To Sweeten Your Starbucks Coffee For Less, Opt For Whipped Cream

There are two things in this world that many people are a fan of: Starbucks and saving money. And there are a handful of fantastic Starbucks hacks that will allow you to enjoy both. Some tips to get the most bang for your buck include asking for light ice in cold drinks, using mobile order hacks for a cheaper latte, and bringing your own cup from home. But if it's sweetness you're after, consider swapping syrup for whipped cream to do the trick and spare some change.

Truth be told, substituting pumps of hazelnut, mocha, or another preferred syrup for whipped cream isn't entirely a 1:1 swap, since whipped cream is not as noticeably sugary. However, if you just want a light touch of sweetness, and maybe are already a fan of ordering your coffee drinks half-sweet, this is the hack for you. 

As it is, when you add syrup to any coffee, Americano, or latte, you're charged for the extra flavoring regardless of whether you ask for the standard four pumps or simply one or two. Whipped cream, on the other hand, is free of charge. See where we're going with this?

Starbucks whipped cream consists of two simple ingredients: heavy cream and a splash of vanilla syrup. Asking for a dollop on top of your beverage adds just a hint of sweetness and flavor that will eventually melt into the rest of your drink, lightly sweetening your coffee and saving you money while doing so.

Having a good Starbucks hack up your sleeve can easily save you a few dollars that add up over time — and, based on the math of this whipped cream hack, it's worth considering.

We should start by saying this trick will really only save you money if you order more classic and traditionally unsweetened beverages like lattes, cappuccinos, and brewed coffee. Some beverages like Frappuccinos and cold brews already include sweeteners and syrups included within their overall price so this trick wouldn't be as conducive in those situations.

But, if you take the example of a classic Americano, on the Starbucks mobile app, the addition of one to four pumps of cinnamon dolce syrup is an additional $0.80. If you're anything like us, and pop into a Starbucks five days a week, those additional pumps of syrup alone will cost you $4 a week, $16 a month, and an extra $192 a year — and that's not including the actual drinks themselves! 

The same pricing goes when ordering an iced caffe latte or espresso. The addition of one of their many syrups or sweeteners will be an extra $0.80 per drink or $16 a month if you're a Starbucks regular. So, for the sake of saving nearly $200 a year, it might be worth trying out this whipped cream hack the next time you find yourself at the order counter.