Starbucks for a Buck

Like many caffeine-dependent professionals, hearing the rumor that Starbucks(SBUX Quote) will now sell you coffee for a buck was all too exciting. After all, lesson number one in managing your money is often to give up your $4 latte-a-day habit.

After The Wall Street Journal reported that Starbucks in the Seattle region is now offering a "short brew" for just about a dollar, I hit the coffee vendor's Wall Street location to see if I could score one, too.

Starbucks for a Buck?

Upon speaking with one of the young baristas behind the counter, I found out that Starbucks' experiment in Seattle is just that -- a test run, to see if people are interested in $1 coffee. ( If? Haven't they seen the hoards of people in line at Dunkin Donuts and McDonald's(MCD Quote) where they can get their morning fix for less?) But, after the news of the test run broke, Starbucks baristas all over are being instructed to sell the "short brews" to those who ask for it. But don't look for it on the menu -- you have to know about it and ask for it by name. ...