Money saving tips from a not-so-starving artist

Despite what you may have heard, being a starving artist is less than glamorous. I actually like to be able to afford dinner on certain occasions, but I also need feed my half dozen cup a day coffee habit, which becomes very expensive when you’re buying multiple cups from your favorite coffee shop. Even if you don’t consume as much coffee as I do, brewing your own is still financially beneficial.  The average American consumes 3.4 cups of coffee a day. Buying just one $3 cup every day adds up to around $1,1oo a year.  Even more if you prefer the espresso drinks that places like Starbucks offer at around $5 a cup. With a few inexpensive and simple devices you’ll be able to brew your own coffee house coffee (or better) at a fraction of the price. And you can use that money you’ve saved on dinner… or booze….

French Press –  A few months ago I had to throw away my nice coffee maker. It was beautiful, extremely expensive, and took up about 1/2 the counter space I had in my kitchen, but it was worth it.  Or so I thought.  Since I was moving in a few weeks I decided to go out and buy a cheap French Press to help me out until I had settled in my new place, and could purchase another nice machine.  Much to my surprise, months later I am still using that $8 French Press, and the $140 machine I was salivating over is still sitting in my Amazon shopping cart, unordered.  I have to say these little guys make some of the best coffee I’ve  ever had, they use no electricity, and have significantly less waste.  The only con is that I can’t set a timer the night before, and it takes a bit of time to first boil the water, then let it steep, but it’s worth the extra few minutes in the morning.  Especially if it means not having to stop at Starbucks before work/class.

Coffee Grinder – This is an absolute must have when it comes to brewing you own coffee.  Once opened, your beans start to deteriorate almost immediately.  In addition to storing them in a cool dry place, grinding them just prior to brewing will really affect the taste.  Using a coffee grinder also allows you to grind for your specific machine or type of coffee.  For example if you’re grinding for espresso and your pre-ground beans are too coarse, your coffee will brew too quickly, resulting in dull flavor and no crema, with your own grinder it’s very easy to tailor grind your beans.

Stovetop Espresso Maker – Smaller, cheaper, and more single-person friendly than their countertop cousins, these espresso makers are lovely.  They aren’t as fancy as the countertop ones, and the coffee isn’t as good as some of the better ones, and you won’t get as much crema with these models.  But it’s still makes a great cup of espresso.

Milk Frother – This is a must have for making your own espresso drinks at home.  Even the incredibly inexpensive ones (mine was less than $3 from Ikea) work like a charm, and last quite some time.

Syrup – Torani is my favorite brand of coffee syurp (great for Irish sodas too), since it’s pretty widely available, and super yummy. I think the sugar free syrup tastes artificial but some prefer it.

Travel Mug – Obviously if you’re skipping the store you’ll need something to transport your coffee in.  These are much more earth friendly, and I think they keep you coffee much warmer as well.

With these simple editions to your kitchen you’ll be able to make some spectacular coffee and espresso drinks from the comfort your your own home for a fraction of the price.