Who doesn’t love easy Starbucks menu hacks that can save you significant money on your next trip. After all, the idea of walking into a Starbucks and shelling out $7 for a milkshake is something many of us dread like the plague. In the past we’ve talked about some practical ways to save money at Starbucks, but today I wanted to dissect their menu and tell you about some cool hacks that’ll save you money on your next coffee order.

Here are the 7 Starbucks menu hacks and secrets worth knowing:

1. Order a “Short” in a Tall Cup

The next time you order a brewed coffee at Starbucks, order a “Short” and ask for it in a “Tall” cup. Your barista will pour your cup about 3/4 full and hand it to you.

Once you top it off with a little creamer or milk, you’ll basically have a Tall cup for the price of a Short.

Also, you can get similar savings by ordering a Tall in a Grande sized cup OR a Grande in a Venti cup.

One more thing, if you’re a Starbucks rewards member your Brewed Coffee and Tea refill is completely FREE when drinking in-store.

See Also: Hack the Starbucks Rewards Program for More Savings

2. Split a Venti Frappuccino to Save Money

A 24 oz. Venti Frappuccino is about the size of a gas can.

When indulging with a friend, order a Venti along with 2 Tall cups (12 oz each) and split it yourself. They won’t do it for you as they’ll end up charging you for 2 Talls.

So politely ask for a couple cups and they’ll happily oblige.

As you can see from the screenshot above, you’ll pay $6.25 for the Venti instead of a ridiculous $10.90 for two Talls.

Both options yield you the same coffee so ALWAYS opt for the Venti and split it and save money.

If you don’t have anyone to split it with then save half of it in the refrigerator and make an iced Frappuccino the next day.

See Also: Starbucks Secret Menu to Help You Save Money (Well, Not Really, It’s Just Fun)

3. Order an Americano for a Cheap Caffeine Fix

If you consider yourself a caffeine junkie and love espresso, order an Americano and get the most bang for your buck.

An Americano is simply hot water poured over two freshly pulled espresso shots.

You can then doctor it with milk and sweetener if you’re looking for more of the traditional coffee taste.

If you want even more caffeine, don’t order an extra shot of espresso for your tall Americano, instead order a “Grande Americano in a tall cup” and get the extra shot cheaper by doing so.

You’ll get 3 shots of espresso, instead of two, and pay less overall.

4. Order a “Pour Over” to Ensure Fresh Coffee

While this Starbucks hack might not save you money, it’s a great tip to ensure the freshest coffee available.

Order a “Pour-Over” and get a freshly ground and brewed cup of coffee instead of something that has been sitting in a hot pot since 5:30 am.

It does take a bit longer, but real coffee aficionados will gladly wait for a fresh cup.

See Also: Want Starbucks Delivered? Here’s How It All Works

5. Order a Cheaper Chai Tea and Make Your Own Latte

For this Starbucks hack to work you’ll need to simply order a Chai Tea (hot water and Tazo tea bag) and add the milk yourself to make a Chai Tea latte.

A Grande latte will run you $3.95 but the water and tea bag will only cost you a little over 2 bucks.

If you really want the steamed milk in your latte, politely ask a barista if they could hook you up. The first 1.5 inches of milk is completely free.

6. Order a French Press when Drinking with Friends

If you’re hitting your local Starbucks with friends, consider ordering a “French Press” and get a a 32 oz to 45 oz (depending on your location) pot of coffee in the $6 to $8 range.

You’ll end up getting your coffee for about half the cost compared to everyone ordering individually.

Update: Many Starbucks locations these days does NOT have a French Press option but it’s still worth asking as they might be able to hook you up with something similar.

7. Additional Menu Hacks:

– Order iced beverages with “Half Ice” or “Light Ice” and get MORE beverage and LESS frozen water.

– Bring in your own mug, or travel tumbler, and Starbucks will give you 10 cents off your next cup of coffee.

