing 18 months on the back end of my life because some scientist found a weak correlation involving rats, tumors, aspartame and sweet-and-low,



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