caffeine

9 Ways to Save Money on Your Cup of Coffee

Carrie Smith — Thu, 06 Aug 2015 15:00:22 +0000

I love a good cup of coffee. In fact, I drink a cup on a daily basis — and I'm not alone. More than half of the U.S. population drinks coffee every day. We fuel our cars with gas from the pump, and we fuel ourselves with caffeine.

If you're a regular coffee drinker, here's how to indulge in your daily cup of coffee while saving money.

1. Make Brewing Coffee an Experience

My mid-morning brew is my favorite time of the day. I look forward to the smell of grinding coffee beans, and sound of a fresh cup brewing in the coffee pot. Then I get excited about mixing up my perfect cup of joe just the way I like it.

This ritual is my mid-morning pick-me-up and something I miss when I'm not at home, or don't get the chance to brew my own cup. Turn brewing your own coffee into a sensory experience by investing in a quality coffee maker, and experimenting with your own coffee style.

From a basic French press to a more expensive Keurig, it's completely up to you how much you spend on a coffee maker. The point is to take your time and brew your own cup. It will save you loads of money, and make getting caffeinated one of your favorite times of the day.

2. Find Deals Online

Doing a quick online search for coffee deals will yield some great results from sites like Groupon or Google offers. You can often find discounted gift cards, coupon codes, and other two-for-one deals for local coffee shops or major chains.

Another way to find exclusive savings is to follow your favorite coffee chain on Twitter or Facebook. They usually offer giveaways, coupons, and gift cards for free coffee — especially around the holiday season. Plus, you'll be able to stay updated on their latest offerings and flavors.

3. Opt for Alternative Creations

If you're a Starbucks drinker, you know how quickly a Grande speciality drink can add up to a pretty penny. Instead, opt for a Misto, which is coffee with steamed milk. Otherwise known as cafe au lait, a Misto won't taste as strong as a regular latte, since it's not made with espresso, but it's still pretty similar, and will allow you to indulge in a daily cup without breaking the bank.

If a Misto isn't your thing, try an Americano for more flavor. It's the opposite of a Misto in that it's made with espresso and hot water, which makes it much stronger in taste. It's more expensive than a regular cup of coffee, but still cheaper than a speciality latte.

4. Order Smaller Sizes

If you're not keen on giving up your favorite speciality drink, consider ordering a smaller size. This will give you the chance to indulge in the same quality caffeine while still being able to save a few bucks. If you order coffee from a local shop on a daily basis, this small savings can really add up in just one month's time. And you won't be missing out on your favorite cup of coffee.

During the summer season especially, places like Starbucks offer limited-time smaller alternatives for their best-sellers. Be sure to take advantage of this! If the price difference isn't significant enough, consider splitting a cup with a friend.

5. Become a Loyalty or Rewards Member

This may be a basic tip, but it's an important one that deserves repeating. Places like Dunkin Donuts, Panera, and Caribou Coffee offer rewards programs for loyal coffee drinkers. I'm a Starbucks Gold member, so every 12 cups of coffee I drink means I receive one free cup. I also get a free cup on my birthday once a year. For a frequent coffee drinker, this adds up to a handful of free drinks (and loads of savings).

These rewards programs also yield member-only savings, discounts, and chances to win free coffee throughout the year. And the best part is; they're free! So there's seriously no risk to joining and earning rewards with every purchase.

6. Bring Your Own Mug

Many local coffee shops, and even chains like Starbucks, reward drinkers with a small discount when they bring in their own mug. Usually the savings are only $0.10–$0.20 but over a period of a month, this adds up to a few dollars, which essentially means a free cup of coffee.

Plus, you're helping the environment by avoiding additional waste. Nothing beats being green — and saving green — while enjoying a cup of coffee.

7. Up the Flavor for Free

As a culture we're obsessed with coffee flavors, additives, and spices. There are literally hundreds of different types of coffee beans, syrups, creamers, and sugars to improve your drink's flavor. (Most of which are free at the barista counter at your local coffee shop.)

Infuse your cup of coffee with cinnamon, cocoa, nutmeg, vanilla, and experiment with other tastings and flavors. You may find a new way to take your coffee that you like even more than your current craving. And as a bonus, it could be a more cost-effective alternative.

8. Try Natural Energy Fixers

If you're just looking for a midday energy boost, consider other energy alternatives to just drinking a cup of caffeinated coffee. Green superfoods, like spinach and kale, provide a healthy energy fix and will give your body some much-needed nutrients.

Try tossing some greens into a smoothie, or munching on dark chocolate, fresh fruit, or ginseng tea. These alternatives will give your body that natural "high" you get from caffeine, that lasts much longer, without the crash in energy later.

9. Join a Coffee Club

Monthly subscription boxes are all the rage right now, and that includes coffee clubs. For around $20 a month you get access to fresh coffee grounds and flavorings from around the world. This allows you to save a lot of money on your daily cup of coffee without sacrificing taste or quality. Plus, you'll be able to test out lots of different styles of coffee, from light to dark.

How do you save on your daily cup of coffee?

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This article is from Carrie Smith of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

8 Quick Ways to Boost Energy Without Caffeine

Christa Avampato — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 10:48:15 +0000

Winter can leave us feeling sluggish and unmotivated. It's cold outside, there's less sunlight, and we tend to eat heavier foods. While caffeine is one way to get a quick boost when we need it most, there are plenty of other low-cost options that we can turn to when we need a shot of energy. (See also: Easy Ways to Have Energy After Work)

1. Draw a Few Complete Breaths

With a lower activity level, we tend to reduce our breathing rate, and that lowers the amount of oxygen in our brains, which makes us feel sleepy. Stand up, reach your arms up and lean over to one side, and then up and over to the other side. Now place one hand on the heart and one on the belly. Fill both areas under your palms on the inhale and let them completely empty on the exhale. Do this for a minute or two to up your oxygen intake to energize both your body and mind.

