As I walked into the office one day not too long ago, “the snarky one” called me out.

“What's that in your hand?” my colleague asked, pointing to my Starbucks cup. “Tea,” I replied. “You have a Starbucks problem,” she said. “I never see you without that cup. It's like it's glued to your hand.”

I tried to deny it, but the snarky one insisted I was simply in the denial phase of my addiction. It wasn't until another friend handed me a Starbucks gift card with $2 left on it and said, “You need this more than I do,” that I realized the truth:

I am a Starbucks addict.

Some mornings I can't get started without a stop at Starbucks. Some days, I'll go back for a second caffeine fix.

At about $2 a cup, my tea habit is cheap compared to friends who are hooked on $3 lattes, frappuccinos and macchiatos. But it can still add up to a nice chunk of change, especially if I mix in a coffee light frappuccino or a nonfat, no-whip white chocolate mocha every now and then.

Stopping for a $2 tea every workday adds up to $10 a week or $520 a year — enough to cover a couple of car payments, almost a month of rent, a designer handbag or a nice weekend getaway.

Stopping for a $3 latte every day would cost about $15 a week or nearly $800 a year — enough for a plane ticket to Hawaii, a couple of nights at the Hyatt Grand in Manhattan or a shiny, new flat screen TV.

As much as I've grown to love Starbucks, I know I've got to get my habit under control. There are too many other things I'd rather spend my money on.

Thankfully, there are lots of ways to do cut down on my Starbucks spending without having cut myself off.

If you've got the concept of self-control under control, limit the number of times you'll allow yourself to visit Starbucks. If that won't work, try giving yourself a Starbucks allowance. Buy yourself a gift card worth as much as you're willing to spend on Starbucks in a month. When the card runs out of cash, stop going to Starbucks.

If you're an iced-latte drinker, lower your Starbucks bill by mixing up your own latte on the cheap. Order a shot of espresso and a cup of ice and add milk from the condiment bar to save about $1.10 on your drink. Some baristas may have a problem with it, but Starbucks has made its message clear: Condiments are there for consumers to customize their drinks, even if that means turning a shot of espresso, condiment milk and a cup of ice into an iced latte.

If you drink tea like I do, feed your habit by making your own at home. I invested in a $6 teakettle and a couple of boxes of Tazo Tea and started brewing my own a few days a week. Spending only 19 cents for a bag of the exact same tea I'd get at Starbucks leaves me $1.80 more to put toward shoes, trips or whatever else I might fancy.

That's a trade off I can live with — for a few days a week, anyway.