GoFrugal.ca

Tim Hortons and Starbucks are everywhere. Restaurants offer free coffee refills. What do these statements have in common? They suggest there’s huge margin in brewed coffee, and that you’d be better off making your own coffee at home.

Let’s say you’re buying a Starbucks coffee every weekday before work. At $3-$4 for a latte, you’re easily spending $1,000 per year on coffee. Even if you’re only getting Tim Hortons coffee, you’re probably spending $350-$400 per year. (These estimates are only counting 1 coffee per work day. I don’t know any coffee addict who can survive on that. So these are conservative estimates.)

For less than half that Starbucks bill you can prepare a great latte at home and buy the equipment. All you need is a stovetop espresso maker, a milk frother, and the coffee and milk. The ubiquitous aluminum Bialetti espresso maker can be purchased online for less than $30, but I prefer these stainless steel versions. (I have both the 6- and 12-cup Vespress Black.) The 6-cup makers will make 2 small lattes or 1 large latte; the 12-cup maker will make 4 small lattes or 2 large lattes.

For the steamed milk, use this simple milk frother. Simply pour milk (from skim to homogenized, it’s your choice), pump it to incorporate air, then microwave it to warm the milk, and set the foam. (For large batches, you can use a microwave-safe French press. It’s virtually the same thing.)

Brewing coffee at home allows you to splurge a little on the coffee beans. Starbucks beans sell for about $15 for a 1lb bag, which should last a single person 3-4 weeks. Throw in the milk and that’s only $250-$300 per year. Starbucks everyday for less than the price of Timmy’s.

(Costco members can cut that price in half. Costco sells Kirkland-branded whole coffee beans roasted by Starbucks for only $12 for 2lb bags. That price alone is worth getting a Costco membership.)

If you want an even more authentic experience, get yourself a coffee grinder, and use freshly ground coffee every morning. I use a KitchenAid A-9 coffee grinder I found on eBay, but Espresso Planet stocks many other options. Avoid blade grinders, because you can’t control the grind level. Only use a burr grinder.

So for a minimal investment—you don’t need one of those fancy expensive espresso machines unless you’re trying to impress someone—you can start making lattes at home that will rival any coffee chop.

If you still need convincing, consider this interesting article about a “Tim Hortons Savings Plan”. It shows that if cut out 15 Tim Hortons coffees per week (or about 5 Starbucks coffees) and invest that money at a 5% interest rate for 10 years, you’ll have accumulated almost $12,000. If that doesn’t make you think twice, I’m not sure what will.