People who complain about starbucks costing too much are usually the ones who buy a venti (insert obnoxious cold vaguely espresso containing beverage).

When I get starbucks, which is rare nowadays since I have both an espresso machine and a normal drip coffee maker, I usually get a short or tall at best latte, or even a tall drip coffee - the cheapest of the three. I also almost always bring in my own cup which is an additional 10 cents off - if you get a lot of coffee this ends up saving you a lot.

You don't need all that much liquid and most of it is empty calories from sugar - that you are paying many times the actual value for. Sugar is super cheap and so are the artificial flavours and colours they put into the rubbish drinks.

That's why I am a supporter of, as Dennis Leary said, coffee flavoured coffee.