2. Drop the Temperature

A warm room can lull us into a sleepy state. Throw open the windows or step outside to get some fresh, cool air. It will do wonders to clear the mind and wake up the body. (See also: 25 Reasons to Take a Walk)

3. Fire Up Your Core

I tend to get sleepy around 3:00 p.m. I've worked hard all day, and I've still got a bit more to do before I can pack it in for the evening. To get me through those last few hours of the day, I've been practicing 10-15 minutes of Pilates right near my desk with the book The Women's Health Big Book of Pilates, and it's worked wonders. Why? First, it requires that I deepen my breath and that increases my oxygen intake. Pilates also revs up the metabolism and improves circulation, two processes that increase energy level.

4. Perfect the Art of the Power Nap

You may feel run down in the afternoon because of low quality sleep at night. If that's the case, try this dual-pronged approach: take steps to improve your nighttime sleep (there are a number of new mobile apps to help with this task) and, if possible, learn to power nap in the mid-afternoon when you hit a low level of energy. Keep your power nap to less than 30 minutes, and you may find it increases your awareness level and ability to process new information. (See also: Sleep Better in Fewer Hours)

5. Eat Low-Fat and High-Protein Foods

Caffeine isn't the only edible way to boost energy. Foods that are low in sugar and high in protein and/or fiber will keep you humming right through the afternoon slump. Try a handful of mixed nuts, nonfat yogurt, or a fruit smoothie, or fruit with nut butter, like apples with peanut butter. Also, on't skip breakfast. Providing your body with fuel at the start of the day gives you a fighting chance to get through your day with minimal fatigue. No time for breakfast? Try these easy, healthy breakfast ideas for people on the go.

6. Crank Up the Tunes

A boogie break might be all you need to get the blood pumping. Energetic music also has a neurological effect on our energy level. We are hardwired to respond to music according to Elena Mannes, author of "The Power of Music." We take on the energy of the music we listen to, so if we want more energy, it's best to listen to upbeat music.

7. Laugh It Up

Laughter is the best medicine. It also gives us an instant boost of energy that lasts long after the laughter dies down because it releases endorphins, the same feel-good biochemical the body creates when we exercise. I find that the SNL YouTube channel is a consistent source of sketches that make my stomach hurt and eyes water, in a good way.

8. Chat It Up

We are strongly affected by the mood and energy level of people around us. If you're feeling particularly low on inspiration and energy, a quick chat with someone who has a high energy level can help. If none of those people are available, there are plenty of ways to find inspirational and upbeat talks online. TED is one of my favorite websites. Whenever I feel less-than-energetic, a quick 15-minute TED talk is all I need to restore my motivation. (See also: 25 Ways to Get Motivated)

The afternoon slump is a well-known phenomenon. We all have days and times of day when we feel less energetic than others. Luckily, we have plenty of ways to combat those lows and power through the day.

What are you favorite ways to boost your energy level without caffeine?

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This article is from Christa Avampato of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

10 Surprising Benefits of: Caffeine

Carrie Kirby — Mon, 03 Mar 2014 11:24:18 +0000

We live in a society with puritanical roots, and underlying much of our health philosophy is that anything pleasurable is surely bad for our health, our souls, or both. (See also: Reasons to Drink Coffee)

Especially if it's a drug. In the immortal words of South Park's school counselor Mr. Mackey, "Drugs are bad."

So it's no surprise that many of us think of our morning cup of java as a guilty pleasure. It contains a drug: caffeine. The thing is, there's not much to be guilty about, unless you held up a barista to get that latte. Multiple studies have shown that caffeine — in moderation, of course — is good for you in a whole host of ways.

1. Caffeine May Ward Off Disease

Studies have linked coffee drinking to the prevention of alcohol-related liver disease, Parkinson's and type 2 diabetes. (See also: Natural Ways to Lower Your Blood Sugar)

However, not all studies have been able to positively link coffee's benefits to the caffeine. There are lots of other things in coffee, like antioxidants.

That said, one study specifically pegged caffeine levels in the blood to Alzheimer's disease; subjects over age 65 with the most caffeine in their bloodstream were the least likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer's or dementia. Even in this study, most of the subjects got their caffeine from coffee, so it still seems possible that the anti-dementia power ascribed to caffeine here could come from some other ingredient in coffee.

The well-known Nurse's Health Study, which followed health professionals for 22 to 24 years, found that men and women who consumed more caffeine (mostly from coffee) were less likely to develop skin cancer.

2. Caffeine Can Boost Brain Function

Caffeine can't make you smarter, but it can improve focus and increase brain activity. One study showed that subjects did better on a memory test after a caffeine dose. Another study used an MRI machine to detect higher levels of brain activity after a dose. (See also: Ways to Improve Your Memory and Get Smarter)

3. Caffeine Combats the Effects of Sleep Deprivation

Getting enough sleep is important, and you can't completely make up for lost sleep with caffeine. Yet, a jolt of the drug does more than help you stay conscious — sleepy test subjects really perform better on all kinds of tests after they've had it.

A military research psychologist remarked that in sleep-deprived subjects, "pretty much anything you measure will improve: reaction time, vigilance, attention, logical reasoning."

