That Daily Coffee Habit?
Is your morning coffee costing you more than you realize? In this episode of Ask Ralph, we take a closer look at one of the most common daily spending habits—and why it matters for Christian stewardship. Ralph unpacks how small, seemingly harmless purchases like coffee can quietly add up to thousands of dollars a year, and more importantly, how these patterns reflect the way we manage God’s resources. If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s time to rethink your routine, this episode will challenge you to reexamine your daily coffee habit.
Check out the full podcast episode here
You’ll discover the real financial impact of that quick café stop, the opportunity cost it represents, and how small shifts can create margin for generosity, savings, and long-term peace. Ralph offers practical tips for brewing better at home, tracking small expenses, and prayerfully aligning even tiny spending habits with your bigger financial goals. Start today with a heart check—and a fresh cup brewed with intention.
Chapters:
- 00:03 - The Cost of Daily Habits
- 01:56 - Understanding the Impact of Small Daily Expenses
- 03:06 - The Power of Small Changes in Personal Finance
- 05:26 - The 30 Day Challenge: A Path to Better Financial Stewardship
- 06:47 - Financial Insights and Advice
Takeaways:
- That daily coffee run? It's not just a treat; it can cost you a fortune over time!
- Ralph's 30-day challenge is all about brewing your own coffee and seeing the savings add up!
- Small daily expenses can sneak up on you, so keep an eye on those little leaks!
- Stewardship is key, and paying attention to small habits can lead to big changes!
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00:00 - None
00:51 - None
00:54 - The Cost of Daily Habits
02:47 - Understanding the Impact of Small Daily Expenses
03:57 - The Power of Small Changes in Personal Finance
06:17 - The 30 Day Challenge: A Path to Better Financial Stewardship
07:38 - Financial Insights and Advice
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Hey, yesterday we talked about needs versus wants Today.
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Let's zoom in on a super common want.
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That daily trip to the coffee shop.
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Think it's just a few bucks.
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Let's run the numbers and see the surprising impact
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it might be having for you.
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Hey there, and welcome back to Your Daily Ask Ralph.
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I'm Ralph and I'm so glad you're here.
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As we continue exploring the joy of living below your means, we're working
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to break that cycle of financial shame.
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With confidence, we're getting into some specific actionable spending
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changes now, so I hope yesterday's needs versus once exercise was eyeopening.
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So maybe as you looked at your lunch yesterday, that daily, $4, $5, or maybe
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even $6 or, or coffee or fancy tea popped up, do you sometimes justify
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it thinking, well, it's just a small treat, or I, I need it to get going,
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or, it's my one little indulgence?
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Maybe you dismiss it as insignificant in the grand scheme of your budget.
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Or perhaps, you know, it all adds up, but the habit feels too ingrained.
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A convenience, too appealing or the idea of giving it up feels
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like too much of a sacrifice.
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Well, that tendency to overlook that cumulative cost of small daily want
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purchases, or the resistance to changing those convenient habits, even when
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we know they drain our resources.
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That's the single item we're tackling today.
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Here's the thing, small leaks can sink big ships while one $5
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coffee might not seem like much consistency adds up incredibly fast.
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Listen, about $5 a day, five days a week, guess what?
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That's a hundred dollars a month.
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That's $1,200 a year, and suddenly that small habit has
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a significant financial impact.
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Look at the book of Luke chapter 16, verse 10.
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It reminds us one who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much.
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See, part of good stewardship is paying attention to those very little things
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'cause they demonstrate our discipline and impact our overall financial health.
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Sometimes convenience culture tricks us into thinking these little daily
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luxuries are needs when really.
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They are truly once and we can control them.
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So how do we combat this death by a thousand cuts
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spending on small daily wants?
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How do we prove to ourselves that small changes do make a huge difference?
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Well, the single powerful solution is to conduct what I
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call a short term experiment.
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I want you to commit to brewing your coffee or tea at home instead of
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buying it and just do it for one month, thinking it as the 30 day challenge.
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Because it achieves two things.
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First thing it's gonna achieve is immediate savings.
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You instantly keep that $3, $5, $7, whatever it is in your pocket each day.
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The second thing it does is it demonstrates impact, and by tracking
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that savings for a month, you see tangible proof of how small consistent
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changes add up over time, and it builds up your discipline muscle.
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It's not necessary about giving it up forever, unless of course
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you want to, but about proving the principle and seeing the potential.
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Making your own at home cost pennies compared to the coffee shop.
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So the solution is this.
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It's a focused experiment.
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Skip the shop and brew it home for a month.
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So, okay, are you ready for that one action step today?
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It's a commitment for the next month.
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First thing I want you to do is calculate your habit.
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I want you to be honest.
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Ask yourself how often do you buy coffee or tea while you're out?
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And what's the average cost?
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Just multiply it out for a month.
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For example, if you do a $4 a day, times 20 work days, that equals $80
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a month, and I want you to write down that potential savings number.
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Second thing I want you to do is make that commitment.
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Decide today that starting tomorrow morning and for the next 30 days,
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you're gonna brew your coffee or tea at home or, or maybe even get
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that free coffee at work if it's available instead of out and buying it.
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And third thing I want you to do is plan your alternative.
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You wanna make sure you have a plan with coffee, tea, cream, or whatever
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you do at home, so that you're ready for tomorrow morning and fourth.
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And this one's optional.
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I want you to earmark those savings, decide what you'll do with that
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extra 80 bucks in your budget, what, whatever your number is, or
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how much you'll save this month.
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Maybe you decide to put it towards debt or maybe help you build that emergency fund.
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Or maybe you've got that specific savings goal in mind.
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Because here's the truth, having a purpose fuels motivation.
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See, might be asking Ralph, why this 30 day challenge?
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I. Because it directly fights that pain of dismissing small expenses
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and it battles that resistance to changing convenient habits.
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See, it makes the savings concrete and it makes them visible.
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It builds your confidence that you can make changes, and it highlights
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the real financial power hidden in seemingly small daily choices.
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Well, let's pray together.
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Father God, thank you for simple pleasures, like a warm drink.
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Lord, help us also to have discipline and wisdom in how we spend those
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resources, even those small things.
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Lord, I pray for my friend listening as they commit to this 30 day
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challenge starting tomorrow.
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Lord, grant them the strength to break the routine, the discipline to follow
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through each day, and the contentment with the alternative they make at home.
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Lord, we ask that this experiment reveal the power of small changes
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and encourage them in their journey towards better stewardship.
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Thank you for your daily strength, Lord, and we ask this in Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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Alright, you can do this.
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It's just 30 days.
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Calculate those savings, make the commitment, and
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then see just what happens.
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You might even surprise yourself.
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I. So we've tackled the morning beverage.
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How about that midday meal?
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Well be sure to join me back here tomorrow on Ask Ralph.
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We're gonna talk about another potentially huge money saver.
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I'm gonna cover that on tomorrow's show.
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And if this episode sparked a thought about your own daily habits,
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please share it with somebody.
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You can find resources and links in the show notes and@askralph.com.
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So until tomorrow, brew Strong at home and keep seeking him first.
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Stay financially savvy and may God bless you.
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You have a great day today.
