How I Saved $655 in 12 Months With an Unlimited Coffee Subscription

Some personal finance professionals shame consumers for everyday purchases that bring them joy in our busy, stressful world. Takeout coffee is one purchase often discussed in these conversations. But you can spend your money on whatever you want, including a cup of joe. I'll show you how ordering a daily cup of coffee isn't a bad money move.

My husband works near a Panera cafe, and he's a big coffee drinker, so we enrolled him in Sip Club, the brand's unlimited drink subscription. For a set monthly price, subscribers can enjoy unlimited drinks and order a refill every two hours. This subscription was a good move for our personal finances. Here's how it saved us over $650 in the last year.

How Sip Club works

Panera's Sip Club is an unlimited beverage subscription. Members pay a monthly subscription fee, and they get access to coffee, tea, iced coffee, iced tea, fountain drinks, Charged Sips, and lemonades. Subscribers can order beverages of any size at participating cafes as often as every two hours.

Until recently, the cost of this subscription was $11.99 monthly, plus tax. However, subscribers now pay $14.99 monthly, plus tax, and those with active subscriptions will be charged the higher rate on the next billing date. A yearly subscription is available for $119.99 plus tax.

Even at the increased monthly price point, consumers who regularly drink the included beverages and work or live near a Panera can benefit financially. Panera isn't the only place with an unlimited drink subscription, either.

Pret has an unlimited drink subscription called Club Pret. For $40 per month, subscribers can enjoy coffee, tea, cold brew, and even select espresso-based drinks like lattes and cappuccinos. Drinks can be ordered every 30 minutes. If you're not interested in Panera's Sip Club, you might consider other drink subscription options.

We saved $655 because of Sip Club

Throughout the last twelve months, my credit card was charged $12.83 each month, for a total cost of $153.96 for the year. Since my husband planned to stop for a large cup of coffee nearly every weekday, this seemed like a steal for us. We were right!

By subscribing to this program, we have hundreds more dollars in the bank. Menu pricing for Panera's food and drink items vary nationwide. In our city, a large cup of coffee costs $3.39, or $3.63 after tax. If we had paid individually for the 223 cups my husband drank, the cost would have totaled $809.49.

That's a lot of money to spend on takeout coffee. But remember, we paid only $153.96 for this subscription -- around $0.69 a cup. We saved $655.53 throughout the last year. That's about half the cost of a mortgage payment for us, so it's a significant win for our wallets.

Look for ways to save in your everyday life

For some consumers, investing in an unlimited beverage subscription like this may be a smart money move. It may be a worthwhile option to explore, even if you only drink coffee.

With an unlimited drink subscription, you may be able to keep more money in your checking account without sacrificing your daily dose of caffeine. Taking advantage of small ways to save money in your daily life can be a win for your finances.