I am marking today’s date, January 14th 2008, as the official beginning of the recession.  I’m certain it is because just a little while ago I was headed to Starbucks to buy some coffee for the office and just when I would have turned left to go into the SBUX lot I turned right instead and went into Savemart - yes, you heard me right: Savemart.  I decided I would buy some Folgers instead.

Gosh, how long has it been since I have bought Folgers?  So long I didnt even recognize their new packaging.  I remember a metal can; now its plastic.  I remember buying it by the lb; now they sell it by the ounce.   It was $4.95 for around 11 ounces so I did something I have NEVER done before: I pulled up the calculator on my cell phone and used it for the very first time to compare the price per oz of Folgers against the whole beans that are sold in the store and found the price to be the same.  I opted for the whole beans.  Price: 44 cents per lb; as compared to SBUX price of 75 cents per lb.

Ok, here’s the great part, I took them back to the office and ground them in my SBUX burr grinder and then smelled them: YUM.  Next I brewed them in SBUX coffee pot and I can honestly tell you that I cant tell the difference between these beens and SBUX beans.  But then again, we all know that SBUX isnt selling us coffee, they are selling us a lifestyle–  and I gotta tell you folks, I already miss it.  I love getting my bag of SBUX and complimentary cup of coffee, I’m just not doing it until this recession ends!

© Randy "Lazarus" McAtee
   Owner / Broker Lazarus Realty