Whether you’re craving one of Starbucks delicious coffees, teas, or bakery treats, they have a wide variety of regular and secret menu items that are yummy. But did you know they have a hot drink that’ll actually help you out when you’re under the weather with a nasty cold? Enter the Starbucks Medicine Ball. From helping fight off colds to providing customers with a kick of caffeine to go about their day, the Medicine Ball drink at Starbucks is a tasty beverage with some great side-benefits. Read on to learn how to order this mysterious hot drink and what the actual ingredients are.

What Exactly is the Medicine Ball?

The Medicine Ball drink at Starbucks is made of Jade Citrus Mint Green Tea, Peach Tranquility Herbal Tea, hot water, steamed lemonade, and a bit of honey.

Is It On the Regular or “Secret” Menu?

The Medicine ball drink used to be a part of Starbucks secret menu.

However, due to the popularity of this secret menu item, this drink is now part of the regular menu as the Honey Citrus Mint Tea, under their Green tea menu category.

See Also: 7 Starbucks Menu “Hacks” Guaranteed To Save You Money

What Are the Other Names For the Medicine Ball?

Honey Citrus Mint Tea.

Today, the Medicine Ball drink at Starbucks is on the regular menu and is referred to as the “Honey Citrus Mint Tea”.

Another name for the drink is the Starbucks Coldbuster, and some baristas, especially those that’ve been around for awhile, will know it best by this name.

What are the Health Benefits?

The Medicine Ball drink, otherwise known as Starbucks Coldbuster, is popular for, as the name suggests, warding off a cold.

The mint in the tea is supposed to help open up your nasal passages and clear your sinuses.

Therefore, if you’re ever feeling a bit under the weather, consider getting the Honey Citrus Mint Tea at Starbucks.

Here is a breakdown of how the different Honey Citrus Mint Tea (aka Medicine Ball drink) ingredients can help you ward off a nasty cold:

Jade Citrus Mint Green Tea: Has many life-saving benefits from helping to detox the body while helping fight chest congestion, cough, and sore throat.

Peach Tranquility Herbal Tea: Rich in antioxidants, helps with detoxification and is overall great for your immune system.

Lemonade: Lemonade helps boost the immune system and provides a great daily supply of Vitamin C.

Honey: Helps serve as a cough suppressant.

But…keep in mind that if you are REALLY sick, following the advice of this Barista, and take your “germs back home” and go see your doctor.

Do Baristas Know it By Name?

Yes.

Because the Honey Citrus Mint Tea (formerly known as the Medicine Ball drink while on the secret menu) is now part of the regular menu, baristas will know your order by name.

If you refer to the drink as the “Medicine Ball” drink, some more experienced Starbucks baristas may know what you are referring to.

If not, ask for the “Honey Citrus Mint Tea”.

What Are the Nutritional Facts and Calories?

The Honey Citrus Mint Tea is an extremely healthy drink that is a great beverage to help fight off a nasty cold.

The drink contains about 130 calories (this may change depending on size and any customizations).

Here is a brief breakdown of a Grande-sized Medicine Ball drink’s nutritional facts:

• 130 calories
• Total fat: 0 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg
• Sodium: 10 mg
• Total carbohydrates: 32 g
• Protein: 0 g
• Caffeine: 16 mg
• Sugars: 30 g

Being just 130 calories and having zero grams of fat, the Honey Citrus Mint tea drink is one of the healthier Starbucks drinks that can give you a kick of energy while fighting off any nasty cold symptoms.

See Also: 8 No-Brainer Ways to Save Money at Your Local Starbucks

Does the Medicine Ball Have Caffeine?

Yes.

The Medicine Ball Starbucks drink does indeed have a little caffeine in it.

In a Grande (16-ounce) Starbucks drink size, you can expect there to be about 16mg of caffeine.

For reference, a 16-ounce coffee has about 190mg of caffeine.

What Is the Price of Medicine Ball?

While all Starbucks’s item prices will vary depending on the location, you can expect to pay about the following Medicine ball drink prices:

• Short drink price: $3.15
• Tall drink price: $3.25
• Grande drink price: $3.75
• Venti drink price: $4.25

Ask the Reader: Have you ever ordered a Medicine Ball at Starbucks or made one at home? Did it seem to help with your cold?

