Seven Coffee Tips that Will Save You Money And Keep You Healthy

Seven tips to have you well on your way to a healthier pot of coffee for both your wallet and your waistline!

Here are seven of SupermarketGuru’s top tips to re-think, re-frame, and re-do your coffee habits to get the best value every day.

• Brew your own at home. Add up how much you spend a week buying coffee drinks on the way to here and there. It's amazing what $4 once or more a day can do to the monthly budget. Even saving on cheaper venues where coffee drinks hover around $2 gets expensive, and who knows what's really in there? So, make the coffee you love, pour it into a thermos and travel the day on coffee you know is fresh, delicious and already paid for!
• Make it yourself at work. Yes, there is nothing easier than popping into the corner coffee shop and ordering your favorite latte. But actually, when you consider the time waiting in line then waiting for your order, you could have made enough lattes for you and the entire office. If your office doesn't already have an espresso machine or other essentials for your favorite coffee drinks, ask for the perk. Here's the pitch: tell the boss it will keep employees in the office, coffee break time will be more meaningful and brief, and when the employees are happy, everyone's more productive! 
• If you cannot drive without your cup holder filled, get yourself a stainless steel mug. By year's end, you could be saving money by brewing your own and, in the bigger picture, saving a tree's worth of paper by eliminating the paper cup.
• Leftover coffee in the pot? Don't toss it! Instead, pour leftover coffee into empty ice cube trays and freeze. When it’s hot, you'll have delicious coffee ice cubes to chill your favorite summer coffee beverage that won't dilute the coffee flavor like water ice cubes can.
• Use real dairy products instead of artificial creamers. Whether it's cream, half-and-half or milk, dairy always tastes fresher and is better for you. Fresh milk is also cheaper per teaspoon than the creamer, and much lower in calories (most creamers are full of sweet syrups, and can be loaded with chemicals.) If space is a premium, buy pints instead of quarts or half gallons. Check prices at your local dollar store, supermarket and convenience store to see where you can get the best deal.
• Buying in bulk is a great cost-saving idea for cereals, beans, grains and rice, but that five-pound bag of coffee may not be the bargain you think it is. Yes, it's cheaper by the pound, but the value of the freshest coffee flies out the window even after a few weeks. So, for the best value, buy in small quantities and use promptly.
• Grind your own. One other way to further ensure freshness and quality is to grind your own coffee beans. Small at-home grinders are available for under $25, and they last for years- a pennies-per-year investment that pays off big time.