Stages of a Starbucks gift card

I got a $25 Starbucks gift card for gambling at www.enjoytheriderewards.com The nice thing is I was gambling with points for watching videos and taking polls. Can't beat that.

Every time I receive a gift card to Starbucks the following stages always take place. The length of each stage varies depending on how much the card is worth.

I waited in anticipation for that card like you wouldn't believe. I checked the mail everyday, hoping that today would be the day Dave (my mailman) put my little piece of plastic happiness in our mailbox. Stage one began the day after it arrived. Stage one involves being so excited about the giftcard that you drive 4 miles out of your way to immediately go use it. It also involves sharing the coffee goodness with everyone, even your two year old daughter. Drinks for everyone! Yippee!

During stage two you get a little more greedy. No more drinks for the toddler. "Addison you can have water in a special cup with a lid and a straw! Won't that be fun?!" You might order a tall drink instead of a grande to make it go a little farther.

When stage three comes around you start to think "hmm..I better watch my calories. Three drinks in three days is kind of a lot" and order a non-fat, sugar free vanilla latte instead of a caramel macchiato. It's not nearly as good, but still better than drip coffee at home.

Stage four is a bit of a downer. It's when you look at your receipt and see that you only have $4__ left on the card. Time to make a choice: one espresso drink for one more trip or two regular coffees spread out into two trips? One really satisfying last hurrah or two delicious, yet semi-satisfying cups of coffee? It's a toss up.

Stage five is just downright depressing. It's when Starbucks sounds really good and you think about making a trip, and then realize that your gift card is all used up. Sometimes you dig around in your wallet or in your husband's change jar. Other times you sigh, turn on your own coffee maker, and long for your birthday, when another Starbucks gift card will make trips to Target, the park, church, work, and just about any other place that much more exciting.

Note: The stages are exactly the same with a Caribou Coffee gift card.