Maxwell House vs. Starbucks 

While home in Indiana, my mom and dad fixed one of their famous pots of coffee.

Dooley: Mama, even black this is still the best coffee. What kind is it?

Mamacita: Jo – it’s the same we’ve always used. It’s Maxwell House!

I asked Mama how much her container of Maxwell House costs. She said its $5. 

Then, I asked how long that $5 lasts. She said a month of making an 8-cup pot per day. 

Since I’m quite the fan of a $2.50 Cafe Americano, I decided to do some math to see if my coffee was worth it’s expense.

Mama pays $5/month for 240 cups of coffee.

I pay $5 for two cups. 

That is clearly quite crazy – and her coffee is still my favorite. 

If I made Maxwell House coffee instead of having Starbucks, I could afford 2 extra trips out of the country per year.

Yowsa. 

Or, one acupuncture treatment a month could be free. 

Or, I could take 2-3 extra seminars. 

For coffee. 

Wow. So, the next time one says I can’t “afford” steps toward health and fitness, I wonder where the money is actually being spent.

-Dr. Kathy Dooley