Average American Worker Spends Nearly $1,100/Year On Coffee

Some say that coffee is the fuel that keeps the American workforce moving forward. And it’s a fuel that comes with a hefty price tag, as a new study shows that the average member of the American workforce spends almost as much on coffee every year as they do on commuting to and from their job.

According to Accounting Principals’ latest Workonomix survey, the average American worker is shelling out more than $20 a week on coffee, for a yearly average of $1,092. Whereas commuting costs for the average worker come out to around $1,476 per year. And when you consider the volume of your typical coffee drink versus a gallon of gasoline, it looks like we place a higher value on our java jolt than we do on the 87 octane in our gas tanks.

The younger whippersnappers (ages 18-34) in the office are paying almost about $10 more per week on coffee than their 45-and-older counterparts ($24.74 vs. $14.15, respectively).

Another huge expense for the American worker is lunch, with 66% of the workforce opting to buy their midday meal rather than pack one. This comes at an average cost of around $37/week, making it significantly more expensive than commuting or coffee.

However, with times still being tough, 35% of the survey respondents told Accounting Principals that they have made it a goal to start packing lunch this year to save money.

And, perhaps not surprisingly, that 18-34 age group is paying a lot more for lunch than the 45+ set ($44.78 vs. $31.80, respectively).

Worth mentioning here is that, when asked what they thought their biggest work week expense was in the last year, 42% of respondents thought it would be commuting costs, and only 11% chose lunch expenses.

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