Thrifty Mommy

20 Ways to Save on Coffee

by Karen on July 25th, 2008

I confess.  Within the past few years, I have become a coffee snob.  Honestly, it wasn’t intentional.  I promise.  I wish that my palette craved regular coffee because it’s a lot cheaper.  Unfortunately, that is not the case so I have learned to be frugal and save some money along the way.

1)  Brew your own coffee.  Uh huh.  Cut out the expensive $5 trips to Starbucks. 

2)  Look online for recipes.  You may think that you can’t make coffee like the pros, but you can.  It’s really not that hard.  You just need the right ingredients.  Thrifty Mommy has some coffee recipes from Dunkin’ Donuts.

3)  Splurge on the more expensive syrups.  If you buy the cheap, nasty tasting syrups, then you’re not going to be motivated to make your own.  Some coffee shops sell the same syrups that they use.

4)  Use coupons to purchase coffee beans and grounds.  Some coffee manufacturer’s put coupons in the Sunday paper.  Otherwise, check online at their website and sign up for their promotions and newsletters.  When all else fails, call the company and ask for the coupons.

5)  Look at the warehouse clubs for discounted rates on beans. 

6)  Check local papers, freecycle, and the internet for equipment. Coffee equipment can be very expensive.  Check around and compare prices, equipment quality, look for sales, etc.  I am thankful that we found a display model espresso machine for $20!  It brews coffee and espresso and has a frother.

7)  Store coffee properly.  Only buy what you can use within a short amount of time.  Some people say to only buy what you can use in a week.  I can keep mine for several more weeks just by storing it in an airtight container.  You might even consider vacuum sealing the beans.

8)  Buy beans instead of grounds.  Grounds lose their flavor quicker than beans.  This year I purchased a coffee grinder and started buying beans.  The flavor is so much better.

9)  Keep your coffee pot clean.  A dirty pot might alter the taste of your coffee a bit.  And since we’re being honest here, I just have to say that I have a hard time drinking coffee from a public coffee pot.  I’m referring to the ones at the mechanic shop or in the lounge at school.  It just has a weird smell to it.  Ick!

10)  Buy a reusable coffee filter.  Coffee filters don’t cost much money, but if you brew coffee every day, then it won’t take long for the reusable filter to pay for itself.  I purchased one a few months ago for about $5.  Besides, it helps to keep paper from being thrown away.

11)  Don’t give up easily.  Sometimes it takes several times to get a drink just right.  It may take some time, but the savings are worth the effort.

And for those of you that just need to have a special coffee fix . . .

12)  Ask for samples.  A few weeks ago, I was in Starbucks week with Kelly and the manager offered us some samples of coffee.  I had no idea that coffee shops offered samples.  I’m so glad I got a sample though because I learned the coffee of the day was yucky!

13)  Talk to the workers.  Say, “What was that you just put in there?”  Sometimes you’d be surprised at the info they’ll give you.  If you don’t feel comfortable doing that, then pay close attention when they’re making your coffee.  You should be able to pick up a few tips during each visit.

14)  Look for promotional days.  The coffee place I visit has offers each day of the week.  One day they offer $1 off espressos, another day $1 smoothies.  Treat yourself on the day that they have the special on the item that you want.

15)  Get a frequent visitor card.  Some places have a special punch card.  Some may say buy 8 and get 1 free.  Check to see.

16)  Weigh your options.  If you have to buy the frequent purchase card, then make sure the money saved outweighs the price of the card.

17)  Set a coffee budget.  Some of you may be very good at cutting back on all your expenses and coffee is your splurge item.  That’s ok, but you need to have a budget.  Whether it’s $5 a month or $20 a month, you need to have a budget and stick to it.  Otherwise, you might just find your car magically veering into the coffee shop parking lot.

18)  Cut back on your portions.  Yes you want the vente size, but the smaller size will give you the kick you need.  Plus, it’s less calories.

19)  Try something different.  I heard someone say that they started saving themselves $1 per cup by ordering 2-3 shots of espresso rather than an ice latte.  She just adds the free milk that they offer at the counter.  You could also try ordering a less expensive drink every now and then.  You might just discover something that you like better than your usual.

20)  Tell friends, family members, and co-workers about your love of coffee.  When Christmas rolls around, you might just start getting coffee baskets or gift cards.  And by all means, if they ask what to get you then tell them!

Do you have some money saving tips to add to this list?

image: morguefile

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