How Much Does Wealthy Affiliate Cost? The $99 Starbucks Swap
Skip One Starbucks a Day, Fund Your Future (Without “Finding Extra Money”)
If you are on the fence about joining Wealthy Affiliate Premium Plus because it is $99 a month, you are not alone. Most new starters like yourself do not doubt the value. They instead doubt the timing. Their main question is not, “Is it worth it?” Their real question is, “Where does the money come from?”
I have been pondering again, and here is a simple way to look at it.
A typical Starbucks stop is not “just coffee.” It is often a drink, maybe a snack, plus tax and tip. Many people spend around $3.75 to $6.25 each time on the drink alone. The average of that range is $5.00. Don't get me started on the overpriced snacks there; that is a whole other can of tuna.
Now focus on the drink and multiply that by a normal work month.
Most people have about 20 to 22 workdays each month. If you buy Starbucks once per workday, that is:
- $5.00 x 20 days = $100
- $5.00 x 22 days = $110
Wealthy Affiliate Premium Plus is $99 per month.
So the truth is simple: if you cut out one Starbucks trip each workday, you could, in theory, pay for your membership without changing anything else in your budget.
This is not about me judging coffee or your personal habits. Buy it if you love it. I will not stop you. This is about you seeing trade-offs more clearly. I personally see coffee as a short-term reward. I also see that membership that teaches you how to build an online income is a long-term investment. One disappears by lunch. The other can keep paying you back.
The key difference most people do not stop to consider: when you pay for a membership like this, you are not “spending” money. You are buying time, tools, training, and a plan. You are also buying momentum, because people take action faster when they commit.
If you are waiting for the perfect month where everything is extra comfortable, you may wait a long time. But if you can swap one small daily habit for a monthly investment, you can start now and grow your future.
Skip one Starbucks a day. Put that money into skills. Give yourself a real shot at building something that lasts.
And that my friends is some Amazing Advice!
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Recent Comments
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Wow, I love this perspective! It’s such a simple way to re-frame spending habits without feeling like you’re depriving yourself. Thinking of a daily coffee as a short-term reward versus investing in skills and a long-term plan really puts things into perspective.
I also appreciate how you frame it as a trade-off, not a judgment. It makes it feel doable instead of overwhelming. Even small changes can make a big difference over time. Definitely food for thought for anyone considering an investment in their future!
Thanks Michael
It's a fair point. The money people waste that could be better spent. I think just 2 or 3 nights out at the bar in England by equivalent would cover this extra amount. I definitely would not mind the extra ai credits but I guess for me the thing about upgrading from Premium is justifying the extra cost whilst I'm not actively covering my outgoings as it is already.
I could have paid 200 usd extra for the year on Black Friday - I may do this come the next one but what I really want to do is to things work with just premium and to treat further investments in my business as things that I've actually hustled my way up to.
Let's be a bit more conservative. I once lived there when married. I would argue 1 to 1.5 nights at the pub. lol
It is more expensive now. Going out could easily cost me £50 for one night. So yeah 1 1/2 £75 gpb would be around 100 USD
My ex-wife favored Pimms, So I had to dig deep to feed her habit. I dubbed her "Boozehound"
Investing in a business or a service isn't a sure thing like the gratification of a cup of Starbucks. So people forget about how much they spend there...I think my Starbucks bills exceed some of our server bills!
If only people invested their money in their business instead of the waste that we have that really adds up, it would lead to a lot more people succeeding and a lot more people having the tools they need to thrive.
Michael, would you rather keep the daily $5 comfort, or redirect it into skills that can pay you back for years?
I like how you framed the real question as “Where does the money come from?” instead of arguing about whether the membership has value. Your Starbucks math makes the trade-off easy to see: one small daily habit can cover the monthly fee, and the deeper point is commitment, not coffee. A drink disappears by lunch, but training, tools, and consistent action can keep paying you back.
If someone cannot cut Starbucks, what is your second-best “swap” example that still keeps the idea simple?
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Build a Logo + Website That Attracts Customers
400 Credits
Discover Hot Niches with AI Market Research
100 Credits
Create SEO Content That Ranks & Converts
800 Credits
Find Affiliate Offers Up to $500/Sale
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Access a Community of 2.9M+ Members
I have heard this argument before - but what if you don't have a daily Starbucks, don't smoke, don't go to the pub...?
I think in that case there is a great urgency to start earning quickly, and if it doesn't happen, people get discouraged and quit - especially if they pay monthly.
That’s a solid point. My Starbucks example isn’t meant to assume everyone spends that way. It’s meant to show that “I don’t have extra money” is often really “I don’t see what I could trade.”
And yes, if someone is paying monthly, they can feel pressure to earn fast. That’s why I think it’s important to go in with a simple action plan and realistic expectations. The skills are real, but results still take time.
That's why I think the yearly Black Friday offer is such a great deal. It gives people a year to actually achieve some success.
I get you totally. $47 a month just for Premium I think can be off putting for new members nevermind $97 a month for Premium Plus. I suppose I can only justify it with the discount on my annual plan but I do get @TheAmazingMG s point - sacrifices can be made and with the right strategies in place to increase earning potential upgrading to Premium Plus could actually be a good investment.
Absolutely - but it's easier to make sacrifices once you know that the training here and the strategies are working. People in general wouldn't be interested in making extra money if they were already wealthy. So, almost by definition, people who sign up here are in need of money and won't be in a position to spend a lot.