Brainstorms > FoodMarch 14, 2011
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Saving Money on Coffee

My daughter taught me this tip about saving money on coffee costs. She worked in a fancy coffee shop and they taught her tons about coffee, even though she is not a coffee drinker.

Grind your coffee very fine (espresso grind) and it will go much further. Only use half your normal amount of scoops to get the same or even darker pot of coffee. You may need to use a double filter in your drip coffee maker so no grounds get through.

We have been doing this for awhile now and are very pleased with the results. And, our coffee costs are going down so we are even able to purchase socially responsible coffee also.

By Suzanne from Bainbridge Island WA

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By
07/12/2011

Socially responsible coffee is that which is grown by people who are paid a decent wage. It is usually called,"Fair Trade". I get my coffee from a coop that is in Mexico and they not only grow the coffee but roast and package it there.

03/17/2011

I buy espresso (but very inexpensively!) called CAFE LA LLAVE. If you can find it at a supermarket (I get it at Stater Bros in Big Bear Lake CA)buy the "brick" - it's even cheaper in the compressed pkg, a little more in the can. Dark Green packaging. Best coffee! Use it as espresso or back-off the scoopful and use as regular coffee. I am a dark roast fan and I recommend it highly. Have used it for some years now.

03/17/2011

I have the same question what is soc. resp. coffee? Please add detail so those of us who are not in the know can figure out what this refers too. Thanks much.

By
03/15/2011

What is "socially responsible coffee"?

By
03/15/2011

I have heard this before but never tried it but it would seem like it would work. We don't drink an overabundance of coffee at home but it is so expensive now this is worth a try.

By
03/15/2011

I mix generic or store brand coffee with a Big Shot brand (if I have a coupon for it!)

By
03/15/2011

Great tip. I'll give it a whirl.
Thanks for sharing.

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(Archived Mar 14, 2011)Saving Money on Coffee

Tip: Saving Money on Coffee

Tips for saving money on coffee.

I love the gourmet flavored coffees. They are so pricey, I refuse to buy a big bag of it. SO I get the little "single pot" bags and stretch it buy adding the same amount of regular coffee. I buy the decaf flavor and add it to regular caffeinated coffee. So I get half the caffeine and double the amount of coffee.

By Especielle from New Braunfels, Texas

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RE: Saving Money on Coffee

My husband and I love coffee, drinking two pots daily. I have found that I can brew a pot with the regular amount of ground coffee (4 scoops) and then for the second pot add just half the amount of fresh grounds (two scoops) to the grounds used in the first pot. I have noticed no change of taste and am saving each time I brew the second pot. (06/15/2004)

By rbonneau

RE: Saving Money on Coffee

Get an inexpensive coffee mill - regrind the preground a little to refresh it and extend it some. (10/06/2004)

By melody_yesterday

Saving on Coffee

Invest in a good thermal travel mug and make your own coffee for your commute instead of stopping to pick it up. You'll pay for the mug the first week and save after. By Cynthia Conley (03/23/2005)

By ThriftyFun

RE: Saving Money on Coffee

I was actually going to say basically the same thing that rbonneau said but I only make one pot a day ( I use 3 scoops one day and then 3 scoops the next on top of the prior days grounds) and just add to the grounds the night before (programmable coffee pot). I also found this saves on the filters as we have the cone shaped filters (thank you free Gevalia programmable coffee pot) which seem to be more expensive. Plus what melody_yesterday stated is helpful too. (03/23/2005)

By mom2mcar

Saving on Coffee

My husband works construction and with it being winter here he takes a thermos of coffee with him as well as a large cup to drink on the way. We were going through coffee pretty fast. One day I decided to put half of a scoop of coffee into the filter that was already used to make coffee for the thermos, added the water and watched how the coffee started to come out. The result was great! We could not tell the difference in the first pot and the second. This saves a half of a scoop every day and we no longer are buying coffee as often as we were. By RoseMary B. (04/08/2005)

By ThriftyFun

RE: Saving Money on Coffee

I hardly perk or drip coffee anymore. I use instant,and once I get the right formula for my taste, I don't waste any coffee at all. Most of the cheap instants taste better with less then the recommended amount used. It isn't Kona coffee by any means ,but it gets the job done as far as satisfaction on my part.

I usually drink two full cups a day. A 6oz jar last a little over a month this time of year but less in the winter. And no! I would never turn down a cup of anybody's fresh brewed coffee

Drink Up Folks (04/08/2005)

By Mr. Thrifty

RE: Saving Money on Coffee

We use 3 scoops the first pot, 2 scoops the second pot, 1 scoop the 3rd pot. Then if my hubby wants more, he washes the grounds with a half pot of water. el cheapo! (04/08/2005)

By tina

RE: Saving Money on Coffee

You're not saving money if your coffee tastes terrible. And putting an extra scoop on already-brewed grounds makes coffee that tastes terrible! Plain terrible! I know because I've tried it. You would be better off to cut down on your coffee consumption and drink only the "good stuff" in smaller amounts. (04/10/2005)

By Mary

Mixing Coffees

Mix your expensive ground coffee with a less expensive brand. This stretches the expensive brand and gives the less expensive coffee a "premium" taste. (04/20/2005)

By truerblue

RE: Saving Money on Coffee

Buy the good stuff-the really good stuff FAIR TRADE ORGANIC- and limit yourself to one cup (or two) of it after that use the cheap stuff(or tea). Using a single cup drip cone or a french press makes you think about your intake too

REMEMBER If you get the coffee for cheap, there's a farmer out there who is getting near zero pay(and probably cancer too) Between my husband and I we use about 1 lb per month now. that works out to 25c each per day and I refuse to buy cheap coffee. (05/24/2005)

By for a lark

RE: Saving Money on Coffee

I have been buying my coffee for a while now at Wal-Mart. I buy a brick of reg and brick of decaf in the Great Value "house brand". One is Arabica and the other Columbian. I mix together in a large coffee can and keep in the frig. It doesn't cost a lot and tastes good. (08/08/2006)

By Debbie52

RE: Saving Money on Coffee

I buy green beans from Deansbeans.com and roast it myself. 5 lbs runs 15 bucks. Pretty cheap and by roasting it myself, it doesn't get any fresher (though you want to let it breath 12 to 24 hours before grinding).

If you really like coffee, the investment for a roaster is not that bad. (12/18/2006)

By Carl

Editor's Note: We roast most of our own. It's a lot of fun!

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