Almost everyone loves coffee, making it a habit to drink at least a cup every day. Every year, people aged 25 to 34 years spend at least $2,000 on coffee, while 35 to 44-year-olds shell out about $1,400 for a great cup of coffee annually.
If you cannot get the coffee out of your system and are worried about your budget, here is how to get your daily coffee fix while saving money.
Make Your Own Coffee
The best way to save on coffee without surrendering the awesome experience is by ditching your favorite coffee shop for your perfect homebrew. Getting an automatic espresso machine may seem like an expensive proposition. However, it will save you a lot of money in the long run.
You can buy a good espresso machine for about $150 to $300 from Amazon, complete with user-friendly controls and reliable operation for a unique coffee shop-quality experience in your home. Fully automatic espresso makers can set you back by several hundred dollars, while super automatics can cost a few thousand dollars.
Let us do a little math here. Suppose you buy a $500 fully automatic espresso maker capable of making lattes, cappuccinos, and other popular coffee styles. If you are a coffee drinker who spends about $1,500 every year on coffee, you already paid for your machine in about four months (three months if you spend about $2,000 on coffee).
Here is the best part. You do not need a separate latte machine if you already have a fully automatic espresso maker. The machine already does that for you. You can also get fancy with cappuccinos, macchiatos, cortados, flat whites, and more. Now that is great savings.
If you prefer black coffee, you can opt for a simple French press for $20 to $50 or an electric drip coffee machine for about $70 to $200. Choose the right coffee-making appliance, and you can get your daily coffee fix for the next several years without ever going to your coffee shop.
Buy Inexpensive But Good-Quality Coffee Grounds
In general, specialty coffee grounds from small roasters are more expensive than your ordinary run-of-the-mill coffee grounds. For example, a pound of Death Wish can cost you about $20, while the brand’s 12-ounce bag of Valhalla Java can set you back by $16.
Do not fret because you have more affordable options. You can get a 1.25-pound Starbucks Veranda Blend for about $15 or Dunkin Donuts’ Original Blend for only $13.
Other coffee manufacturers can give you $5 to $10 to a bag. You only determine which brand gives you the best coffee experience without breaking your bank.
Reuse Coffee Grounds
You may not like reusing your coffee grounds, but it is one of the best ways to get your daily coffee fix while saving money. For best results, you can mix equal portions of new and used coffee grounds. This formula saves you 50% on coffee grounds costs without significantly altering the rich coffee flavors. You may want to try different ratios to achieve the perfect taste.
Used coffee grounds can also have other purposes. You can use it to remove nasty and fishy odors from your refrigerator. If you have a backyard garden, mixing used coffee grounds into your compost heap should make your tomatoes grow faster. It can also be a pest and insect repellent, pet flea treatment, cleaning scrub, natural dye, and skin exfoliant.
Dilute Your Coffee
Let us face it. An espresso shot can pack a powerful punch. That is why the American GIs of the Second World War invented Americano coffee. This caffeinated drink is almost similar to your usual drip coffee, except that it has an espresso base.
The Americano consists of equal parts espresso and water. However, some people still find the coffee flavor to be overpowering. As such, they create a coffee solution with an espresso-to-water ratio of 1:3. Diluting your coffee with water saves you more money by extending your coffee batch twice to thrice its lifespan.
The issue with diluting coffee is that the flavor is not as rich and bold as your regular cup. That is why some people would add sugar, milk, or cream to their coffee. You can also turn your ordinary Americano into an iced coffee.
Repurpose Your Coffee Leftovers
There is a good chance you did not finish the coffee in your carafe. Instead of emptying it down the drain, you might want to collect it in a container and put it in your refrigerator. Once you have enough, pour the leftover coffee into your ice cube tray or in popsicle molds. Put it in your freezer and you will have your coffee fix any time.
It is a pretty neat trick that budget-conscious caffeine addicts should try. It is also perfect for making iced coffee. Ditch the usual ice cubes for your coffee ice cubes and enjoy a better-tasting iced caffeinated treat.
Try Rewards or Loyalty Memberships
If you prefer coffee shop-served drinks over homemade brews, joining a rewards program should satisfy your coffee cravings without hurting your budget. For example, Starbucks has its Rewards Loyalty Program that allows customers to earn stars every time they buy their favorite coffee drink. You can redeem these
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