4. Caffeine Helps You Stay Awake

You thought I'd forget that one, did you? Although sleep is one of the most important things we need to stay healthy and sane, in some limited circumstances, the most important thing you can do is not sleep. You're on a long night drive? You're a soldier manning a checkpoint? You're a student teacher with 200 exams to grade by 9 a.m. tomorrow? Caffeine is there to help. (See also: How to Survive the Graveyard Shift)

How does it work? Caffeine blocks the chemical adenosine, whose job it is to make you drowsy. Without adenosine to slow them down, your neurons keep right on firing, and you don't feel like shutting down.

5. Caffeine May Fight Depression

Consuming caffeine cuts the risk of suicide by 50%, one study found, probably because the drug "may act as a mild antidepressant by boosting production of certain neurotransmitters in the brain, including serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline," according to the Harvard Gazette. Researchers were able to link this benefit specifically to caffeine, not just to coffee drinking in general.

6. Even If You're Not Depressed, Caffeine Elevates Your Mood

A biologist's study in 2000 found that test subjects' mood improved after a morning cup of coffee or tea. (Your research dollars at work!)

Perhaps counterintuitively, mild caffeine consumption can even help calm anxiety.

7. Caffeine Charges Up Your Body, Too

When asked about the baseball steroids controversy of the 1990s, Joe DiMaggio said that all he had ever used was "half a cup of coffee" from the clubhouse. It may not be banned in baseball, but caffeine has been shown in study after study to boost both endurance and short-term athletic performance.

8. Caffeine Can Be Medicine

Caffeine is included in a number of over-the-counter analgesics because it enhances and speeds up these drugs' effectiveness.
Caffeine can combat common headaches, which are usually caused by constricting blood vessels around the brain. Caffeine dilates those blood vessels, and research shows this effect cures headaches better than ibuprofen.
The same dilation effect has landed caffeine a spot in over-the-counter migraine drugs as well.
Caffeine in combination with painkillers have been proven to cure hangover symptoms in rats. Caffeine blocks alcohol byproduct acetate.
Parkinson's Disease patients have a slightly easier time controlling their movements after taking caffeine pills, one study showed.
Theodore Roosevelt is said to have started his "gallon a day" coffee habit to counteract his childhood asthma, and indeed, caffeine has been clinically proven to modestly improve lung function in asthma patients.
Like other stimulants, caffeine has been shown to have a positive impact on ADHD symptoms.

9. Caffeine Might Help You Lose Weight

Caffeine stimulates thermogenesis — the process of burning food for calories — but the effect probably isn't enough to produce significant weight loss, according to the Mayo Clinic. The jury is still out on whether caffeine's appetite suppressing effects actually help people lose weight. (See also: Foods That Help You Fight Fat)

But hey. When you're trying to eat less and exercise more, ingesting a hot cup of coffee might help you feel satisfied without taking in calories, and if it gives you the energy to hop on your bike and burn calories, all the better. On the other hand, beware of calorie-laden caffeinated drinks like colas, and remember that sleep deprivation causes weight gain.

10. Caffeine Is a Slug-i-Cide

Plants such as the coffee bush use caffeine as a natural insecticide, so it shouldn't come as a shock that researchers in Hawaii found success using a weak caffeine solution to control slugs. But be warned: Too much coffee, tea, or other caffeine-containing liquids can hurt plants, so use with care.

Counterpoints and Caveats

Not everyone agrees that caffeine is a net benefit, and there can almost always be too much of a good thing.

While most caffeine users report various mental and physical boosts due to the drug, it could be that test subjects might have developed caffeine dependency and need the drug to return to normal abilities.
And the Mayo Clinic says that although the association between caffeine and heart disease for the general population has been wiped away by research, the drug can still cause heart problems for some individuals. Pregnant and nursing women are advised to limit their consumption of caffeine as well.
Probably the biggest danger associated with overuse of caffeine is sleep disturbance. Research is linking lack of sleep to more and more health problems, from heart disease to weight gain to depression. So if your caffeine use interferes with your ability to get a good night's sleep, the benefits probably aren't worth that one big drawback.

What's your favorite thing about caffeine?

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This article is from Carrie Kirby of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Your Daily Dose of Caffeine May Be Hurting You

Sarah Winfrey — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 10:24:03 +0000

Over half of Americans over 18 drink at least one cup of coffee a day, and over 90% of people in the world (PDF) consume caffeine in one form or another. Caffeine is a favored stimulant, and one that many of us don't even think about using. (See also: Cheap Ways to Get Your Caffeine Fix)

We see caffeine as a safe choice — a good way to wake up, give ourselves energy when we need it, and help us keep working when we feel too tired and want to quit. We feel like it is a necessary, because otherwise we would be tired, lethargic, and unable to finish everything we feel like we need to get done.

While it's rare to hear about caffeine killing anyone, we also shouldn't put anything into our bodies without thinking about it first. If you've never considered your consumption of caffeine, or if you are struggling with issues like anxiety and dehydration, it might be time to think through some of the downsides of caffeine and decide whether you want to continue putting it in your body.

Dehydration

Coffee is a diuretic, which means that it increases your urine output. This means that, when you consume it, you will lose more water than you would have otherwise. Unless you're conscientious about replenishing that water, you could easily end up dehydrated.

Even minor dehydration can ruin your day, causing headaches, tiredness, and problems concentrating. And major dehydration is a major deal, making it difficult for your body to function on many different levels.

Curbs Hunger

In most people, drinking caffeine interferes with your body's hunger mechanisms. You'll feel less hungry than you are. This is why many people who consume caffeine end up skipping meals, because they don't even recognize their own hunger.

