Ok, Starbucks didn’t say that. No right minded business would ever say that. But lets face it. Coffee, morning breakfast, lunch, what have you… is a HUGE hole in most EMTs pockets. This is an issue with being “trapped” in a truck for 10 – 14 hours a day.

Lets break that down. You work an average of 4 times per week. 16 times a month.

A “coffee” at Starbucks costs 4 bucks. and you average 2 – 3 trips a shift. ( or whatever. you are constantly going there, DD, 7/11 , WaWa…whatever. )

If you think that 2-3 is a harsh number, you haven’t worked with enough EMTs.

So that almost $200 bucks a month… wait… WHAT?!?!?! Just for Coffee & Drinks?!?!?!?!?!

do the math. $2400 a year could go towards…. umm….. anything else. So whats my point?

I have been very mindful of where my money goes lately. Mainly because I never thought that $3-4 bucks could add up. Don’t get me wrong. I love a coffee, or a tea in the morning, but you have to be mindful about what your spending. I did an experiment in being cheap. I calculated how much it cost me to eat out one week at the cheapest I could. Still tried to eat healthy, but cheaply.

Avg. per week – $140 — This included breakfast , lunch, a coffee and a bottled water occasionally ( sometimes a soda) . That adds up to about $560 a month ( $6,720.00/year) See what I am getting at here.. Big Picture. and this isn’t even counting food at home. This is basically Breakfast and Lunch while at work based on 4days a week.

Now. The next week I limited myself to eating out 1 time. Only Once. The results were astonishing.

In one week, I averaged spending only $46 bucks. I took me 2 hours ( in the entire week) to make my breakfast and lunches. I brewed my own coffee. I made some PB&Js for snacks. I saved $94 a week. Let’s add that up really quick.

$94/week = $376/month = $4,512 / year.

I paid myself $48/hour to make my own lunch.

This is a different way to think about how much you are actually spending when you eat out. My meals included Oatmeal. Eggs. Coffee. Cereal. Bacon. Steak. Chicken. Pork. bacon, bacon, bacon. Man do Dinosaurs LOVE Bacon, and most of it was made with a George Forman and a Microwave.

TRUST ME — > YOU HAVE TO TIME TO DO THIS. I cooked for 2 day meals. That means in 4 shifts I cooked, and I got to treat myself to eat out once. KEYWORD : TREAT . Because its not a meal if its costing you that much money. I could easily think of where I’d rather spend $4500 a year. This is savings on just eating food. Think about where else you can save.

What it comes down to it. You need to WATCH WHAT YOU SPEND. All these people telling you this your whole life. It has to sink in…eventually. If you wait a year. You wasted $4500 . 5 years… you wasted $22,500.00 ……. Thats a brand new car.

Thats a down payment on a

house. Grow up people. We are EMTs. START NOW.

Here is where and how…. (NOTE: I DO NOT GET ANY MONEY FOR THIS. But you will start to save buckets of cash)

<— see….. Buckets….

BUT, my referral link will give you $50 off if you sign up. Learn with these guys. Come to this blog for more tips. Email me your questions. But, ACT. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. More on How I wrestled my debt and figured out how to not be a zombie.

EDITED : Check Out www.learnvest.com on your own

or use my referral to get $50 bucks off any service. Again. I get nothing but good Karma from this.