– Instead of buying their bottled water, always ask for a cup of water to-go as it’s triple-filtered goodness.

– Consider ordering your next iced tea with “No Water Added” and get it full strength. Otherwise they’ll water that bad boy way down. By getting it full-strength, you can add your own water and get twice as much iced tea for the money.

Ask the Reader: What Starbucks secret menu hacks do you use to save money? Or do you choose to brew at home and forget the whole ruckus?

By Kyle James

Photo by N i c o l a.

Have you ever been shopping and stumbled upon an expensive item that’s stocked incorrectly with something much cheaper? If so, you’ve probably also wondered if the retailer would, or should, honor the cheaper price. It turns out some big-box stores absolutely will honor the cheaper price in certain circumstances. Here are the retailers that have been known to do it, and the details you need to know for each.

Best Buy

Be sure to know the “unwritten” rules at Best Buy when it comes to incorrectly stocked items and asking for the lower price:

– Only One Item Stocked Wrong

If this is the case, depending on the price difference, you may have a tough time making a case for the lower price.

Always bring a sales associate to the shelf and show them the evidence and plead your case that way. Otherwise, it becomes your word vs. theirs at the checkout register and you’re probably gonna lose.

– More Than One Item Stocked Wrong

As a general rule, if there’s more than one of any item in the wrong spot, with a lower price, then you stand a great chance of getting the lower price.

In this case, it’s probably better to take the item to checkout and plead your case when it gets rung up. At that point, an employee can go back and see the stocking error and give you the lower price.

See Also: Get a Job and Save with the Best Buy Employee Discount

– Real Life Examples

Best Buy discounts that people have talked about in various online threads include a $180 speaker set for $79.99, $135 Logitech headset for $29.99, and a $95 Linksys router for $39.99.

When talking about the success rate of this working, I found this comment from a Best Buy employee interesting, “Depends on what store you are at, and how management is feeling that day, it also depends on how you act and how you treat the employees.”

Bottom-line is to be polite and courteous and your chances of success rise significantly.

The Home Depot

Having worked at the Home Depot for a couple years in the paint department, I have personal experience with how they handle items incorrectly stocked.

– Expensive Paint Brush Example

I once had a customer come up to me and tell me he had a question about the paint brushes.

So I follow him over to the brush section and he shows me that a single $30 Purdy paintbrush is incorrectly stocked with a cheaper $7.99 brush.

See Also: 7 Clever Tips to Save a Buck or Two at The Home Depot

– Customer Is Always Right

He then tells me he wants the $7.99 price. I go get an assistant manager and he immediately does a manual price adjustment for the $30 brush and gives it to him for $7.99.

I couldn’t believe it as my gut was telling me the guy planted the brush in order to get a screaming deal.

– Success Rate?

Will this work with any product you find incorrectly stocked at the Home Depot? I really doubt it.

But if it’s a smaller item, and the price difference isn’t astronomical, Home Depot managers are given the green light to make these types of price adjustments.

Target

Target is also known to do price adjustments if you find a mis-stocked item.

– Mislabeled Bed Sheets Example

On this Reddit thread, a commenter said this about Target, “My girlfriend found king sized bed sheets marked at $14 each. At the register that rang up as $45. She showed the manager where they were labeled “$14″ and Target had to sell them at the labeled price. She bought 2 then they pulled them from the shelf.”

I doubt you’ll always be able to buy more than one item that is incorrectly stocked.

See Also: Find a Target Salvage Store Near You and Save Big

Walmart

Here’s what you need to know if you find something incorrectly stocked at Walmart.

– Always Check Bin Pricing

I got a comment recently about mismarked pricing in a large bin.

The deal went like this, “A while back I was at Walmart and I noticed Pillow Pets in a large bin with a Price above of $7.00. I bought one and at checkout they told me it was $19.99 and I told them where I found it and a manager went to look and they gave me the $7.00 price. Went back later and they were gone.”

