Most of us know how much we earn in a year. Most of know how much we earn in a week. Most also know how much we earn in a day and roughly per hour. But how many of us track our spending that way? Only when it comes to financing something or donating to charity do most people actually break up spending into different units.

I don’t care how much you like your sugar and caffeine, this doesn’t beat the beach.

One $2 cup of coffee per day is $14/week, $60/month, and $712/year. Still, that’s not a whole lot to be spread out over a year, but think of what an extra $712 in the bank would represent. Wouldn’t you like to win $712? God forbid you actually buy coffee at Starbucks and spend $4-8/cup. Just think, each time you decide not to buy that extra cup of coffee, you are accumulating a $1000 prize at the end. Doesn’t that make it worth it? It’s not just “two bucks.” It’s a spending habit that can lead to large amounts in the future.

How about a vacation? You can vacation for a week in most parts of United States for $2000 or less. That’s a whopping $167/mo. Or $38.46/week. Or $5.62/day. Can you save six buck per day for an extra vacation every year? Can you trade a Starbucks coffee, or a slightly less expensive dinner each night, for a lovely week on the beach (or skiing, or wine tasting, or whatever it is you like to do?) I’m sure you can.

Making spending and saving decisions become much easier when put in perspective. If you want to match it to your income, you can think about how many hours you must work for each purchase. How much time and effort do you put in for that coffee? How much time and effort do you put in for vacation. Is it worth the minutes?

Think about it next time. Money is money. Coffee vs Vacation. Put it in perspective and you’ll find your life and your bank account a lot richer.