The Problem Nobody Talks About
We all know the advice: "Stop buying lattes and you'll be rich!" It's become a bit of a meme at this point. But here's the thing — there's actually some truth buried in there, just wrapped in the wrong message.
The issue isn't that you're a bad person for buying coffee. The issue is that our brains are terrible at understanding compound growth. When you see a $5 latte, you think "$5." Your brain doesn't automatically calculate what that money could become over time.
Here's what $5/day actually looks like over 30 years:
At a modest 7% return, that daily latte habit costs you roughly $170,000 in future value. Not $5. Not $1,825/year. A hundred and seventy thousand dollars.
And no, we're not here to shame you about coffee. Sometimes the latte is worth it! The point is: you should know what you're trading before you decide.
Enter BeBetter
We built a tiny tool that makes this invisible cost... visible. In about 3 seconds.
Here's how it works:
Snap a photo
Point your phone at whatever you're about to buy. A latte, a jacket, those AirPods you don't really need.
AI figures out the price
The app recognizes the item and estimates what it costs. (You can adjust it if it's off.)
See your future self's opinion
Get the real cost — what that money could become — expressed in today's dollars, so it actually means something.
The "Today's Dollars" Thing
This is the part most "future value" calculators get wrong.
If I tell you "$5 becomes $38 in 30 years," that sounds impressive... until you remember that $38 in 2056 probably buys about as much as $15 does today. Inflation makes future numbers feel fake.
BeBetter does the math properly. It shows you:
- The raw future value (compound interest over your time horizon)
- That number adjusted for inflation — what it's actually worth in purchasing power you understand
It's not life-changing money for a single purchase. But now multiply that by every impulse buy you make in a week. A month. A year. It adds up fast.
It's Not About Deprivation
Look, we're not trying to turn you into a miserable penny-pincher who never enjoys anything. Life's short. Sometimes the fancy coffee is exactly what you need.
But there's a difference between choosing to spend and spending mindlessly. BeBetter just gives you the information. What you do with it is entirely up to you.
Buy the latte anyway? Great — at least you made an informed choice. Skip it and feel good about future-you? Also great. Either way, you're in control.
For terminal lovers: We're also working on npx bebetter for those who prefer the command line. Coming soon.
The Math Behind It
If you're curious about how the numbers work:
- Compound interest: FV = PV × (1 + r)^n where r = expected return rate, n = years
- Inflation adjustment: We divide by (1 + i)^n to get today's purchasing power
- Default assumptions: 7% annual return (historical S&P average), 3% inflation, 30-year horizon (all adjustable)
Nothing fancy — just math that's easy to forget when you're standing in line at Starbucks.
Give it a try. And maybe next time you're about to tap your card, you'll at least know what you're trading away.