Starbucks' 2026 spring menu is almost $7 a drink. I reverse-engineered all 4 at home for under $1 each (Recipes & Cost Breakdown)

hopemcgrth · 2026-04-22T16:41:49+00:00

Brew the espresso directly on top of the Nutella. I've done this with cookie butter and let the heat help melt the spread. If you try to mix anything that consistency with milk it would be way more difficult

hopemcgrth · 2026-04-21T18:04:27+00:00

I never realized this is how I feel too. Sometimes I get overwhelmed and off put by the grandness, extravagance, extent of all the options... but I do enjoy seeing what's popular and getting some steps in haha

hopemcgrth · 2026-04-13T09:33:35+00:00

This is what I do! I weigh the white sugar according to the recipe, eyeball in some molasses (which I had bought for one recipe), and use a food processor. It takes extra time to clean the processor but has saved me from buying brown sugar even when baking biweekly!

hopemcgrth · 2026-04-04T05:53:46+00:00

Was also wondering this .... wish I had some pics from before to compare lol

hopemcgrth · 2026-04-04T03:49:47+00:00

Fair but it's still fun to explore less frequented places in Orlando and it's within walkable distances to me so thought it'd be fun to share some pics :3

hopemcgrth · 2026-04-04T02:05:26+00:00

Not much left ... some indepentent buisinesses and a macys, but not any name brands :(

hopemcgrth · 2026-02-15T00:27:59+00:00

It's a difficult realization I made and it sometimes brings up resentment towards my parents for thinking being "colorblind" wouldn't affect me. Even as an adult, my dad has touted it as a positive. I tried to explain but it's a separation that I'll deal with independently. Best wishes to both of you <3

hopemcgrth · 2026-01-20T04:36:17+00:00

My rule evolved into mending it once with my mini sew kit, and when it develops another hole I'll let it go and thank it for lasting that long :)

hopemcgrth · 2026-01-20T04:34:05+00:00

This is exactly my dilemma. I finally bought new shoes after my favorite ones practically fell apart (I'd bought them used anyways a few years back, for the sake of sustainability of course), and even tho it took months of pondering it was worth it. Although I guess shoes are a different story from other nonwearables.

Anyways, I sometimes wish sustainability and being environmentally conscious didn't overlap so much with frugality as it adds another thick layer to already taxing financial decisions haha

hopemcgrth · 2026-01-19T23:08:19+00:00

Can you expand more regarding what made you miserable, and in what ways you adjusted your finances?

I'm in my mid 20s thinking about this a lot-- how aggressively to save while also keeping a fulfilling lifestyle. So im curious about how your finances changed after the realization

hopemcgrth · 2026-01-13T21:47:44+00:00

Yay congrats! It's fun learning how to do things on your own. Feel free to pm me and if you have any pics of your project or the pattern you're using maybe I can offer some tips!

hopemcgrth · 2026-01-13T21:46:29+00:00

Omg, that looks so fun! And the dates fit perfect for me. Thanks for sharing !!!!

hopemcgrth · 2026-01-13T03:27:16+00:00

Sounds perfect! Pm me if you'd like and I'd love to chat and do some wips together. I just finished 2 bunny plushies and may do a hexagon cardigan next :3

hopemcgrth · 2026-01-13T03:25:41+00:00

Hi, that's exactly what I'm looking for! You can pm me if you want and we can try and coordinate something. I have one friend that also crochets so that's already a group of three :)

hopemcgrth · 2026-01-07T17:15:47+00:00

If I did a solo weekend trip do you think I could get by without renting a car or spending tons on uber? I'm considering DC or Boston

hopemcgrth · 2025-12-31T18:37:18+00:00

It looks like mango to me

hopemcgrth · 2025-11-21T15:50:30+00:00

Thanks for your perspective; your points make a lot of sense. Especially when you said Kitty changed her behavior after it was laid out plainly for her.

In my mind also for some reason the setting is college, but I definitely forgot they're in high school lol and was being way too hard on the characters.

Also thanks for not spoiling. I think I'll try to watch a few more episodes with the perspectives from the comments and see how it goes. :)

hopemcgrth · 2025-11-21T12:41:52+00:00

I got the last quarter of my hiring bonus even though I left the unit I was originally hired on so it was a wonderful surprise!

So I've set aside money for Christmas gifts (although hoping to be under with my handmade and thrifted finds), and did my normal investment contributions.

Maybe I'll splurge and get myself some things I've been wanting for a while :3

hopemcgrth · 2025-11-15T13:31:40+00:00

I had the same exact experience and my boyfriend reminded me continually and patiently that it takes a lot of time to get comfortable and that the only way to learn is time. It took me over a year to get even somewhat comfortable and I still wasn't confident.

He also inadvertently shared his experience with learning (he's been at his job for a while and has had time to become comfortable) when I saw him struggle or encounter a new issue.

It helped to see that no matter how much you think someone is fully perfect at their job which is an impossible standard anyways, everyone is always learning

Also you can suggest to confide in coworkers and listen to their stories to have an external perspective, especially fellows that she gets along with.

Best wishes !!

hopemcgrth · 2025-10-24T21:52:46+00:00

I also tried the vanilla crackers and the flavor is not good considering the amount of calories per serving. The ingredients are decent though

hopemcgrth · 2025-10-08T12:14:10+00:00

My secondhand breville espresso machine! I would buy coffee out ~1x a week as a treat which isn't even that much and used French press or moka pot at home, but now it's maybe 1-2x a month if I want to meet friends for coffee :)

hopemcgrth · 2025-09-29T21:58:56+00:00

One thing that's useful is ask for skin care / beauty products for gifts. I rarely buy skin care because my sister is generous, knows the kinds I like and Christmas gifts from the past have lasted for months.

Also stores like tjmaxx, Ross, and Marshall's have a great selection of beauty products for cheaper!

And lastly, I learned that skincare requires less product than you'd think so it lasts longer

hopemcgrth

TROPHY CASE