Does Folgers Coffee Taste as Good as Starbucks Coffee?

If the economy is affecting your budget as much as it is mine, then you're really cutting back on a lot of things, including how much you spend for that hot cup o' joe in the morning.

When I first took the proverbial ax to our budget, I was very resistant to change. Letting go of Starbucks (and other brands I held dear) was very hard.

My morning ritual consisted of grinding those beautiful, fragrant extra bold coffee beans mere seconds prior to brewing them. The ground beans would await their fate in the filter basket while I carefully poured fresh, filtered water into the reservoir.

Ah, the heavenly, enticing aroma was just the prelude to an absolutely perfect cup of black, strong coffee.

Imagine my sadness when I realized I couldn't, in good conscious, contribute to my Starbucks habit anymore. With a tight budget came the acceptance that $12 or so for a pound of Starbucks Gold Coast extra bold coffee beans was an expenditure of the past.

These tips make the new brand transition easier.

Be selective with the brands you choose to experiment with.

If you like strong, bold coffee, don't choose an experiemental brand that's not similar in tone. The same is true if you like your coffee flavor on the light side: don't choose a brand that boasts an extra bold flavor.

When all I really wanted was a bag of bold Starbucks, it was hard to experiment with the normal everyday coffee brands that line grocery store shelves. I swear those colorful tins & plastic containers laughed at me.

After my first experiments with new-to-me coffee brands failed, I summoned extra courage and selected yet another brand, paying particular attention to the label that describes its flavor.

Folgers Black Silk, a "bold, yet smooth" coffee, was so surprisingly good that it made me question whether it was my beloved Starbucks Gold Coast. *Cue Hallelujah chorus*

The best part of finding my new coffee brand is that I pay a lot less and get a lot more. When combined with a store sale and coupon, I can purchase almost two pounds of coffee for under $5. Now that's a great deal!

Have an open mind.

You'll never survive this economy and the budget restrictions that accompany it if you're resistant to change. An open mind will allow you to try new things.

Buying a new-to-you brand is one thing, but actually tasting it with an open mind is another. Don't expect it to taste exactly like what you're giving up. It never will; you're setting yourself up for failure.

Accepting the fact that the new-to-you brand won't taste 100% exactly like your favorite brand is key. Be content with a similar taste.

Experiment with coffee-to-water ratios.

If the first pot of new-to-you coffee makes your toes curl, then most likely it's not the brand for you.

If, however, you can sense potential, there might be hope. Chances are it will taste much better if you simply adjust the coffee-to-water ratio. Writing down your trial and error ratios will assist you as you test. This is exactly how Folgers Black Silk became my new coffee brand.

Finding new, cheaper brands is easy as long as you keep an open mind and are willing to experiment. Coffee, anyone?