You love coffee. Many people do, and for many people, the day does not begin without coffee. If you enjoy your morning cup, the cost can add up. Fortunately, you can save money on your coffee very easily. You just need a little willpower and some ingenuity.
Downsize Your Coffee Menu
You love your coffee shop coffee, whether it is Starbucks or a local shop. That latte, however, can add up very quickly. If you simply must have your coffee on the go, opt for fast food coffee over the expensive latte. While you may not like the idea of fast food coffee, remember you can flavor it with your own creamer once you get to the office and you can save yourself a lot of money. Consider that the average price for a Tall Starbucks Latte is $2.85, while a plain medium coffee at McDonalds is only $1.49. You are saving yourself over $300 a year by ditching the counter for the drive thru.
Brew It Yourself
Why buy your coffee out every morning? If you have a kitchen counter, you have all the space you need for a coffee maker. If you’re the only one who drinks coffee in your house, you can get a small pot coffee maker or consider buying a coffee maker that dispenses by the cup. That does not have to be one of the expensive machines with the expensive coffee to go with it. If you shop around, you can also find traditional coffee makers that dispense by the cup from a reservoir instead of a pot. If you work for a large company that offers incentive rewards, you can even use those to get your coffee maker. This can save you up to $1000 a year if you enjoy the fancy lattes at Starbucks.
Buy Store Brand and In Bulk
If you are already brewing your coffee at home, chances are you are still spending too much on coffee. You can still get a good cup of coffee from the store brand. You do not have to go with the name brand, some of which get very expensive. If you buy in bulk, you can save yourself even more money. Some grocery stores will have large containers of coffee, but the best way to buy in bulk is with your Costco, Sams, or BJ membership. These warehouse stores are designed to sell to restaurants, but also open their doors to the public. Buy their brand of coffee in bulk and you will save yourself a lot of money over the course of a year.
Keeping it Fresh
One of the challenges of buying bulk coffee is keeping the coffee fresh. The best thing to do is buy your bulk coffee as beans and grind them yourself. You can grind that morning or grind on the weekend and keep the ground coffee for the week. The freezer is a good way to keep the grinds fresh.
Only Make What You Need
If you make a whole 10-cup pot of coffee and only drink two cups, you have wasted money. Only brew the coffee you need. If you’re brewing for guests and make too much, consider saving the left-over coffee. You can put it in the refrigerator and heat it the next morning.
Don’t Overdo the Grounds
The other place we waste coffee is in the number of grounds we use. Different companies will recommend a different amount of coffee grounds to make their “perfect pot” of coffee. Really, you only need 1 level tablespoon of coffee for every 1 measured cup of water. If you feel that your coffee is not strong enough, grind your beans as fine as your grinder will make them. The finer the coffee grind, the more water that moves through it, which means the richer the brewed coffee.
Buy Discount Giftcards
Head over to CardPool and get a discount on Coffee Shop giftcards like Starbucks. It’s a great way to save a bit extra if you need a cup of joe.
And lastly.. Make sure to re-use your grounds. Find out 10 cool ways to re-use your coffee grounds. What is your favorite way to save money on coffee?
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Teresa says
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