Starbucks has never been a habit of mine, just an occasional $4 latte treat. This week the company cut its earnings forecast citing the economy as, “worst in the company’s history.”

Last night I decompressed over a plate of chicken nachos and dueling martini’s with a buddy I’ll call Alan. Against the backdrop of glittering cold gin, I opened my wallet and pulled out a piece of paper with Andrew Jackson’s picture on it. “You see that,” I asked rhetorically. “That’s been in my wallet since Saturday.” I went on with a riveting description of breakfast at home and brown bag lunches. Old friend Quicken tells me I saved an average of $9.50 per day by not feeding at the bagel store or the company café. The echo chamber of a refrigerator I peered into this morning is also evidence we won’t be throwing any food away this week.

Let’s do the math… $9.50 x 5 days a week x 50 weeks = $2,375.00 and no wasted food. If I keep this going, that may be just enough to cover the rising price of gas.

Oh, Alan… President Jackson thanks you for picking up the check.