Will This TikTok Hack Really Help You Save Money At Starbucks?

TikTok has taught us how to make feta pasta, how to peel garlic cloves using the microwave, and how to make custard French toast. However, as delicious, easy, and viral as a hack can be, fans need to be cautious when following advice, especially if a TikToker suggests investing more than $1,500 to have a Starbucks-inspired coffee station at home so you can save money, as the case may be (via The Daily Dot).

The TikToker, named Coco, has more than 250k followers. She documents how she created a "mini Starbucks" at home to replicate all her favorite coffee beverages and save money. She purchased the exact same coffee beans from Starbucks, the syrups, and several coffee-making tools, like a Breville coffee maker. With this, she makes homemade double caramel macchiatos and salted caramel hazelnut lattes, all in cups she saves from the chain. Constantly, she reminds her followers that her videos are signs to learn how to create Starbucks coffee orders at home and to save the $5-7 they spend on their drinks.

According to The Daily Dot, Coco's initiative sparked a debate among her followers. Some questioned if it actually saves money, and if she even actually makes the drink or if it's just part of the viral show. Like any other hack, it's your choice to follow it or not. But, with the amount of money this "mini Starbucks" requires, you should first ask yourself: How much coffee do you actually drink? 

If you are of those people that goes to Starbucks every day (or even twice per day), you are probably spending around $2,008 on coffee beverages yearly, like many millennials do (via Renolon). Based on these numbers, if purchasing all the products Coco suggests, you will have more drinks and more coffee for less money than if you go to Starbucks regularly. Coco told The Daily Dot that she went to Starbucks every day and once she began exploring recipes, she decided to become her own barista. If this is your situation, maybe it's time to start thinking about where to put your future coffee maker.

But be careful! This requires both a monetary and time investment. Are you willing to learn how to master an espresso drink? As reported by The New York Times, making a good espresso is hard and requires time, training, reading, practicing, and tons of mistakes. So, this hack will require dedication before you can officially say you have a Starbucks at home. If your priority is convenience and you don't have a lot of time to practice, stick to your nearest Starbucks and think about other ways to save money. You can join a rewards program or take your reusable Starbucks cup to get a 10-cent discount. This might not sound like much, but in the long run, every cent counts.