No, I’m not a scrooge, and I certainly consume more than my fair share of the brown liquid gold that Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, and Tim Horton’s hang their business hat on. What I am is a woman who doesn’t want to regularly give up $6 of my hard-earned money for a cup of ice (if iced), filtered beans, a splash of milk, and sugar with maybe a bit of hydrogenated creamy goodness on top.
Do I splurge on occasion, you bet!!
Do I prefer to make it at home? Also, a resounding yes. But I can guarantee that you will not feel deprived nor will these coffee businesses have to close their doors if a few of you opt to save a few trips through the caffeine convenience’s drive thru during the work week. So you shouldn’t feel guilty when you stop wasting your money!
Why to stop wasting your money
$6 for a coffee may seem like a splurge for some or no big deal to others, but David Bach, author of many books that I’m very familiar with that outline how to become a millionaire using practical, everyday techniques that the average person can do, wrote about the “Latte Factor” in his book The Automatic Millionaire. In this book, he pointed out that if a person would just cut the unnecessary $5ish expenses (like a latte) out of their daily expenses, they could save a tremendous amount of money that could be used to help make one rich. Factoring 10% annual return and compound interest, he calculated that after 40 years that money invested would equal $948,611!!!
So basically he was saying that your Starbucks fix is potentially keeping you from being a millionaire. While there are some minor disputable factors in this equation, the idea he presents is one worth examining and pursuing. How many things do we throw our money away on when we could be using that money to save for something that will help further our cause, such as investing? But even if you opted to invest the money you’d usually spend on coffee, you don’t need to give up your caffeine because you can drink it still for less than a dollar a day.
Home Coffee Recipes
Stop wasting your money! There are much cheaper (and much yummier) options that you can make at home in less time than it would take you to drive from the order speaker to the card swiper at the window. And the varieties I make at home have 2-3 times the amount of caffeinated-thank you God for coffee- goodness in my protein shaker bottle that at least gives my colleagues the idea that I have something healthy in my huge shaker bottle!
Let me share with you a few of these cheap and easy options that use **GASP** instant coffee, though you can substitute the instant for brewed coffee if you must. (I use Melaleuca’s Organic Rainforest blend when I make it in my coffee maker*). I’ve found that the instant is less expensive AND it takes only a fraction of the time brewed takes while also not having to factor in the temp if I want an iced variety. Give these a chance and pad your pocket book while not having to deprive yourself of the liquid goodness!
Iced Coffee
First off, I have my classic iced coffee. I scoop in a Tablespoon +/- of instant (I use the $2.75 Aldi variety) coffee and 1 Tablespoon (don’t judge!) of organic (I’ve gotta be good somehow lol) granulated sugar into the bottom of my large shaker bottle, pour in a cup and a half of water, shake or stir it up, add a lot of ice, top with some half and half, shake and VOILA… iced coffee that I sip on as I drive from patient to patient all morning.
Dalgona Coffee
Second is the famous Dalgona coffee that can be drank cold or hot. Take 2T of instant coffee and mix with 2 T hot water and sugar (equal parts of each depending on how much of each you choose to use. Whisk together until dissolved and place on top of warm or cold milk. I prefer to use less sugar and more coffee and to mix it in with the milk a bit as it makes for a super creamy coffee kick but to each his own. Purist Dalgona coffee lovers would probably prefer to 2T/2T/2T over a cup of milk variety but the lovely part of the coffee/water/sugar mix is that each of those ingredients is dirt cheap and if your blood sugar and waistline can handle it, have at it!
warm or cold milk
Caramel Frappuccino
My third recipe for you today is my variety of a caramel Frappuccino. Scoop 2-3T of instant coffee into your mixer cup. Add a large splash of hot water and mix to dissolve coffee. Fill cup 3/4 full with ice and squirt 4-6T of caramel syrup* or a couple squirts of the concentrated caramel flavoring* into glass and fill in the cracks with milk or half and half. Pulverize in the blender* and enjoy. Add more caramel* if you’re as sadistic when it comes to sugar as I am!
Forgive the “dash of this” and “pour of this.” This is definitely not a cooking blog! This is how I cook and how I make my coffee. You too will have to experiment to figure out how your perfect coffee concoction will turn out. Give these a try and give me your feedback. I enjoy the first iced coffee suggestion on a daily basis and drink it that way when it’s -20* or 99*… so refreshing, affordable, and gives me what I need to get up and go as I’m driving around seeing my patients in the morning without any coffeeshop stops required. Enjoy making your coffee at home and stop wasting your money! And don’t forget to invest the difference. David Bach would be a latte proud!💛
*DISCLOSURE: I have links to products I regularly use and think you might find helpful. Wherever possible I use these affiliate links. This means if you click one of the links in this blog and make a purchase I may receive a small commission.