How I've Cut My Coffee Costs by More Than Half

When I talk about coffee with people, I'm inevitably met with words like "need," "get my fix" or "have to have." And though I can't bring myself to pay for pricey coffee shop coffee unless I'm on the road or at the airport -- and even then it's a rarity -- I can't deny that I enjoy at least a couple of cups of coffee throughout the day.

As food prices have recently begun to climb however, I've noticed that coffee has not been immune to this inflation. Not only this, but it seems that lately, many coffee containers have started shrinking in size compared to their predecessors.

This doesn't mean that I'm going to just sit back and let price hikes walk all over me though. Just the opposite in fact, I take this as a challenge to find new ways to cut my expenditures.

Here is how I've reduced my coffee costs by more than half.

At the Store

Right now a 28oz. container of just "plain Jane" regular coffee at our local grocery store is running between eight and nine dollars. If I time it right though, I can usually get it on sale for at least two dollars less than this -- sometimes a little more. Typically, I can also pair this savings with a manufacturer coupon worth between 25 and 50 cents. This generally knocks off somewhere in the area of 25-30% from my initial cost.

Then I try to stock up, buying the store sale limit since coffee often has a long shelf-life. The can we bought this week has a "best before" date of over 21 months from our date of purchase -- and believe me, we will have gone through plenty of containers in that amount of time.

Reduction at Home

My greatest coffee sacrifice -- and in turn savings -- came at home. I have made several adjustments to my coffee drinking habits that save me more money than I could at the store.

My first step was only brewing pots of coffee about every other day now (except on weekends and other days when my wife is not working). Since I work from home, I drink the majority of our coffee anyway, and I don't mind reheating day-old brew (my wife says she can tell the difference, but I don't). This helps me save about two to three pots of brewed coffee a week (a savings of between 28 and 43%)

In Place of Coffee...

Along with my reduced coffee production sometimes comes a coffee shortfall at some point during the morning or throughout the day. I have therefore moved to replace this consumption with things that are probably better for me (and cheaper) anyway.

With summer coming on strong and the human brain comprised largely of water, I supplement my coffee drinking with water or tea (cold tea on warmer days, and hot when it's chilly). These substitutes give me something to sip on (like hard candy or gum for a habitual smoker) while I'm working, and help to reduce the urge to brew another pot.

More From This Contributor:

5 Websites that Could Save You Money

Valuable Financial Lessons From Mom and Dad

How One Page Simplified My Financial Life

Disclaimer:

The author is not a licensed financial professional. The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. For financial advice, readers should consult a licensed financial advisor. Any action taken by the reader due to the information provided in this article is solely at the reader's discretion.