I used to buy at least one coffee a day, and sometimes tea, as well. Occasionally, in the Fall and Winter, I'd even buy hot chocolate or cider. Buying beverages at coffee shops can be quite expensive, though, and the costs can really add up, especially when you add in a muffin, doughnut, bagel, or other treat. These days, I primarily make my coffee and tea at home (hot chocolate, too), and will only occasionally buy one when I'm out. Whenever I do, I am again hit with the realization of how expensive they are. At least in my situation, I've found it's a lot more cost effective to invest a nice kettle, coffee maker, and tea maker, and make my beverages at home. Even adding in the costs of coffee, tea, sweeteners, and cream, I still come out ahead. Do you mainly buy your coffee/tea at coffee shops, or prefer to make your own at home?
I see coffee as more of a social drink and I don't mind buying good coffee. As I only drink espresso it is easier to drink it fresh. To be sociable I will drink a plain black coffee, but usually only drink half of it. In places like McDonalds and Pret a Manger in the UK they price coffee low to encourage people to come in. I do take water with me though because that's more of an essential.
I much prefer to make everything at home. I don't like coffee from coffee shops (unless they're real coffee shops, which I don't consider Starbucks, McDonalds etc). And I don't like contributing to large chains and what they stand for and yadda yadda boring. My reasoning goes way beyond what you're looking for lmao.
Tea is pretty much the national drink here in the UK and virtually everyone has a kettle. Most people tend to want a cuppa first thing in the morning and wouldn't consider waiting until they'd left the house for the day. In any case, a reasonable kettle can be bought cheaply here. All you're going to do is boil water in it after all.
Totally with you Diane Lane - especially as this is one area if wanting to cut back on expenses - that really can make a huge difference without having to make too much of a sacrifice - particularly when you consider that the savings made from forgoing just one bought beverage a day - can be so substantial - that it generally amounts to triple figures at the end of each year. In fact - as this is something that we or rather my husband stopped doing several years ago - when we realized - that his regular trips to the bar to meet up with colleagues for a coffee - which is almost like a morning tradition with the guys here - were starting to cost a fortune - and because of that - he now has just one coffee instead of three - it has I have to say - made a very noticeable difference to the monthly budget. Generally though - as we've both always had a preference for good quality coffee and especially first thing in the morning - the majority of the coffee we drink is made at home - on the stove top with high quality ground beans - as not only does it taste way better than anything that can be bought in restaurants or bars - but is a fraction of the cost too.
I have really cut down on the amount of both tea and coffee that I drink these days. It is a rare occasion that I will make myself a cup of tea, and an even more rare one when I will make myself a cup of coffee and drink it. It's bad for my health. But on those rare occasions, I do not go out and purchase it. Starbucks coffee tastes awful.
I'm not a coffee drinker, but my wife goes fifty-fifty between making and buying. She puts priority on making it, but there isn't always time in the morning to get that done. We have enough premium blends sitting around in our cupboards that I think the coffee is on par with what you'd get at Starbucks most of the time.
Coffee being sold in public are usually too bland for my taste, so I just prefer to make my own coffee at home where I can control how sweet it is. I always add 2 tablespoon full of sugar everytime I make my own cofffe from those 3 in 1 sachets.
I mostly brew my tea at home and bring it with me for the day. But when I need to use wifi while I’m out and about, I’ll buy a cuppa from a shop, and a local one if possible. This only happens a couple of times a week at the most, though. It is pretty dang expensive, even at that level, so I try to keep it at an absolute minimum.
I make coffee and tea at home because I find that places like McDonald's make their coffee too weak. I can't justify paying $1 or $2 for a cup of weak brown water when I can make a shot of strong espresso at home for a fraction of that.
I make my own coffee and tea, fill a little canister and carry it with me to drink when I need in for the day. I save a lot of money doing this, but it is heavy to carry it all around until I drink it all up. Unless there is a sale on bought coffee I don't buy it.
If the drink is just a simple one to make, like sweet tea, I do prefer to just make it at home if I can, since I have a lot of tea bags always, and I'm not always in the mood for hot tea. The only problem I have with it is that I end up having to wait a while for the tea to cool down before I can enjoy it, but it's not such a bad price to pay for a significant amount of savings. I know bottled sweet tea doesn't cost that much but it adds up after multiple purchases so making my own is definitely a good saving tactic.
We tend to make our own filter coffee at home. The same thing applies to tea. Sometimes we do stop for a coffee and a snack at a coffee house. But we can't do it on the regular as it could get very expensive
I will never understand why some of these mainstream popular coffee chains are so popular. I remember the first time that I ever walked into a Starbucks. I was pretty excited, since I had heard so many good things about the coffee there. I spent a while looking at the coffee menu, and finally picked something that sounded tasty, and I was completely blown away by the fact that it tasted so bad. The coffee that I had made at home tasted much better, and in that moment I could not believe that Starbucks was so popular.
I make my coffee at home because it is a lot cheaper than going to a coffee shop. I can go to the grocery store and buy a container of coffee cheaper than going to a coffee shop and only getting one cup of coffee. I think coffee at coffee shops are overpriced. Plus its convenient having coffee at home instead of trying to run to the coffee store everyday. I like to save money anyway that I can, and making coffee at home is a great way to save money.
I make coffee and tea at home. I only buy coffee and tea from the grocery store that's on sale or has a coupon. If I ever get coffee from a coffee shop, it's either because of a store promotion I'm interested in or as an once in a while treat to myself. Besides, I prefer to drink my coffee and tea when it's hot, fresh, and strong.
I'm all for a treat now and then, especially if it's a nice social occasion, as @alex mentioned. I do that with friends occasionally, especially if the atmosphere is nice and the coffee or tea is very good. I do love Dunkin' Donuts, but rarely get it these days. That makes it all the more special when I do get it, and other than that, I enjoy a nice home brewed cup of tea or coffee, where I can fix it just the way I like it. I do like the idea that most coffee shops these days provide wifi. I'm sure they do it to attract customers, but it also makes it convenient for people who want to sit for a bit and do a little work. Other than Dunkin' Donuts, I tend to lean towards the independent coffee shops, rather than the chains. I like to support independent businesses anyway, but I think the independent coffee houses often have a better atmosphere. I actually have some art work that I bought at one I used to go to, and so I think of the place whenever I see it.
I drink coffee only a few times a year, so I don't buy to make at home. The very few times I drink coffee I go to Starbucks and get a Mochachino.
Hahaha! I gave the office look up. I go for the sophisticated stripper look these days. Do you like? The milk these days really reaks havoc on my system. I could have a tear drop of it, and that will often set my body off. It is crazy. Some days I am able to eat dairy and I am alright, and then other days I feel like my stomach and ass are going to explode. It is weird, but I try not to eat diary as much as I can, including coffee.