See Also: How to Find Hidden Walmart Clearance Deals

– Look For Bins With Generic Price Tags

The key for this working at Walmart is to look for bins with a generic price tag on them.

These bins can get neglected by employees and not have their price adjusted when they’re due, providing an opportunity for shoppers.

In these situations, Walmart will almost always give you the lower price if it rings up for a higher price at checkout.

Most of these bins are found toward the front of the store as well as on end-caps and in the center of the large, main aisles.

– Single Item Stocked Wrong Could be Tough

If you only find a single item incorrectly stocked on a shelf, it might be a tough argument as most Walmart stores have items strewn all over the place by the end of the day.

But if you find that the shelf has multiple items incorrectly stocked, often mixed with correctly stocked merchandise, you have an excellent chance of getting the lower price (if applicable) as it’s an obvious stocking error.

IMPORTANT: Before you start walking around stores putting items in the wrong spot in an attempt to get a killer discount, you should know that it’s considered a felony in most states and you’ll be charged with defrauding a retailer.

Ask the Reader: Have you ever been able to get a lower price at a store because they had something stocked in the wrong spot? If so, what store was it and how did the deal go down?

By Kyle James

I absolutely love the secret menu at In-N-Out Burger and order from it regularly. One of the things I have always liked about In-N-Out is how you can customize your order and add some cool things that aren’t on the regular menu. Stuff that has become fast food folklore over the years. I’m lucky enough to have 2 locations in my town which made it EASY to do the painstakingly tasty research to get to the bottom of this secret menu and figure out how the whole thing works.

Below is how their secret menu currently breaks down (by category, in alphabetical order):

Secret Burger Menu:

1 by 4: If cheese is your thing, order a “1 by 4” burger. You’ll get 1 beef patty and 4 slices of American cheese. A better name might be “The Binder”.

2 by 4: Order this bad boy and you’ll get 2 beef patties and 4 slices of cheese. Essentially it’s a Double-Double with double the cheese.

3 by Meat: If cheese ain’t your thing, but meat is, order a “3 by Meat” and get 3 beef patties and no cheese.

3×3: A burger with 3 patties and 3 slices of cheese. Let the magic begin. My son (13) had his first 3×3 last weekend and I was a bit jealous, but knew better.

4×4: 4 patties and 4 slices of cheese. This is the biggest burger you can get at In-N-Out burger. They won’t do a 5×5 or 48×48 any more.

Animal Style Burger: A burger with grilled onions, pickles, extra spread, and a mustard grilled patty.

The spread is a mixture of mayo, ketchup, and sweet pickle relish. You can get any burger “Animal Style” and enjoy the explosion of flavors.

See Also: 5 In-N-Out Burger Money-Saving Menu Hacks Worth Knowing

Animal Style Burger w/ Whole Onion: Thanks to Mrs. T for this one, “Ask for whole-grilled onion on your burger next time you go.

They put a thick slice of onion on the grill and it comes out WAY better than the regular chopped grilled onion. No chance of those little inedible bits of burnt onion that sometimes show up.

My personal favorite way to enjoy this is animal style with whole grilled onion instead.”

Chopped Chilies: Ask for it and get hot yellow peppers (kinda like pepperoncini peppers, but hotter) on your burger, you can also ask for “grilled chilis” if you want them soft and warm.

Cold Cheese Burger: If melted cheese isn’t your thing, ask for “cold cheese” on your burger.

Cut in Half (MONEY SAVER): Splitting a burger? Ask for it “cut in half.” Great for feeding little kids as it’ll save you money and you’ll have less waste.

Double Meat Burger: This one is on the official In-N-Out secret menu page but is a bit of a head scratcher. Isn’t double meat basically a “double double” burger minus the cheese?

Double Single: Order your next burger “double single” and you’ll get 2 beef patties and a single slice of cheese. Then add chopped chilies, chopped onions, and a single slice of tomato. Top it off at the condiment bar with a squeeze of lemon juice on top.

