Your Starbucks drink order may reveal basic truths about how you spend money

pulse

June 11, 2017 6:01 PM

What you buy at Starbucks may reveal how you spend money elsewhere.

What your coffee order reveals about your money.

I realize coffee is a fraught topic in the world of personal finance.

Many people will tell you buying coffee every day is a waste of money, and depending on your overall budget, it often is.

But, as a certified financial planner who spends a lot of time analyzing other people's spending habits, I've learned to view coffee through multiple lenses.

For one, caffeine is an essential tool for a successful client meeting. I ask every client for their favorite Starbucks order, so I can come prepared to our meetings with their beverage of choice. Without it, the risk of glazed-over-eyes syndrome increases significantly, especially during the first meeting, which often runs long.

But, truth be told, I have an ulterior motive for asking this question. What you buy at Starbucks reveals something to me about how you spend your money. I don't even need to know how often you buy coffee — just what you order when you do.

These are just observations, of course, and are not based on any kind of data or science. I ask many more questions during the meeting to get an accurate perspective on a client's approach to spending. But more often than not, your answer to the Starbucks question holds true.

Lauren Lyons Cole is a certified financial planner and Business Insider's Your Money Editor.

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