Screw Dave Ramsey and David Bach!
And anyone else who stands between me and morning caffeine. (Apparently I was wrong when I wrote screw Dave Ramsey in the festival post. It’s David Bach who’s trademarked ‘Latte Factor’. But I’ve ranted elseswhere about the use of the Italian word for ‘milk’ to mean ‘coffee’.)
I figured out a way to get Starbucks coffee for cheap yesterday. I was standing at Starbucks buying a juice, meeting my knitter friends at our usual spot.
Suddenly it hit me. I can BUY their coffee beans and *make my own*. Shocking. I KNOW!
I’m a lazy person. I usually drink the crappy free coffee at work. But this week, I will secretly make half pots and share them with the office. I’m not sure I’m going to like this Guatemala/Antigua medium blend anyway. We shall see.
I have figured out that for about $1.70 of Starbucks coffee at the cafeteria at work, I can spend about $9.00 for a pound of whole bean coffee. That’s about 5 or 6 days worth of purchased coffee. I only need one cup a day. I’m not that crazy for coffee, just a little pick me up in the mornings. The pound could last me all month if I do it right. So the question is, French press style and let the grounds settle to the bottom in the last inch of my travel mug, or do I be nice and make half carafes for other people too? A little of both I should think.
Karen wrote:
Dh bought me a Starbucks espresso machine for Christmas a couple of years ago. I have at least one, if not two, lattes a day. It cost about $300 to buy it. At $4 per Starbucks latte, I’ve saved a TON of money (that is, if I had been buying a latte every day–which I did not, I bought about 1 a month but now I get to have one or two a day and not worry about the cost!)
Posted on 04-Apr-07 at 10:59 am | Permalink
tinyhands wrote:
A woman in my office has a plastic cone that holds a paper filter above her mug. ($2.95 at Sur la Table) She does this to brew individual cups of premium ground coffee… which she promptly ruins by dumping in a bunch of sugar and powdered creamer.
Posted on 04-Apr-07 at 11:53 am | Permalink
D wrote:
Hi Mapgirl!
I personally like the Starbuck Breakfast Blend. It is not too strong, but has a great flavor and never bitter. Sadly, they never sell it in the store (brewed I mean).
If you buy the beans and grind and brew yourself, I would recommend freezing the beans. This seems to help keep the rich flavor. And….if you are a member of Sam’s Club, they sell the coffee beans there cheaper!
Posted on 04-Apr-07 at 2:10 pm | Permalink
Eva wrote:
Depends on how you feel about your co-workers, but for taste’s sake, I’d go with the french press.
Posted on 04-Apr-07 at 2:29 pm | Permalink
Debt Hater wrote:
LOL — I never realized that latte meant milk, not expensive coffee drink! I’m going to stop staying it… unless ordering one, which I rarely do because I don’t like coffee.
I’m glad you found a way to you’ve found a way to save some money on your morning caffeine needs!
PS — I knit too! Only occassionally, my interest waxes and wanes. But it’s great fun when I’m working on something.
Posted on 04-Apr-07 at 3:30 pm | Permalink
John Taylor wrote:
MG,
Your plan is smart and will save money, but, beware of the addictive nature of the dark and mysterious bean.
I used to work the early shift at a diner in LA. Every morning the coffee addicts would come in to get cup after cup of “free refill” coffee.
I was always turned off by thier obvious addiction and have pretty much avoided coffee ever since.
Your new plan will give you cheap access to the powerful brew, so, try and “keep a lid” on your daily dose.
JT
Posted on 04-Apr-07 at 4:03 pm | Permalink
3 thingsabout money wrote:
Great plan! But will you miss the weird Starbucks lingo?
Posted on 04-Apr-07 at 10:00 pm | Permalink
mapgirl wrote:
I only ever get a plain coffee or else a large tea at Starbucks. If I eat dinner there with my knitting group, I have a sandwich and an orange juice. So my menu is basically limited to about 2-3 sandwiches, a dessert or two, and three or four basic beverages. No silly lingo for me.
I should try ordering in Italian once and see what actually comes out.
Posted on 05-Apr-07 at 7:16 am | Permalink
Bob wrote:
I have a toddy maker - http://www.toddycafe.com/. Makes the coffee cold and keeps in the refrigerator. The coffee is actually very good and will keep two weeks. Might be a good option.
Posted on 05-Apr-07 at 10:39 pm | Permalink
mapgirl wrote:
Cold coffee maker? meh. Just grounds floating in a tall cup. Let them sink to the bottom, Turkish style.
Posted on 06-Apr-07 at 9:25 am | Permalink
This Little Piggy wrote:
“I’m not that crazy for coffee, just a little pick me up in the mornings.”
No-Doz is around $3.99 for 100 pills but really only need 1/2 so it’s only $0.02 a day.
Posted on 07-Apr-07 at 6:58 pm | Permalink