Who Needs Starbucks?

Posted by Recession Diva in Featured, Money Saving Tips | 1 comment

Now don’t get me wrong, I love Starbucks, but there are many reasons to quit a Starbucks addiction…

If you have put yourself on recession mode and you are trying to cut back on wasting money, then cutting back on a Starbucks addiction maybe your best solution. There are many great reasons on why a Starbucks addiction may be impractical. For example, waiting in a long line to get your skinny venti vanillia latte is making you late for work. It is a hassle waking up, getting ready and then stopping to pick up the coffee. And the big one, you are spending $5.00 a day on a cup of coffee, that you could have made at home for less than a quarter.

Think about this, if you spend on average $5.00 for a cup of coffee every day,  in a year you would have spent roughly $1,825.00! Wow that could be a trip to Vegas in the best room, with tickets to the best shows and you could have brought your girlfriends too. It could have been a cruise, or even dare I say it, a nice pair of designer shoes.

Now spending $1,825.00 on a pair of shoes might be impractical for your budget, but at least at the end of the year, you would still have an awesome pair of shoes to show for it.

If you are tired of nickeling and diming yourself to the poor house, then learning how to make your own coffee, lattes and espressos is for you!

Steps:

1. Get an espresso maker from yard sales, thrift stores or target
2. Get good coffee (I like Cuban Cafe Le Lave) it’s only $4.00 a can and delicious
3. Get latte cups and espresso cups

Recipe For Espresso:

1. Add two teaspoons of dry white sugar to your espresso cup
2. Wait for some coffee to drip into the cup and cover the sugar
3. Switch the cup out to let the coffee drip into either another espresso cup or the coffee pot
4. Foam the espresso with the sugar in it, by placing the steam nozzle just below the surface.
5. Continue switching the cups back and forth until they are both full of coffee and both foamed
6. Enjoy

Directions for a Latte:

1. Fill a glass up with 1 cup of milk
2. Microwave the milk for 30 seconds
3. Let the coffee drip into the coffee pot
4. Foam the milk by placing the steam spout just beneath the surface
5. Once the milk is foamed add the coffee and milk to a nice latte cup
6. Add the sugar and any flavoring
7. Add the foam to the top
8. For an ornamental detail you can sprinkle cinnamon on the top of the foam

Learning to make your own latte’s and espresso may take practice, but once you have learned how easy it is to make these delicious drinks at home, you will only go to Starbucks for the social atmosphere. You will find over time making your own coffee will save you not only precious dollars, but time and stress.

Enjoy and as always, may creativity be with you!