By Kyle James

My daughter and I love shopping at Hobby Lobby together, we have fun looking for really cool ways to decorate the house and especially her room. Over the years we’ve noticed some trends in the Hobby Lobby sale schedule, including the products that ALWAYS seem to be on sale. From seasonal sales to holiday event sales and even daily sales (except on Sundays when Hobby Lobby stores are closed), customers are sure to cash in on some major savings. In this article, you’ll learn all about the various Hobby Lobby sale schedules to keep on your radar so you’ll know when to shop and save. Hopefully you’ll never pay full price at Hobby Lobby again.

What’s the Hobby Lobby Sale Calendar?

Hobby Lobby runs a series of sale events from daily sales, seasonal event sales, and holiday sales.

Here are the sale event schedules for the seasonal and holiday event sales at Hobby Lobby.

Hobby Lobby’s holiday sale schedule includes the following:

• Valentine’s Day- 40% off: Starts mid to late January and lasts a couple days after February 14th.
• St. Patrick’s Day- 30-50% off: Starts in early February and lasts until March 24th.
• Easter crafts and party décor- 40%-80% off: Starts last week of February to the week after Easter.
• 4th of July- 30% off: Starts in mid-June and ends on the 5th of July.
• Halloween décor- 40% off: Starts the last week of September and runs through the end of October.
• Christmas crafts & gift wrap- 40%-66% off: Starts mid-August and lasts until the end of December.
• New Year’s party décor- 40%-80%: Starts mid-November until the first week of January.

See Also: Hobby Lobby Return Policy: Here’s How It Works + Hacks to Save

Hobby Lobby’s seasonal sale schedule includes the following:

• Fall Décor (1st period) – 40% off: Starts mid-July to the end of October.
• Fall Décor (2nd period) – 50% off: Starts the first two weeks of November.
• Fall Décor (3rd period) – 80% off: Starts the last two weeks of November.
• Fall Décor (4th period) – 50% off on tableware: Starts the last two weeks of November.

 

• Spring Décor (1st period) – 40% off: Starts the end of December to May.
• Spring Décor (2nd period) – 50% off: Starts the end of May to mid-June.
• Spring Décor (3rd period) – 66% off: Starts mid-June to the first week of July.

 

• Summer Décor (1st period) – 40% off: Starts February to May.
• Summer Décor (2nd period) – 50% off: Starts the end of May to mid-June.
• Summer Décor (3rd period) – 66% off: Starts in mid-June to the first week of July.

We will add to this list as we learn more.

What Type of “Percentage Off” Can We Expect?

Most sale items are at least 30% off.

Depending on the specific time of year or day, you can often expect to save anywhere from 30%-50% off items, item dependent of course.

Are Some Items Always on Sale at Hobby Lobby?

Yes.

Items like furniture, custom framing, books, and wearable art are always on sale.

Here is the discount breakdown to expect for these sale items at Hobby Lobby:

• Furniture: 30% off
• Fabric: 30% off
• Frames and photo albums: 50% off
• Popular Books: 40-50% off
• Party Supplies: 50% off

Never pay full price at Hobby Lobby if you can avoid it.

See Also: Hobby Lobby Hours: Here’s When They Open & Close

When Does Fabric Go On Sale?

Fabrics like home décor fabrics, fleece, and outdoor fabrics are on sale every day of the week.

Therefore, expect a 30% discount on fabrics the next time your shop at Hobby Lobby.

When Does Yarn Go On Sale?

My mom LOVES to crochet and make scarves for the entire family.

So much so that I have enough scarves to wear a different one each day of winter, or so it feels.

So when writing this article, I asked her where she buys her yarn, and she said, “Only when it’s on sale at Hobby Lobby”.

I then asked her how she knows when it’s on sale, and she said, “from following my friends at r/Crochet on Reddit“.

She said members always “drop the knowledge” on when yarn is about to go on sale and their insider tips save her 75%.

On a side-note, I still can’t believe my mom has the Reddit app on her iPhone, but it’s obviously saving her money, so more power to her.

Is There a Seasonal Sale Schedule? What Holidays?

Yes.

Hobby Lobby does have both a seasonal sale schedule and a holiday sale schedule where you can expect big savings as listed earlier in this article.

The 7 Holidays where you can expect big savings at Hobby Lobby include the following:

• Valentine’s Day
• St. Patrick’s Day
• Easter
• 4th of July
• Halloween
• Christmas
• New Year’s Day

Post-Christmas sales are some of the best in terms of overall savings.

See Also: Learn the Hobby Lobby Employee Discount and Job Perks

Is After-Christmas the Best Time to Shop for Xmas Décor?

Yes.

Hobby Lobby runs a series of Christmas clearance schedule sales where the after-Christmas sales are greater than leading up to Christmas.

Therefore, the best time to shop for Christmas décor is after Christmas.

