My friend said working from a cafe is just paying for rent with coffee, and it stuck with me.

We were at a spot in Portland and he pointed out I'd spent over $60 that week on lattes and pastries. He argued that for that money, I could just rent a proper coworking space. But I get my best focus in the buzz of a coffee shop. Has anyone else done the math and still picked the cafe?

3 comments

3 Comments

seth_carr3mo ago

Ever check if the cafe buzz is actually helping you work, or is it just a nice place to be?

the_felix3mo ago

Honestly your friend is totally right about the math. That's a lot of cash for some background noise. The_julia says coworking spaces are too quiet, but most of them have different areas, some with a cafe vibe. You could find one with a bit of buzz and still have a real desk and free coffee. Paying cafe prices every day just to focus seems like a bad deal when you could have a set spot for less. Tbh the coffee shop thing feels more like a treat than a smart work plan.

the_julia3mo ago

Your friend has a point about the money, but I used to think the same until I tried a coworking space. It was so quiet it felt like a library and I got nothing done. The cafe buzz is worth the price of coffee.