|
It is so easy to pay $2.00 to $4.00 for that
cup of specialty coffee at the ever-present coffee houses like Starbucks.
Now I'll be the last person in the world to stand between you and your cup
of coffee but let's talk about this for a moment.
That cup of coffee only costs $0.10 to $0.25
to make.
Buying a cup or two or three a day is costing
you somewhere between $600 and $1,500 per year. That's a lot of money.
Now add it up over 30 or more years... My first house in the 1970's
cost less than that total.
So you think the last thing you want to do in
the morning fog is to hassle with making a cup of coffee. Okay, here
are some ways to get around the trouble and save money too while enjoying
your caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee.
-
Save time and trouble by making your coffee
at home. Yes, I know you think you are saving time by stopping at
the store or driving through on the way to work but you probably aren't.
It will take you 30 seconds to five minutes to prepare a great cup or pot
of coffee at home and you can do most of that the night before. Buy
a coffee maker just the right size for your appetite. Prepare the
brew the night before. Set the timer and wake up to the delightful
aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Enjoy it over breakfast and put the
rest into a travel mug for the journey to work. Wave at the headachy
hordes waiting in line as you pass on by the coffee shop and smile.
A quick rinse in the evening and start the cycle all over again.
-
Don't be afraid to spend some of your
savings on some good coffee for your maker. Just be aware that price
does not equal flavor and quality in coffee.
Consumer Reports rated low to mid-priced Eight O'Clock Coffee (beans)
and Dunkin Donuts (ground) coffees as very good and they rated the really
inexpensive Costco and BJ's wholesale clubs store brands as good.
-
Pick the right coffee maker for your
lifestyle. Philips, Krups, Bunn, Grindmaster, Cuisinart, DeLonghi
and Black & Decker are among the leading coffee maker companies. You
can get coffee makers that have prepackaged packets (or pods) of specialty
flavored coffees if you want to splurge or you can opt for the simpler
perk. Drip coffee makers consistently rate high in taste tests.
Or if you want to really save time, coffee makers like the Senseo
Single-Serve Coffee Machine can give you delicious coffee in 30 seconds.
You too can save money
on food while eating well.
Here are 35 more
great ways to save real money. |
