Discover how daily small spending habits compound to massive opportunity costs over time. See what your daily coffee, takeout, or subscriptions could become if invested instead.
Daily Micro-Spending
Add up your daily small expenses
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Investment Value After
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Total Spent
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Daily Spending
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Monthly Spending
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Annual Spending
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Opportunity Cost
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FAQ
What is the Latte Factor?
The Latte Factor is a concept by David Bach describing how small daily expenditures add up to enormous sums over time through compounding. A $5/day coffee becomes ~$93,000 over 30 years if invested at 10% instead of spent.
Is cutting small expenses really meaningful?
The coffee itself isn't the point — it's the mindfulness. The principle shows that consistent small habits (good or bad) compound dramatically over decades. The real insight: building automatic investing habits with amounts you won't miss.
What is the opportunity cost of spending?
Opportunity cost is what you give up by spending money instead of investing it. Every $100 spent today is $1,745 in 30 years at 10% returns. Knowing the true cost helps make intentional spending decisions.
Should I stop buying coffee?
That's up to you! The goal of this calculator is awareness, not deprivation. Cut expenses that don't bring you joy, invest the difference. Keep expenses that genuinely improve your quality of life — that's what money is for.