Anything that shuts down the body's normal ways of functioning should raise some questions. Sure, we can be vigilant, knowing that we need to feed our bodies even though we take in caffeine, but do we want to be changing the way our bodies interpret natural signals?

Withdrawal

Anyone who has ever tried to stop drinking caffeine can tell you that it sucks. You feel tired, you get headaches, and sometimes you just don't feel like your brain is functioning at optimum levels. These symptoms can last anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks.

While the withdrawal itself is something you can survive if you're determined to leave caffeinated beverages behind, it's not something that anyone wants to deal with. Add to that the fact that caffeine causes withdrawal symptoms because your body is dependent on it, and you have to ask yourself if the stimulant is something you want in your body at all. (See also: Kicky Drinks Without the Caffeine)

Stress

Even a small amount of caffeine can trigger a stress response, raising levels of adrenaline and mimicking a stressful situation. If you're continually consuming caffeine, your body will always be functioning as if you are stressed. (See also: 99 Free Ways to De-Stress)

Many people claim that coffee helps them jump start their days. However, what you're actually doing is giving yourself a small adrenaline rush every morning. Over time, this can contribute to adrenal fatigue. Even if that doesn't happen, though, most people would choose to be relaxed rather than stressed, even if they don't have quite as much energy.

Sleep Disturbance

Caffeine can disrupt your sleep for up to 24 hours after you consume it. While most people don't feel like they are under caffeine's influence after a couple of hours, it is still in the body and still affects how you function. (See also: Foods That Help You Sleep)

In most people, caffeine disrupts REM sleep, which is the part of sleep where your body processes emotions and interprets your day. This may not seem important, but over many nights, the cumulative effect can be a hampered emotional intelligence. You may struggle with your own feelings or in interpreting and responding to the feelings of people around you. Since these are skills that make life smoother, you may notice a change in how you feel about the world, how much you can handle, or how even your emotions are.

For young adults, recent research has shown that caffeine-induced sleep disturbances can slow brain development. Caffeine really may "stunt your growth."

Whether you choose to continue consuming caffeine or not, knowing these downsides can help you if you do begin to feel like your body isn't functioning as well as you might like. While quitting caffeine can be hard, some people find that it frees them and helps them become more balanced — and like they don't have to take on the world.

How much caffeine do you consume in a typical day?

This article is from Sarah Winfrey of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

All the Caffeine of a Cup of Joe in a Convenient... Spray-On?

Lars Peterson — Thu, 12 Sep 2013 23:42:21 +0000

A cup of joe has long been the preferred delivery mechanism for caffeine, the stimulant that energized the revolutions of the Enlightenment, and today keeps cubicles humming through the afternoon. Caffeinated sweet sodas and energy drinks fortified with ginseng and ginkgo biloba and other stuff have made inroads in recent years, but they haven't changed how we get our caffeine. Which is to say, we're still drinking it. (See also: How Much Caffeine Is in That?)

But a revolution is brewing in the world of caffeine stimulation. Beginning this November, you'll be able to spray a dose of caffeine directly on your skin. Who would buy such a product? Anybody who would like the benefit of a caffeine boost, but would rather avoid a bitter cup of coffee or a too sweet bottle of pop. And, as its inventor explained to NPR, caffeine taken through the skin doesn't result in energy spikes and crashes:

Caffeine is really a nasty molecule, and pure caffeine is terrible," Yu says. "We used it for the stimulative effect, and this culture has evolved around it where it's not about the effect, and just about enjoying the ritual aspects. For those people, they can keep drinking their coffee. But for everyone who wants the functional aspect of the caffeine, this is a much better delivery mechanism because of the steady rate. You could have decaf coffee and then spray yourself on the side."

Each $15 bottle of Sprayable Energy will contain about 40 spray on doses, each dose the caffeine equivalent of a cup of coffee. The product is unscented. For now.

(Note that If a spray is not your thing, there's always the caffeinated dermal patch.)

Would you rather spray on your caffeine?

This article is from Lars Peterson of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

How to Wake Up Fast and Attack the Day

Janey Osterlind — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 10:36:11 +0000

Every day at 6 a.m., my alarm goes off. I hit snooze several times before eventually rolling out of bed 30 to 45 minutes later. Why? Because waking up is hard to do. My still-asleep self tells me I’m still tired, and my bed is comfortable. If you’re anything like me, though, you want to wake up earlier; you just don’t actually follow through. Until now, that is — I’ve compiled a list of ways to get over the hurdle of waking up the first time your alarm goes off, jump out of bed, and attack the day! (See also: 5 Effective Sleep Tips You Haven't Tried Yet)

1. Articulate Why You Want to Wake Up Fast

If you’re not clear about why you want to wake up fast in the mornings, you won’t do it. It sounds simple, but actually verbalizing your reason for getting up in the morning is an important first step. In my case, I want to get up early enough to do a little yoga. It helps wake me up slowly, relaxes me, and sets the tone for the day. In your case, it might be important to get some reading in before heading to work. It might simply be getting up early enough to not feel perpetually rushed when you get out the door. If you were able to wake up the first time your alarm went off instead of 30 minutes later, you’d have 130 extra hours — or nearly 5 ½ days — per year to do something you enjoy!

2. Assault Your Ears With Loud Noises

If you’ve ever heard the submarine alarm sound for the iPhone, you know what I’m talking about. Obnoxious noises are an excellent, albeit annoying, way to shock yourself awake in the mornings. You could also try having one of these great tunes to wake up to playing at top volume. Whatever the sound, make it loud and jarring, and you’re more likely to speed through the fog of sleep to full consciousness before your brain has time to hit snooze.

