How to save money on coffee

how to save money on coffee

One of the perks of my job includes Vitality health insurance. Through Vitality, if I do a certain number of steps each week (recorded via my Apple watch), I can get a free coffee at Starbucks.  It’s a nice little treat on weeks when I’ve walked enough to earn it. The problem is, even on weeks when I’ve not earnt my free coffee, I still find myself wanting one, particularly because there’s a Starbucks near my home that I walk past regularly. At £2.50 per flat white, there are of course more expensive habits out there but buying just one per week would still cost £130 a year. So what other options are there?

Replacing coffee shops with instant coffee

My girlfriend and I are both big coffee drinkers and over the years we’ve tried a variety of instant coffee brands. Whilst some are definitely better than others (with Clipper probably being the best), anyone who drinks coffee will agree that instant doesn’t even come close to barista coffee. That’s why buying instant doesn’t stop me from buying coffees from Starbucks and other coffee shops.

Replacing coffee shops with ground coffee

Being the cosmopolitan yuppies that we are, of course, we have a cafetière too. Ground coffee is definitely more flavoursome than instant and, again, there is a spectrum of quality on offer depending on which brand you buy. However, in addition to the whole process being a faff, cafetière and Italian espresso maker coffee is often made either far too strong or too weak. Again, for me, it is inferior to barista coffee and doesn’t satisfy my coffee urges.

Is Nespresso good value?

A few weeks back, we purchased a Nespresso coffee machine. Having tried Nespresso at other people’s places, I knew it to be pretty good coffee and some of the machines have really come down in price over the years. At roughly 40 pence per capsule, it’s clearly a much more expensive option versus instant and ground coffee. That said, it’s quick and convenient- which is important when you’re in a rush in the morning. Furthermore, Nespresso coffee is far more similar to barista coffee than anything else I’ve come across.