How to Save $557.67 at McDonald’s This Year

Feb 28

In my experience, many people don’t believe that saving a few dollars here and there really can add up to big dollars. They overlook the power of saving pennies and dollars.

So, we don’t organize our efforts to save bank.

Even small efforts can generate Big results!

I save big money. And if I can, You Can Too!

If you’ve been following Budget and Grow Rich® for any period of time, you know that I’m a big fan of McDonald’s Iced Coffee.

You can find two earlier blog posts and get the ‘cool beans’ (sorry) here and here.

For most of 2022, 2023 and 2024 and at least in early 2025, McDonald’s offered a deal on iced coffee:

Members of the McDonald’s Loyalty Program could order one coffee, any size, once a day with the McDonald’s App for 99₵.

And that includes my very favorite, McDonald’s Iced Coffee. And the large one too which contains 32 ounces.

It’s the best deal in town!

In 2024, I spent a total of $849.69 at McDonald’s.

While $849.69 is a lot less than I would have spent at Starbucks, $849.69 is still a lot of money.

Crazy I know.

This illustrates how penny ante spending adds up to big money.

That was my gross spend for the year. I pulled this amount from my American Express credit card annual summary.

I use this particular credit card at US restaurants because I receive a 3% statement credit on my restaurant spending – cash back.

And please note, I checked my American Express credit card annual summary only because I was writing this blog post and wanted to be accurate.

Although, I have to say that seeing how much I spent was interesting and frankly enlightening.

Here’s how I saved $557.67 at McDonald’s and You Can Too!

Insights & Recommendations

It can be eye-opening to add up your daily ‘here and there’ spending and see how much we actually spend on ‘stuff’! Amazing really. Give it a shot. Or just take my word for it!
Even spending on low ticket items adds up. I spent $849.69 at McDonald’s in 2024. That’s a lot of money.
Arrange your purchasing habits to save money. Often, you can save BIG Money!
Download the McDonald’s App today.
And if you fancy Starbucks, download the Starbucks App. And any other establishments’ Apps too.
Be sure to order your McDonald’s coffee and food via the App, Every Time! You’ll earn discounts on McDonald’s coffee and McDonald’s food. In addition, you’ll earn McDonald’s loyalty rewards points all year ‘round which you can redeem for free food and drinks. I typically redeem my McDonald’s Loyalty Points for free iced coffee. But truth be told, every once in a while I do sneak in a McDonald’s cheeseburger. Shhh!
Take advantage of discounts whenever you can.
But don’t buy just because of the discount.
With the McDonald’s App and buying large iced coffee for 99₵ instead of for $2.89, during the year I saved $456.00. ($2.89 minus 99₵ multiplied by 240 cups of iced coffee). The Drive Thru is on my way to the office – it’s too convenient. In fact, the McDonald’s crew members know my order by heart at this point.
Apply for a credit card which gives you cash back on US Restaurant Purchases. I have an ‘American Express Open Plus’ card, which gives me statement credits equal to 3% of my spending at US Restaurants. With my American Express credit card, I saved an additional $25.49. And remember, the $25.49 is automatic savings because I set my McDonald’s App to pay with my American Express Card. I also use the American Express Open Plus credit card for my Starbucks App auto reload.
If you compare the cost of McDonald’s iced coffee to for example Starbucks, you would Save a Lot More than $557.67. By buying McDonald’s iced coffee or any McDonald’s coffee for that matter as compared to Starbucks coffee, you would have saved a Lot More Money.
Sales Tax: last year, I paid an estimated $55.59 ($849.69 minus $794.10) in sales taxes on my McDonald’s purchases. I think that many people underestimate how much money they pay – leakage – money they lose in sales tax when they buy things. In most states, there is no sales tax on food that you purchase from supermarkets. So, by brewing your coffee at home and cooking your meals at home you can save bank!
Regarding sales tax, when you make purchases that are subject to sales tax and capture a discount, you save even more money – the difference in cost (the discount) multiplied by the sales tax rate.
While we’re at it, it’s also worthwhile to note that if I had made my iced coffee or any other coffee at home I would have saved double or triple the money!
And I purchase the large iced coffee which contains 32 ounces. Sometimes I drink half today and half the day after. But I don’t mind weaker coffee when the ice melts.
And there are almost always other ways to spend less by reorganizing your buying behavior and purchasing habits and shopping around. Instead, if you brew your coffee at home, you can save even more money. But that might not be so much fun. . . Or you can buy coffee at a coffee house sometimes and make some at home sometimes. Or purchase coffee at McDonald’s, Starbucks® or their cousins every other day or a few times a week instead of every day!

