Pre lock down I would go out for a Starbucks every single day of the week. I'd pick a different location each day, whether it was the Souk Madinat with views over looking the Burj Al Arab or a drive through on my way home or to a mall.
I went out everyday for a coffee for 5 years that we lived in Dubai to just get out the house, for the random chat with a stranger and to stop me going stir crazy.
We have a coffee machine like this in the UK and Dubai, but the actual drinking of the latte wasn't the experience, it was the going out. Up until now I've always drunk tea at home.
Since I've managed to get a Starbucks blend from Tesco click and collect this week, I've been drinking coffee from Waitrose, their own blend. I've realised even more it's never been about the coffee, it's been about the going out.
So I've been going out for the past 10 weeks with a take away latte. I've been going out to the garden to sit and read or blog. I've been going out with my take away cup as I've walked to do my food shop or taken Bob on a walk.
During lockdown I've consumed 71 lattes. Each and every time I've made one, I've put £3 in a pot and so far I've totalled a saving of *drum roll* £213.
I will go back one day to the coffee shops, but from now on I'll steer clear of the big chains (unless I'm travelling), but these visits from now on will be to meet with family and friends, not just to visit for something to do. I'm learning to find things to do that don't involve me spending money and just going out for the sake of it.