3. Put Your Alarm Across the Room

Movement, like loud noises, helps your brain to wake up quickly. Make that movement compulsory in the morning by putting your alarm across the room. By the time you get to it, you’ll be awake enough to remember that you want to get up to practice yoga this morning, or get to the gym, or read. This tip works even better if your alarm is playing an extremely loud noise — it gives you added incentive to get to it quickly. Instead of putting your alarm across the room, you could try the popular Clocky alarm clock, which rolls across the room once it goes off until you chase it down. For an alarm that combines music and movement, check out Clocky’s little brother, Tocky.

4. Splash Cold Water in Your Face

It’s common knowledge that the shock of cold water is a great way to wake up fast. You could enlist a roommate or spouse to throw water on you in the morning, but that would be extreme. Instead, prepare the night before by putting a bowl of water and washcloth by your bed, and you’ll be able to immediately give your face a cold soak in the morning before the snooze monster gets you.

5. Drink a Cold Glass of Water

Although it turns out that drinking copious amounts of water at the start of each day cannot, in fact, cure disease, drinking one glass of cold water can help raise your alertness quickly. Again, the key is preparation — have a glass of water by the bed and try to drink it all before even thinking of hitting the snooze. By then, your rational, awake mind will have taken over, and you’ll be ready to start the day.

6. Smell Something Energizing

According to FOCUS Magazine, smelling salts, which have been used for hundreds of years to revive people from faints, work because the gas in them irritates the lungs, causes people to inhale, and elevates blood oxygen levels. Similarly, certain scents, including peppermint and lemon, have been shown to increase alertness. In fact, one study by the Sense of Smell Institute (yes, it really exists) found "that people exposed to lemony, woody fragrances early in the morning" experienced a boost in motivation. The best way to have these scents at your fingertips early in the morning is with a small bottle of peppermint essential oil or lemon extract at your bedside.

7. Drink Caffeine

Caffeine is likely one of the most obvious ways to wake up fast in the morning; however, the benefit you reap from it depends on the method of delivery. If you hate the taste of coffee, try having a soda, an energy-boosting shot (like 5-Hour Energy), or a chai tea. If you’re just after the beverage that packs the most caffeine punch per milligram, check out the Energy Fiend’s Caffeine Database. Just take care to only drink enough to get you going in the morning, so you don’t get the jitters by the afternoon. Ever wondered how much is too much caffeine? Answer your question with the Energy Fiend’s Death by Caffeine Calculator.

8. Eat Something

Besides the other numerous benefits of eating breakfast (PDF) in the morning (including weight loss, increased focus, and decreased stress), breakfast can also help you to wake up fast. Because we don’t eat while we sleep, our blood sugar levels drop at night. Getting some carbohydrates first thing in the morning can give you a quick increase in alertness. Try keeping something like chocolate-covered espresso beans (for chocolate and sugar) or fruit (for sugar and carbohydrates) by your bed so you can reach for it first thing in the morning.

9. Workout

I don’t mean a full workout routine, although for some (including me) that’s the whole point of waking up fast in the first place. I do mean jumping out of bed and doing a two-minute stretching exercise to increase your blood pressure and heart rate. A quick bout of calisthenics is a good way to get your brain in wake up mode fast. Not sure what exercises to do? Try some of these sun salutation yoga poses or just stretch every extremity for 15 seconds.

10. Prepare the Night Before

Waking up fast has a lot to do with how you go to bed the night before. We all know the basics, but they bear repeating: avoid alcohol and caffeine within several hours of bedtime, try to resolve bothersome disputes, and get enough sleep. It also helps to prepare for the next day on the night before by laying out clothes and putting together supplies needed for work or school. This way, your mind is better able to focus on what a great day you’re about to have, rather than dreading the odds and ends you’ll have to wrap up as soon as waking up.

So there you have it — the best of the best ways to wake up fast. I hope it helps you to wake up fast, fresh, and ready for the day ahead!

Have you found anything particularly helpful in waking up fast? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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This article is from Janey Osterlind of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

5 Reasons to Drink Coffee

Little House — Wed, 18 May 2011 10:24:29 +0000

My first memory of drinking coffee was staying up late with my mom and her childhood girlfriend as they chatted about life and memories. She handed me a small cup of that rich, dark drink, and I was hooked for life. My love of coffee was one of the primary motivators to apply for a job at Starbucks while in college; free, all-you-can drink coffee during my shift was enough stimulation for me to sign on as a barista for a few years.

Having devoted myself to one primary brand of coffee over the course of 10 years has inspired me to find ways to save money on my morning beverage of choice, like applying for a rewards card, bringing in my own cup for a cup discount, and experimenting with coffee drinks at home using my blender. Of course, I'm the first to spout off the positive benefits of coffee. Below I've outlined five good reasons to drink coffee. (See also: French Press Coffee: Step-by-Step Guide)

1. Coffee Is a Healthier, Less-Expensive Addiction

If you're going to be addicted to something, it might as well be coffee. It's a heck of a lot healthier than smoking cigarettes or crack. Not only have studies shown it can positively benefit your brain and make you more productive, it's a lot less expensive compared to other addictions. For comparison, a pack of smokes will cost about $5.75 and might last a day. A cup of joe made at home costs just a few cents; drink the whole pot and you might have consumed $1.50's worth of coffee.

2. It's Good for Your Brain

Coffee has been found to make people more productive and smarter, even if the effect isn't long-lasting. The chemical that's making you "smarter" is the dopamine, which stimulates the gray matter in your brain. As caffeine is released from your cup of joe, dopamine gets to work making you sharper and smarter for up to an hour. Of course, you can always drink another cup as the effect begins to wear off.