Extra Everything (FRUGAL FAVORITE): When you order your burger with “extra everything” they’ll give you more lettuce, tomato, pickles, and onion at no additional charge.

Extra Salt: If your blood pressure isn’t high-enough already, order extra salt and they’ll sprinkle a little more sodium on your patty for free.

Extra Toast: I love their toasted buns. If you want them a little extra toasty, just order your burger “Extra Toast”.

Fly-Away Burger: Order this if you’re traveling and don’t have time to eat. They’ll wrap your burger (and condiments) in separate packages so you can reheat and assemble when you reach your destination.

Flying Dutchman: 2 slices of melted cheese sandwiched between 2 beef patties. That’s it. Bon Appetit. (Full Breakdown)

Flying Dutchman (Animal Style): The same as above with grilled onion, pickles, and spread on top.

Flying Dutchman Workaround: Since In-N-Out will no longer do anything bigger than a 4×4, a simple workaround is to order a Flying Dutchman with your burger and just add it yourself. Order a Flying Dutchman with your 4×4 and you got yo’self a 6×6.

Grilled Cheese: A burger with cheese without any meat. You can order it with whatever veggies or condiments you want or get it with bread and cheese only.

Medium Rare: Order it if you want a little pink in the middle of your burger patty.

Mustard Grilled Patty: This one is really delicious. They’ll start cooking your patty, spread some mustard on the uncooked side, then flip it and finish cooking it. When you order your burger “Animal Style” they’ll automatically do this for you.

No Salt: They sprinkle salt on your patty while they’re cooking it. If you don’t want any, just say “No Salt”.

No Toast: If you want your bun “un-toasted” you can get that too. You’re crazy as I love the toasted bun…but I won’t judge.

Protein Style: I have gotten this before and it’s actually not bad. It’s basically a burger without the bun. They wrap it all with a couple large leaves of lettuce.

Scooby Snack: For those who have a dog in the car or just just need an extra meat patty, ask for a “Scooby Snack”.

Side-Salad (FRUGAL FAVORITE): If you’re really craving a meat burger, but still want the health benefits of the veggies, order your burger with a “side-salad” and they’ll put the lettuce, tomato, and onions in a separate burger bag for you.

Tomato Style: This is a protein style burger except you swap the lettuce for tomato ends. Thanks to Jeff for filling me in on this one.

Veggie Burger (or Wish Burger): No veggie patties at In-N-Out. Their veggie burger comes with NO patty at all. At least ask for extra tomato or diced chili peppers to spice things up a little.

Well Done: If you prefer your burger to resemble leather, order that sucker “Well done”.

Z Burger: Apparently this is a burger with only the bun, patty, and a slice of cheese (if you’re having a cheeseburger).

See Also: McDonald’s Secret Menu: Mickey D’s in a Whole New Light

Secret In-N-Out Fries Menu

Animal Style Fries: Fries with melted cheese, spread, and grilled onions. My son ordered this the other day and all I could do was sit and stare while he attempted to eat it. Consider ordering it “fry well” as the fries will hold up better and not become a soggy mess.

Word of warning: You’re probably going to need a fork or you’re going to end up wearing it. Also, I would recommend mixing it all together before the cheese starts to coagulate.

“Upside Down” Animal Style Fries: From this Reddit forum, “When ordering Animal Fries, ask for a second paper dish for them and flip them upside down. You can control your cheese and sauce ratio per fry and you won’t end up with a mess all over your hands.” Love it!

Roadkill Fries: This is when you get a Flying Dutchman burger dumped on top of your Animal Style fries. To remind you, a Flying Dutchman is 2 slices of melted cheese sandwiched between 2 beef patties. Pretty extreme stuff right there.

Cheese Fries: Regular fries with melted cheese on top.

Well Done Fries: Order this if you like your french fries crispy.

Extra Well-Done Fries: Really crispy fries, almost potato chip in texture.