Here are the Christmas clearance schedule sales to expect at Hobby Lobby:

• Begins December 13th – 66% off.
• Begins December 21st – 80% off.
• Begins January 5th – 90% off.

While the clearance items may be a little picked over by January 5th, the savings is incredible as the stuff is practically free.

Can Shoppers use a Hobby Lobby Coupon with Sale Items?

No.

Unfortunately, you cannot use a Hobby Lobby coupon with sale items.

This is because their coupons have restrictions and they can ONLY be used on regular-price items.

To access their current coupons, check out this page and look for a coupon attached to their weekly ad.

Ask the Reader: How do you save money at Hobby Lobby? Do you know something about their sale schedule that I missed?

By Kyle James

I was surprised to learn that Walgreens is the 2nd largest pharmacy in the United States. With the large assortment of items you can purchase at Walgreens, I was curious if it was just as convenient when it comes to payment methods, specifically, does Walgreen take Apple Pay? Apple Pay’s popularity has risen steadily since it was first introduced back in 2014. Today, many (but not all) stores offer Apple Pay as a quick and easy way to pay, so I was interested in learning if Walgreens also provided the payment option to their customers. Here’s everything you need to know and even earn some cash back along the way.

Does Walgreens Accept Apple Pay?

Yes.

Walgreens accepts Apple Pay both online and in-stores.

How Exactly Does It Work?

You can use Apple Pay at Walgreens by following the steps below.

For in-store Walgreens purchases made with Apple Pay:

1. Navigate to your Apple Wallet.

2. Tap Default Card: Select the card you want to pay with (default or pick a different card in your wallet).

3. Double-click the side button on your iPhone to activate Apple Pay.

4. Hold your phone over the contactless reader to complete the payment.

5. You’ll know the purchase has gone through as your device will say “Done” or vibrate.

See Also: Walgreens Return Policy: Make Your Next Return Easy

Can I Use Apple Pay via Walgreens.com?

Yes…sort of.

You CAN use Apple Pay on the Walgreens app, but NOT on Walgreens.com.

When you’re shopping via the app, you’ll see the “Buy with Apple Pay” button on the product page of EVERY eligible item.

Just tap that button and follow the on-screen instructions.

Can I Use Apple Pay at the Walgreens Pharmacy?

Yes.

You can use Apple Pay at a Walgreens pharmacy.

You’ll be given the SAME contactless payment reader to complete your purchase.

How About the Pharmacy Drive-Thru?

Yes.

You can also use Apple Pay at the Walgreens pharmacy drive-thru.

See Also: Walmart Doesn’t Take Apple Pay…But Here’s a Clever Workaround

Can I Use It With the “myWalgreens” Rewards Program?

Yes.

You can use Apple Pay with the “myWalgreens” Rewards Program.

To do so, follow these simple steps:

1. Sign up for the MyWalgreens Rewards Program if you aren’t already signed up.

2. In the Walgreens app, sign in to your rewards account.

3. Open up the Walgreens Balance Rewards Card that is on the Walgreens app.

4. Add the card to your Apple Wallet to earn rewards every time you shop at Walgreens.

Can I Use My Apple Watch to Pay?

Yes.

You can use your Apple Watch to pay using Apple Pay at Walgreens.

Follow these instructions to pay with your Apple Watch at Walgreens:

1. Double-click the side button.

2. Your default card will automatically open. If you want to select another card, scroll down.

3. Then, hover your Apple Watch over the contactless reader. You should feel a gentle tap, hear a beep, and see “Done” on your watch display.

See Also: Amazon Pharmacy: 15 Must-Knows to Save Money

Can I Get Cashback When I Use Apple Pay?

Yes.

You can get 3% cash back on all Apple Pay purchases at Walgreens.

Therefore, this is just another incentive to use Apple Pay at Walgreens to essentially earn money back with your purchases.

Of note, Walgreens is the only retail pharmacy that offers 3% cash back when you pay using your Apple Card via Apple Pay.

Most other stores offer about 2% cash back when you pay using Apple Pay.

What Other Forms of Payment Does Walgreens Accept?

Besides Apple Pay, Walgreens accepts various forms of payment options, such as:

• Cash
• Check
• Gift Card
• Debit Card
• Visa
• MasterCard
• Discover Network
• American Express
• CareCredit

You can also pay with PayPal and PayPal Credit when making online Walgreens purchases.

Ask the Reader: Have you ever had trouble using Apple Pay at Walgreens? If so, what went wrong?

By Kyle James

Photo credit to Mike Mozart