3. Coffee Makes the Future Look Brighter

As your coffee works its magic on your brain, making you more alert, it's also making you feel better. Dopamine increases a person's positive outlook on the future. I guess one could call coffee nature's anti-depressant. Another benefit of dopamine is it may block plaque buildup, a leading cause of Parkinson's disease.

4. Coffee Is a Low-Cost Beverage

Other beverages can fulfill the caffeine quota, but home-brewed coffee runs about .27-cents per cup on the high end to as low as .05-cents per cup. I would be hard pressed to find soda for this cheap, even when it's on sale.

5. Coffee Is a Low-Calorie Drink

Another benefit of coffee, compared to caffeinated soda or a similar beverages, is that by itself, it is a low-calorie drink. An 8 oz. brewed cup of black coffee from Starbucks has only two calories, something that can't be said for many sodas or caffeinated canned drinks. Of course, the caloric content changes the moment sugar or cream are added, but for those who like it "black," coffee is a great low-calorie choice.

One word of caution before you increase the milligrams of caffeine in your diet, switch from decaf to fully caffeinated, or go from a non-coffee drinker to a coffee drinker — some individuals are caffeine sensitive; meaning too much caffeine can cause heart palpitations and lead you to believe you're suffering from a heart attack. As with anything, less is usually more.

This article is from Little House of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

10 Reasons to Drink Tea

Meg Favreau — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 12:36:12 +0000

I start most mornings with a cup of coffee, but at heart, I am a tea-drinking gal. Green, black, herbal — I love it all, and I usually drink a couple mugs of the stuff a day. (See also: Is Green Tea All It's Cracked Up to Be? It's Close.)

I mostly like tea just because it's delicious, but here are a bunch of other great reasons to consume it:

1. To Wake Up

Depending on the kind of tea you drink, an 8 oz. cup of tea can have up to 120 mg of caffeine. Black tea has the most caffeine, followed by green.

2. To Calm Down

Not only can chamomile tea help you fall asleep, but researchers at the University of Pennsylvania discovered that it can also help relieve anxiety.

3. To Soothe Your Stomach

Teas made from peppermint and ginger are both known for their stomach-calming properties. And there's no need to pay for tea bags here — dried peppermint (picked from your garden, if you have it, and hung to dry inside) or fresh chopped ginger placed in a tea ball or reusable tea bag work just as well. (Just be careful if you're prone to acid reflux; mint can actually aggravate the condition.)

4. To Lower Your Blood Sugar

As Andrea reports in her piece about inexpensive ways to lower blood sugar, green, black, and white tea can all help bring blood sugar down. She also notes that cinnamon can as well, which is often used along with black tea as an ingredient in chai.

5. To Help Prevent Heart Disease and Cancer

Studies have show that green tea — widely held as the reigning champion of teas when it comes to health benefits — might help prevent both cancer and heart disease thanks to the tea's awesome antioxidants, which are called catechins.

6. To Get Warm (or Cool Down)

Drinking a big mug of tea — or any other hot drink, really — will raise your body temperature. Put it on ice, and it makes a great summertime thirst quencher.

7. To Keep a Bright Smile

Researchers have found that drinking green tea can reduce your risk of periodontal disease. Yes, it's true that tea can also stain your teeth, but if you stick to lighter teas like green, that's less likely to happen.

8. To Get Flavor Without Calories

From tropical fruits to wintry spices, from delicate jasmine to the classic black, green, white, and oolong, tea comes in a variety of flavors and has pretty much no calories to speak of. (Well, until you start adding milk and sugar. I'm not going to tell you that your Starbucks chai latte is calorie-free, buddy — and don't get me started on those big ol' cans of Arizona.)

9. To Wean Yourself Off of Coffee

If you want to kick the coffee habit but aren't looking forward to the ensuing withdrawal headaches and cranky, yawning mornings, switch your mug of java for a mug of tea (green, ideally, since it has less caffeine than black) for a while to step yourself down slowly.

10. To Socialize

Whether you plan a fancy afternoon tea party (with potluck finger foods, perhaps?) or just meet a friend for a cup of the steeped stuff at a coffee shop (nobody calls them tea shops, do they?), drinking tea is a great way to catch up with friends.

Why do you drink tea? Do you know of any awesome benefits I missed? Share your thoughts in the comments.

This article is from Meg Favreau of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

How Much Caffeine is in That?

Sonja Stewart — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:00:03 +0000

Whether you're trying to avoid your own caffeine intake due to breastfeeding, pregnancy, or health reasons, or trying to keep your kids from ingesting more than their fair share, here's a list of a few everyday items and their caffeine content. (See also: 7 Nutrients You Need More Of)

Coffee

Coffee varies in caffeine content drastically, even in the same coffeehouse, on the same day. Everything from roast styles to brewing methods affect the amount of caffeine you get. The lighter the roast, the more caffeine it has.

Starbucks (Grande) iced coffee, 16 oz: 190 mg. This is double-brewed. Without the ice it contains 380mg.
Starbucks brewed coffee, 16 oz: 330 mg. Brewed coffee has 50% more caffeine on average than instant coffee.
Instant coffee, 16 oz: 60-345mg
Starbucks latte, 16 oz: 150mg
Starbucks espresso, 1 oz (1 shot): 58-75mg

Tea

The longer a tea is steeped, the higher the caffeine content. If after the first steep, you add more hot water to the tea or tea bag, the tea becomes almost entirely decaffeinated.

