10 Ways to Save Money at Starbucks

(Image credit: (c) Kritchanut)

published 17 May 2024

If you’re like me (and millions of other people worldwide), you can’t imagine starting the day without a Starbucks. But with today’s high prices and ongoing worries about inflation, stopping in for your favorite Cafe Misto or Lavender Oatmilk Latte might be taking a toll on your budget.

Fortunately, there are a few ways to dial back your Starbucks budget and still enjoy that white chocolate mocha you love so much. Here's how.

1. Join Starbucks' rewards program

Unquestionably, the best way to save at Starbucks is to join the rewards program. This is not the same as signing up for a Starbucks credit card. Sure, you’ll get bonus “Stars” for signing up, but after the first year, you’ll pay a $49 annual fee each year after that.

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Instead, opt for the Starbucks rewards membership (free to sign up). With the membership, you’ll get dozens of perks, like free refills on brewed coffee, birthday freebies, the convenience of in-store, curbside or drive-thru pickup at select stores, exclusive offers, and the chance to earn Stars to redeem on various rewards. The best way to join is to sign up online or in the app.

2. Use the Starbucks app

Not surprisingly, 31.7% of customers use the Starbucks mobile app to pay for their orders in-store. Even so, many people don’t know or haven’t taken advantage of all the hidden treasures in the app. For example, for as little as 25 points, you can customize your beverage order for free. Or, on holidays and other occasions, Starbucks will double the points you can earn when you use the app to order. There are also games on the app that give you the chance to win even more goodies.

3. Get free coffee (and tea) refills

When you visit a Starbucks and use the Starbucks app, you can come back for free refills as long as you're in the same cafe. This perk can be especially rewarding if you plan to hang out in your local Starbucks for several hours. Just order a coffee or tea and get as many refills as you want while there.

4. Bring your own cup

To help reduce the waste from paper cups, Starbucks offers customers ten cents off the price of a cup of coffee when they use their own cups or mugs. However, since personal mugs come in all shapes and sizes, it can be difficult for the barista to judge if it's a venti or a grande. So, according to Starbucks’ customer service, it’s up to the barista to make that call.

In the past, this discount only applied to in-store orders. However, as of January 2024, Starbucks is now the first national coffee retailer to accept reusable cups for drive-thru and mobile orders. Priceless!

5. Enjoy a brew for your birthday

The birthday reward program is a part of the Starbucks rewards program. To help you celebrate, Starbucks will gift you a free drink or food item on your special day. To qualify, you must be a rewards member for at least seven days before your birthday. Also, make sure you record your birthday when you register for the program, and you need to order at least once and earn a star before your birthday by using the Starbucks app.

6. Link your Delta or Bank of America card

Because the rewards don’t stop with your morning coffee order, you can keep the rewards coming by linking your Delta SkyMiles or Bank of America credit cards to your rewards membership account. For instance, Starbucks® Rewards accounts earn 1 mile per $1 spent at Starbucks and double Stars on Delta travel days when you use your Delta SkyMiles card.

Eligible card and Starbucks® Rewards account holders earn 2% cash back and bonus Stars on qualifying Starbucks in-app purchases when they use their Bank of America credit card.

7. Choose a brewed coffee

Sure, a Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino sounds more tempting than a brewed coffee, but if you want to save a few bucks and still enjoy the satisfying aroma and great taste of a Starbucks, just order a coffee instead. You can always add a dollop of milk or flavoring to satisfy your craving and still save money.

8. Order a “short”

If you visit Starbucks often, you probably know about the most common cup sizes — venti, grande and tall. But did you know you can order an 8-ounce cup of coffee at a Starbucks? Next time you just need a quick afternoon pick-me-up, save some money and order the “short” size. Same great coffee, just less money.

9. BOGO your Starbucks

Starbucks cold brew coffee is naturally strong — so strong that you can BOGO your Grande Cold Brew coffee into two Grande Iced Lattes and get two cups for the price of one. Simply pour half of your cold brew over milk, and you’ve cut your Starbucks bill in half.

10. DIY your coffee

To save money, order a tall coffee in a grande cup and add milk — voila, your own DIY Latte. Or, if you prefer the taste of a hot Latte, order the Starbucks Caffe Misto instead. A Caffe Misto is half coffee, half milk so you get a similar taste but at about $1 less cost.

Similarly, order an iced espresso or Iced Caffè Americano with the Starbucks app and then add as many syrups and milk splashes as you want for only 50 cents extra.

For the past 18+ years, Kathryn has highlighted the humanity in personal finance by shaping stories that identify the opportunities and obstacles in managing a person's finances. All the same, she’ll jump on other equally important topics if needed. Kathryn graduated with a degree in Journalism and lives in Duluth, Minnesota. She joined Kiplinger in 2023 as a contributor.