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The cost of a habit

Pick a daily spend and a time horizon. See the total you'd spend — and what it could become if invested instead.

The cost of a habit
What a daily spend costs vs. investing it instead
Years10
£
Total spent
£12,775
over 10 years
If invested
£18,416
at ~7%/yr
Spending £4/day adds up to £12,775 in 10 years — or £18,416 if invested.
The idea

Small daily spends, big long-term numbers

A few pounds a day feels trivial — but multiplied by 365 and compounded over decades, it becomes a number that surprises people. This projects the total you'd spend on a habit and compares it to the same money invested at market returns.

The point isn't guilt about coffee. It's the opportunity cost of any recurring spend, so you can decide what's actually worth it.

FAQ

What you're probably wondering

We multiply the daily spend by 365 and by the years chosen. The "if invested" figure puts the equivalent monthly amount into the market at roughly 7% a year.
Yes. Though we show examples (coffee, lunch, cigarettes), you can enter any daily spend.
Not at all. It's about the opportunity cost of any recurring spend — useful for perspective, not guilt.
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