We crafted this blog post to show you how to save nice money at McDonald’s and other retailers but also to illustrate that saving a dollar here and a dollar there can add up to big savings.

To Create Even More Free Cash and Save More Money Every Day – click here.

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I’ve included the math calculations below…to illustrate how the savings add up. If that interests you (or you’re an accountant-type like me – HA!), scroll down to grab the ‘Behind the Numbers’! If you don’t, I Won’t be insulted! I promise.

See you next week.

Arthur V.

P.S. To Create Even More Free Cash and Save More Money Every Day – click here.

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The Math:

Let’s look at how much I saved on McDonald’s coffee in 2024.
If memory serves, during 2022 to 2024, McDonald’s charged $1.99 during the beginning part of the year; then $2.49; and then $3.29. These prices are before adding sales taxes.
Let’s average $2.49 and $3.29 to estimate the cost of my McDonald’s iced coffee: ($2.49 + $3.29) divided by 2 equals $2.89.
That means on average, each time I purchased a McDonald’s iced coffee with the McDonald’s App for 99₵ I saved approximately $1.90 ($2.89 minus $0.99 = $1.90).
I purchased roughly 240 McDonald’s iced coffees during the year. If the retail price was $2.89 and I paid 99₵, I saved $1.90 each time ($2.89 minus 99₵). In total, I saved $456 – that’s $1.90 multiplied by 240 cups of iced coffee).
My Annual McDonald’s Spend: $849.69, which I retrieved from my American Express credit card annual summary.
Sales Tax: But we have to reduce the gross spending amount for Sales Tax. In my area, the county charges 7% sales tax. If we divide $849.69 by 1.07 (that’s 100% plus 7% sales tax rate), the net spend on coffee and food was $794.10.
While I’m reluctant to admit it, now and again, I do purchase a McDonald’s breakfast sandwich, cheeseburger or a Big Mac®. I also like McDonald’s biscuits although I don’t add the butter or grape jelly.
Based on my American Express annual summary, I purchased at least 240 McDonald’s Iced Coffees last year.
At that time, McDonald’s gave McDonald’s Loyalty Program members 100 points per dollar spent. Based on spending of $794.10, they gave me 79,410 loyalty points.
At that time, a McDonald’s large iced coffee ‘costs’ 3,000 points.
With 79,410 loyalty points in hand, I could redeem 26.47 McDonald’s large iced coffees: 79,410 divided by 3,000 points per iced coffee.
At an average price of $2.89, if I received 26.47 McDonald’s large iced coffees, I would have received value – savings – equal to $76.50. Of course, we can’t by a fractional coffee, but you get the idea.
With my American Express Open Plus credit card, I saved 3% on US Restaurant spending. That’s savings of $25.49 ($849.69 multiplied by 3% or 0.03).
Total savings equaled $557.67; which is the sum of $455.68 + $76.50 + $25.49.
And if we add in the 7% sales tax saved by purchasing the McDonald’s iced coffee at 99₵ instead of $2.89, you would save more.
And there’s almost always another way to spend less by reorganizing your buying behavior and purchasing habits and shopping around. Instead, if you brew your coffee at home, you can save even more money. But that might not be so much fun. . . Or you can buy coffee at a coffee house sometimes and make some at home sometimes. I purchase the large iced coffee which contains 32 ounces and sometimes I drink half one day and half the next day; but I don’t mind if the ice melts and the coffee is a bit weaker. Or purchase coffee at McDonald’s, Starbucks® or their cousins every other day or a few times a week instead of every day!

And there you have it!

That’s how You can save bank at McDonald’s this year.

P.S. To Create Even More Free Cash and Save More Money Every Day – click here.

Disclaimer: OH and Please Remember, we are Not financial advisors, financial planners, attorneys or accountants and are Not providing any specific financial, tax or legal advice here. Be sure to conduct your own due diligence and consult your own professional advisors to get sound professional advice that’s specific to your financial and personal circumstances, risk tolerance, time horizon and investment goals and objectives among other key factors!