Cheap Living Tips

By Rosey Dow

Do you have a coffee habit demanding to be fed every morning around 7:30 a.m.? Does your car automatically turn into the parking lot of your local convenience store or coffee bar? Here’s some great news. You can keep your coffee habit and still save thousands.

Step 1

Figure out how much your coffee stop is currently costing you. If you are a latte lover, a low estimate is $5.00 per fix. Say, you stop for latte 3 times a week. That’s $15/week times 52 weeks a year for an amazing total of $780/year.

Or maybe you go for the more ordinary cuppa java for $2.00 per morning 5 days a week. Holding that labeled cup in your hand as you walk into the office does give you a kind of status. Besides, you enjoy drinking your brew in the car on the way to work. At $2.00/day, 5 times a week, your yearly total comes out to a mere $520.

Step 2

Take the total per year and use it like a savings account.

What kind of amazing coffee maker would make you feel pampered? What features would it have? Fresh grind? Timed start? Steamed milk? Let your imagination run wild. This coffeemaker will be the pinnacle of your kitchen purchases, so make it worthwhile. I found a coffee maker with the grind and brew option that also has a timer for auto-start in the morning. It costs $99. You can probably do better by shopping around online or checking eBay.

If you loved frothy steamed milk, you can pick up a latte frother with a stand for under $30. It makes the milk frothy right in your cup in 20 seconds.

Now you’ve spent less than $130. You still have $650 left from your yearly latte account.

What about the sprinkles and the syrups and the whipped cream? All are available online or from your local coffee shop.

How much gourmet coffee, flavorings, and cans of whipped cream can you buy for $650? Probably enough to cover the next 3-4 years. You can even splurge on a name brand hot cup to carry in your car. Next year you can subtract the price of the equipment and save even more.

Step 3

Stock up on the equipment and supplies. Take 5 minutes to get the pot ready before bedtime and come down to a luscious aroma. Froth your milk in less than a minute, pour in the brew from fresh ground beans and add all the doo-dads you like.

Enjoy your mug at the kitchen breakfast bar, at your desk, or on your commute. Best of all, you’re not missing anything except the strain on your wallet.

And now I’d like to invite you to http://PainlessPennyPinching.com a place filled with budgeting advice, up-to-the-second sales feeds, and in open invitation to an online shopping site where you can get cash back for shopping at Wal-Mart, Target and 800 other stores.

Rosey Dow is CEO of ExpertsinFocus.com

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