Starbucks Tazo chai tea latte, 16 oz: 100 mg
Regular black tea, 8 oz: 40-120 mg
Stash green tea, 18 oz: 78 mg
Snapple iced tea, 16 oz: 18 mg
12 oz Nestea: 17 mg
Decaffeinated black tea, 8 oz: 2 mg

Soft Drinks

All drinks are 12 oz servings

Mountain Dew: 54 mg
Mello Yello: 53 mg
Diet Coke: 47 mg
Tab: 47 mg
Dr Pepper: 42-44 mg
Sunkist Orange: 42 mg
Pepsi: 36-38 mg
Coke: 35 mg
A&W Cream Soda: 29 mg
Barq's Root Beer: 23 mg
A&W Root Beer: 0 mg
7-Up: 0 mg
Sprite: 0 mg
Mug Root Beer: 0 mg
Fanta: 0 mg

Energy Drinks

No Name (formerly known as Cocaine), 8.4 oz: 280 mg
Monster Energy, 16 oz: 160 mg
Full Throttle, 16 oz: 144 mg
Enviga, 12 oz: 100 mg
No Fear, 8 oz: 83 mg
Rockstar, 8 oz: 80 mg
Red Bull, 8.3 oz: 76 mg
AMP, 8.4 oz: 74 mg

Food

Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate, 1.45 oz: 31 mg
Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar, 1.55 oz: 9mg
Ben and Jerry's Coffee Heath Bar Crunch, 8 oz: 84 mg
Haagen-Daz Coffee Ice Cream, 8 oz: 58 mg
Starbucks Coffee Ice Cream, 8 oz: 50-60 mg

Medications

No Doz, 1 Tablet: 200 mg
Excedrin Extra Strength, 2 tablets: 130 mg
Anacin Maximum Strength, 2 tablets: 64 mg
Midol Maximum Strength: 60 mg

Things get a little tricky when it comes to what has caffeine and what doesn't. I knew Barq's Root Beer had caffeine, but didn't know that A&W Cream Soda has it as well. And just to confuse matters more, A&W Regular Root Beer is caffeine free. Also surprising was the caffeine content in Sunkist Orange. This list will help you keep the caffeine out of little hands (because they absolutely do not need it), and keep the buzz where it belongs — in your hectic, parental world.

This list was compiled with help from the Mayo Clinic article on caffeine content.

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This is a post from our sister blog, Parenting Squad. Visit Parenting Squad for more great posts:

This article is from Sonja Stewart of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

10 Kicky Drinks Without the Caffeine

Linsey Knerl — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 18:23:10 +0000

At one point or another, you may find yourself needing to cut caffeine from your diet (or at least scaling way back). While it may initially be a shock to your system to forgo the rush from your favorite coffee variety, I find that it also gets a little boring. As a tribute to all those who have had to do without, I give you 10 drink-worthy options without the jolt.

Decaffeinated Coffee

OK...so this one’s a gimmee. But we are way past the days when decaf came in one flavor. Many gourmet coffee roasters (Boca Java for one) give you just as many decaf options as the regular stuff. They smell and taste great, and you may not miss as much as you think.

Decaffeinated Sodas

Here’s another easy substitute. While they are getting more difficult to find in some areas, many of your most popular colas carry a caffeine-free version. But many will just ask, “Then why bother?”

Italian Sodas

Watch this one for calories, but it is an awesome little drink you can make at home. With sugar-free syrups in all the best flavors (I love hazelnut), you can whip one up with the recipe below:

4 tbsp. flavored syrup (Torani rocks!)
3/4 c. milk (half and half is richer)
Carbonated water (club soda works well)
Crushed ice

Mix the syrup and milk in a tall glass. Add carbonated water and ice until the glass is full. (Don't try mixing the ingredients in any other order or the milk will curdle.)

Milk

I personally am not a milk-lover. But 8 oz. of skim, with a few tablespoons of Ovaltine, goes down smooth and gives me a few extra vitamins and minerals.

Club Soda Spritzers

If you don’t like drinking the stuff straight, you can add a little lime or lemon juice to a glass of club soda over ice. Other great mix-ins include fruit juices and frozen fruit (blueberries, anyone?).

Teas

Hot or cold, tea can be a unique way to drink. Make sure your variety comes in decaf, and you can choose from chai, sweet tea, Chinese teas, green teas, English teas, or make your own using a diffuser and some dried chamomile or lavender.

Vitamins

Yes, you can drink your vitamins. And there are some tasty brands out there that fizz a little when you add them to your water. Loaded with vitamin C and B complexes, you can get a little pick-me-up in a healthy way. (This is perfect for those who are little less than diligent about taking their vitamins.)

Fruit Juice

Remember drinking apple juice with your graham crackers in preschool? Well you can forgo the crackers and just enjoy a nice cold glass of apple, grape, or a blend of fruity goodness! Check your labels to be sure that you aren’t just consuming a bunch of high fructose corn syrup and flavored water. (And if you’re watching calories, add some water and ice to your juice.) Fruit juice counts as a 1/2 to one full serving of fruit, so you are really getting a good deal here.

Vegetable Juice

Nope. I’ve never been a V8 fan, and you’ll never see me drinking Clamato. I will, however, drink those new blends on the market that combine fruit and vegetable juices together. Made with carrot juice for a full serving of vegetables, it’s a sneaky way for me to avoid caffeine AND eat better. (And just like the fruit juice caveat, be sure you are getting 100% juices in your drink.)

