This is a guest post by Raza from The Coffee Maker Store, a daily blog and e-commerce store about coffee, coffee makers, and coffee culture. Stop by for the latest coffee related news, tips, and tricks.
Have you ever wondered how much your coffee addiction costs you? If you’re a real coffee addict… ahem… I mean coffee lover, it could be costing you a pretty penny. Think about it, if you grab a coffee at your favorite cafe everyday on your way to work, or when dropping the kids off at school, you could easily spend $4 per day. That comes to over $80 per month, which is close to $1000 per year. And that doesn’t include specialty coffee beans and equipment you buy for home use.
Truth be told, your coffee habit probably won’t cause you to default on your mortgage, but if you have a worthwhile goal, like taking a family trip to Disney World, being smart about how much money you spend (or any indulgence for that matter) can easily fund the trip. So here are a few budget-friendly ways to get your coffee fix:
1. Don’t Buy the Expensive Stuff:
You don’t have to go to the fanciest, most expensive, Italian-themed cafe to get a decent cup of coffee. In fact, many blind taste tests reveal that coffee from “average” places like Dunkin Donuts is as good as, if not better than, specialty coffee chains like Starbucks.
Now if you’re a big Starbucks fan, think about how much money you could save if you just bought the beans and brewed your coffee at home. If you just buy Starbucks beans and brew them at home (compared to going Starbucks to get your coffee), you could save over $1200 per year! That’s a whole latte money (get it?… “whole lotta” sounds like “whole latte”…. never mind)
2. Tools of the Trade:
I always make lunch at home and then forget to take it with me. I start off hoping to eat healthy and save money by eating at home, but I just don’t remember to take it with me when I leave the house.
Similarly, it’s easy to get lured into the big coffee shops if you aren’t prepared. That’s why having a good coffee maker at home is so important. Make sure you brew a fresh pot in the morning and put it in a travel coffee mug so you aren’t tempted to spend your money when you’re out.
3. Stretch Your Beans:
There are lots of cool things you can do with used coffee grounds. For one, coffee contains high amounts of nitrogen, making it an excellent insecticide. If you have ants in your garden, just sprinkle some coffee grounds around and they’ll be sure to stay away.Cats are also repelled by coffee, so it’s a good way to keep Garfield and his buddies from turning your flowerbed into a litter box.
Lastly, coffee grounds are a great fertilizer for your garden. Again, the high nitrogen content really helps make the soil more fertile. Incidentally farmers plant soybeans every few years for the same reason. Apparently, soybeans help “nitrogenize” soil. One last way to stretch your coffee beans is to mix new grounds with used coffee grounds. It might take some time to get the proportions right, but once you do, you’ll save a good amount of money by stretching your beans.
4. Bring Out Your Inner Barista:
Just because you aren’t a highly trained barista doesn’t mean you can’t act like one! Instead of buying pricey coffee drinks, buy regular coffee and doctor it up at the condiment station. For example, you could get an iced latte with extra syrup instead of a Frapuccino. Or you could get an espresso and add your own milk to make it into a latte. Of course, part of going to specialty coffee houses is the expertise of the baristas so this tip won’t work for everyone. But if you’re open to a little bit of trial-and-error and having some fun at the condiment stand, you just might come up with a great concoction. 
photo credit: hj_west
5. Make Your Own Flavored Coffee:
Instead of buying flavored coffee and flavored cream, consider making your own. One creative tip is to add whole spices to your whole coffee beans and then grind them. You can try things like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, dried fruit, toasted almonds, etc. You can even try flavoring your coffee by adding liquid extracts like vanilla to your coffee and cream. Play around with it and adjust it according to your taste.
Those were 5 fun ways to save money on coffee. Of course, your mileage may vary, but if you’re a big coffee drinker, following these tips could save you enough money to take a family vacation by the end of the year.
Kelly’s notes: I love Raza’s post. I’m a HUGE fan of coffee, and this provided me with tips I didn’t know. Coffee grounds keep ants away? So helpful. I still think there is a place for the occasional latte from Starbucks, but these tips could save you a to of cash especially if you have hungry kids with you when you stop at Starbucks.
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