[Varvara]

My frugal achievements so far this year: I’ve given up super expensive restaurant lunches and now have leftovers with me every day. Also, I’ve managed to bicycle to work (this saves about 6eur/ day compared to the bus or about 20eur/day compared to driving and parking nearby, parking is a huge cost).

The next step I’d like to take is beat my caffeine addiction. It’s massive and getting worse as days get shorter, and coffee prices have gone up.

I have about 6-10 cups of coffee per day plus often energy drinks.

Not sure where to start. I did cut down a lot when pregnant but it made me snack more instead, which is not justifiable when not preggers XD and also not budget friendly.

What do you do?

[Michelle]

I’d make sure you’re getting good sleep and getting some “me time” in addition to slowly switching to decaf or just cutting down to a specific number of cups per day.

When you want a cup and it’s not time for your planned cups, I’d “mother yourself” and sit with your sadness about not having a cup but don’t give in.

You might also try to figure out what your body needs in that moment. Is it a break?

A walk? A stretch? A nap? Is there something your body needs that you are “fixing” with caffeine?

[Toni]

Find another low(er) caffeine option that gives you the same feeling, and maybe increase your water intake.

Like a spiced chai tea, cinnamon/apple/cranberry, orange spice or just Earl grey tea or something.

I like my coffee medium strength but like my tea fairly weak, so I use a single bag a few times or just make a pot and make multiple servings.

[Linda]

Cut down slowly. The withdrawal you could experience could be very uncomfortable .
Mine was face- in- the-toilet and sicker than a dog for better part of a week

[Cindy]

Keep drinking the coffee, lay off the energy drinks. Coffee isn’t bad for you. (My mother started drinking coffee at nine years old and lived to be 97.

She was known to drink two pots of coffee a day.) I read in a medical journal a few years back, that if coffee was a recent discovery, it would cost $50/pound and would only be sold in health food stores.

[Mary]

I have invested in a sparkling water maker so when I want something that feels luxurious instead of an expensive coffee I can make sparkling water and put in a splash of juice or something like that.

Of course this would be after you deal with caffeine withdrawal, just an idea for when the time comes!

[Melissa]

I switched to tea. I preferred a flavored tea because I add nothing to it. I still got caffeine but in smaller amounts.

Eventually, I cut out my daily, lunchtime soda opting to add ice to a cup of tea then I cut it all out.

I went back to coffee because I was taunted by all the great ways to make something fabulous.

I have 1 vanilla latte every day. I sleep better since cutting out all the extra caffeine.

I drink more water and can’t remember when I last had a uti (urinary tract infection)

[Cora]

Our admin is amazing
I recommend tapering because caffeine withdrawal is real and it is not the bee’s knees.

I don’t recommend upping your aspartame intake with your replacement drinks though cus that’s a whole different beast.

[Kim]

I make fancy water with a few mint or ginger ( freeze it) or lemon slices, toss in a tea bag for slight caffeine, and a tiny bit of sugar or orange juice.

I learned the benefits of each item I have added so I feel like I am doing myself some good.

[Regene]

Cut out energy drinks first. For every cup of coffee, drink that much water.

[Stacey]

Substitute something. Instead of saying I am not going to drink caffeine, say I am going to drink this much water. Find something you enjoy as a treat.

For me, I make homemade tea which is much cheaper. Maybe you could cut back on your coffee but still make homemade sometimes?

I eat popcorn which is a somewhat healthy good treat but not too bad a cost.

[Janet]

I learned this from a boyfriend: You only need one really good cup of coffee in the morning…that’s it! And I now live by that…

much better!

[Karen]

I switched to tea. Now, after a year, I’m at 1-2 cups with caffeine and the rest herbal and a lot of water.

(I used to drink 2-3c caffeinated coffee per day).

[Margo]

Caffeine addiction is real – be careful. I’m at a point that it doesn’t do anything for me after so many cups!

[Regan]

Excedrin for the caffeine headaches. I got a Cirkul water bottle that I pack with me everywhere. But I’m nearly 50 and I’ve found that my brain really just doesn’t work without caffeine.

So, I use the caffeinated Cirkul thingies.

It helps and I’m drinking TONS more water and have lost weight!

[Megan]

I slowly switched to decaf and allowed myself to drink as much decaf as I wanted until I stopped having headaches from caffeine withdrawal.

Now I drink decaf coffee or decaf tea that I make at home and work.
Good luck, it was terrible.

[Stephanie]

Make the coffee at home and put it in a large thermos. Here in the states, drinks are cheaper at the grocery store.

Take some in a cooler with ice in a ziplock bag.

[Carrie]

Caffeine addiction is real, on top of the expense. I suggest weaning yourself off VERY gradually to avoid headaches.

[Nancy]

You can buy caffeine pills cheaply.
So, if you reduce what you consume on drinks- you can minimize the caffeine withdrawal from reduced beverages with a pill and then wean yourself off pills.

[Stacy]

That’s sounds like a great start wish I could too but I’m 31 miles one way to work so biking is out.

[Author]

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