Light Fries: If you like your fries a little under-cooked in nature, light fries are for you.

Light-Well Fries: When you order this, the french fries are cooked between regular and well done. This is kinda similar to ordering a steak medium-well.

2-Minute Fries: Ask for these and they’ll cook the fries for 2 short minutes and serve them to you. They’ll be warm, crunchy, and a little raw in the middle.

See Also: The Burger King Secret Menu Will Make You Bow to the King

Secret In-N-Out Drinks & Shakes Menu

FREE Hot Cocoa for Kids: I was driving thru my local In-N-Out the other day and noticed the above sign in the window. They were handing out a free 8oz. cup of hot cocoa to ALL kids 12 and under who politely asked. ONLY available on rainy days. Pretty cool…not sure if all locations do this, but worth asking about.

ANY Soda Float: In-N-Out will happily make you a soda float with a vanilla milkshake combined with the soda of your choice.

Chocolate-Vanilla Swirl: A milkshake made by swirling chocolate and vanilla milkshake together, also known by some employees as a “black & white”.

Lemon-Up: A refreshing combination of equal parts lemonade and 7-Up.

Large Shake: This is a milkshake in the medium sized soda cup.

Large Shake Cut-In-Half (MONEY SAVER): Order this and save money on a milkshake by having them split a large into two separate cups. A lot cheaper then ordering two small milkshakes, and you’ll get close to the same amount.

Extra-Large Shake: This is a milkshake poured into a large soda cup. I’m guessing it comes in at right around 750 calories.

Neapolitan Shake: This is a milkshake made of equal parts vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry milkshake.

Rootbeer Float: This sounds awesome. It’s simply a vanilla milkshake combined with root beer to make heaven on earth.

Tea-ade: A favorite with older generations, this is a mixture of lemonade and iced tea. Also known affectionately as an Arnold Palmer.

See Also: Starbucks Secret Menu to Help You Save Money

Secret Condiments Add-Ons

Onions: You can go nuts with the onions. They’ll serve them to you fresh or grilled and you can ask them to be diced or whole.

You can also get crazy and ask for any combination on your burger, including grilled and fresh. But only do this if you don’t have a date later on.

Pickles: The only time when your burger will come with pickles is when you order it “Animal Style”. If you want pickles, but not all the other stuff that comes with “Animal Style”, simply add them to your burger order for no extra charge.

Spread: If you’re a fan of their spread, which is a mixture of mayo, ketchup, and sweet pickle relish, you can ask for extra when ordering and they’ll throw in a few packets for free. Great for dipping french fries.

Yellow Chili Peppers (Hot): If you like your burger to have some extra kick, ask for chopped chilis on it, or a side of yellow chili peppers and you’ll get a little packet with two peppers in it.

Any other add-ons I might be missing? Let me know in the comments, thanks.

A Few Secret Menu Myths:

Chicken Sandwich: This is the most recant myth that first went viral on TikTok. While this would definitely be AWESOME, the company has vehemently denied it’s existence.

Monkey Style: This is getting animal style fries in the middle of your burger. Doesn’t exist. Feel free to do it yourself though.

Piggy Style: A slice of bacon on your burger. Doesn’t exist, but I sure wish it did as it sounds delicious.

Avocado Burger: You’ll never find an avocado anywhere near an In-N-Out location.

Okay, I am really hungry now. Currently you can only find In-N-Out Burger locations in these 7 states: California, Oregon, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Colorado, and Texas.

If you live in a state that doesn’t have a location, I found a really cool article and recipe on how to make your own double-double (animal style) at home.

Give it a try and I guarantee you’ll be a believer.

Ask the Reader: Do you have any new info on the In-N-Out Burger secret menu that I don’t have listed here? Or maybe you have first hand knowledge correcting something I have wrong?

Let me know in the comments section below so I can look into. Let’s make this the go-to article for In-N-Out fans.

By Kyle James