Cheap Coffee Conundrum

Posted on September 16, 2007 by Eric
Filed Under Frugality, Groceries

Senseo Ecopads with a cup of store brand coffee I’m the main coffee drinker in the house. Melissa might have a cup every once in a while, but it’s pretty rare. I usually get my coffee fix during the week when I’m at the office, where the coffee is free (and a tasty French roast, too). But on the weekends, I used to always grab a Starbucks Latte (with an extra shot) and that really adds up (yes, I know about the latte factor).

I’ve been using a Senseo I purchased a while back after a friend suggested it. It’s kept me from having to brew an entire pot in my Mr. Coffee when I only wanted one or two cups. It was a heck of a lot cheaper than Starbucks, and provided me my coffee “fix” on the weekends.

When we started scrutinizing our grocery bills more closely, one thing started to pop out at us. Those little individual coffee pods that the machine uses can really add up! I usually used at least 2 a day, and then had to throw them away when I was done. This meant I used between 4 and 8 pods a weekend so I really burned through them.

I don’t need any fancy coffee, and I don’t want to pay more just for the coffee to be individually packaged. Just some caffeine and coffee with a taste that is tolerable. Store brand basic coffee. Yummy store brand basic coffee.

Melissa began searching for a solution, and came across Ecopads.

These refillable filters have allowed us to use whatever coffee is cheapest at the time because we aren’t tied to buying only the pods that fit into the machine. If we have a coupon for some good coffee, we can get that. Maybe a free sample here or there. Whatever kind of coffee I have on hand now I can make myself just a cup or two at a time, when I want it, and save money on coffee.

In addition to brewing the amount I want of the coffee I choose, with the Ecopads there is less waste. Now, I’m just throwing away used coffee grounds and not each single-use pod and it’s packaging.

This has made all the difference on these weekends when I need to be productive. Ahh, the wonders of caffeine.