Water

Who could forget the water? The healthiest and cheapest choice by far (unless you go bottled), getting your daily water intake will keep you far away from the ticks and pains that can sometimes accompany caffeine withdrawal. Jazz it up with a fresh mint leaf or an orange wedge.

Whether you're ditching the buzz for health reasons, or just feel the need to cut back a little, now is a great time to make the switch to unleaded. Here’s to slowing down and drinking it all in!

This article is from Linsey Knerl of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Stop Being a Slave to Starbucks - How to Quit Caffeine

Andrea Karim — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 21:42:00 +0000

I finally quit drinking coffee three weeks ago.

It's not something that I particularly wanted to do, but I did it. And now that I have, I'm actually really happy about it. I feel liberated, I feel healthier, and I have already saved myself quite a nice sum of cash — cash that used to go towards black gold of the Starbucks variety.

Now, I'm not one to advocate for a boycott of caffeine or anything. But, if you're already thinking about quitting caffeine, here are some reasons, and methods, for doing so.

Let's get something straight

OK, let me first address some of the accusations that will doubtlessly be thrown at this post:

No, I don't think that there is anything WRONG with drinking caffeinated beverages.
No, I do not hate Starbucks. I actually quite like Starbucks. I know that the title of this article sounds like I want Starbucks to go down in flames, but that's not the case at all. I still occasionally go to Starbucks, and I like their breakfast quiche.
Yes, I realize that caffeine has been shown to have some positive health benefits.
And no, I'm not advising anyone to quit. I'm just offering advice for people who already know that they don't want to consume caffeine anymore.

We good? OK.

Why would anyone want to quit?

Well, there are a number of reasons, but everyone has a different one. Some people freak out when their teeth start to stain. Some people want to save money, others have health reasons. For me, it was sort of a combination of all of these. I have stomach problems, and caffeine only exacerbates them. One cup of coffee in the morning felt like I was drinking a cup of lemon juice. The burning pain was simply too much to deal with.

Also, drinking coffee just got to be a pain in the butt. Traveling somewhere where good coffee is scarce was a hazard (small towns in Nevada, especially). Oddly enough, I have never dated anyone who drinks coffee, so those cute couples that stumble down to Cafe Vita on a weekend in their PJs to share foamy lattes over the Sunday Times? That was never me. Solitary trips to Starbucks aren't nearly as fun as the ones you can take with a fellow caffeine addict.

But most of all, I really hated being a slave to caffeine. I hated the fact that I had to consume at least a cup of coffee within an hour of waking up to stave off a splitting headache. I have a lot to do in the morning — dogs to feed and walk, gear to prepare — it takes me a good hour and a half from bed to door, and that's without much fussing about appearance. A trip to Starbucks made my morning routine that much longer.

Sure, I could brew a pot of coffee, and I often would, but then I'd just drink that much more.

For me, the decision was clear, but it took me a long time to make it, because DAMN, I really love coffee.

Oh, I like other caffeinated beverages as well — Diet Coke is SO good with Indian food. But I could give those up fairly easily, and besides, they don't offer the energy and mental clarity that coffee does. Not even Red Bull has as much caffeine as a cup of drip coffee. Everyone knows that caffeine is a drug, but its effect is so useful, and its side effects so mild that we don't really care. A little nervousness here, some heartburn there, maybe some insomnia — but the sheer energizing potential of a cup of joe makes it seem worth any little needling problems.

Usually. But for me, it simply got too bad. Stomach pain was a major factor, but there were others as well. In any case, once I realized that I had very little choice other than to quit, quitting was fairly easy.

How to quit

I have quit drinking coffee (and other caffeinated beverages) twice, but the first time didn't last. Interestingly enough, the first time I quit, I did it gradually, by simply drinking a little less coffee every day until I was just drinking decaf, and then slowly reducing the amount of decaf that I drank. I managed to stay away from caffeine for a few weeks, but eventually fell off the wagon, as it were.

This most recent time, I quit cold turkey. Just plain stopped. I let myself have a cup of decaf if I was feeling like I might crack and go back to swilling espresso, but mostly I just soldiered through the withdrawal symptoms.

Here are some tips for quitting:

Start on a Friday

It takes anywhere from 4-11 days to be free from caffeine cravings. If you start on a Friday, by the next Monday, you'll be at least 1/3 of the way through.

Drink plenty of water

The faster you cleanse your body of caffeine, the better off you will be. Drinking clean water will purify your blood, help cleanse your liver, and make your body function better. If you want, you can drink some detox tea, but you don't have to. It'll just clean you out a bit faster.

Get the extra sleep that you want and need

Plan ahead and realize that you'll probably need 2-4 more hours of sleep per day while you adjust to a caffeine-free life. You can take it in the form of naps, or just get to bed earlier. But if you don't set aside this time, you will have a very difficult time quitting — you'll be dragging along at 1 p.m. and just NEED a cup of coffee. I know it's difficult, especially with a busy schedule, to find a way to sleep more, but it's an important step.

Get those painkillers ready

Have a headache from withdrawal? Take some ibuprofen or whatever it is that you normally take to get rid of the pain. An ice pack on the forehead or the back of your head can help, too.

Don't be afraid to have some decaf

Yes, there is still caffeine in decaf, but if you need your fix, you might be able to stave off a complete relapse by having a decaf version of your favorite caffeine source.

Discover another energy source

When I'm groggy, I take a quick walk around the block while listening to The Ramones. By the time I'm back at my desk, I'm refreshed and perky. Well, as perky as I get, anyway. An apple is a great replacement for my afternoon coffee.

LifeHacker readers offer some good tips for quitting, too.

This article is from Andrea Karim of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: