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Espresso

January 15, 2013

Alright…Honesty Time.

I have a fairly new addiction to coffee beverages purchased from coffee shops.  Sometimes the beverages are purchased from our local coffee shop, but more often than not they’re purchased from Starbucks.

I know, it’s a problem.  A very expensive, chemical filled, bad for the environment problem.

I think that part of the problem stems from the fact that I have a new-found affinity for espresso based beverages (yes, I still love my tea and still make myself a cup every single morning…but I get up very early and these espresso beverages usually come a couple of hours later).  I also think that part of the problem stems from the idea of wanting to be able to treat myself to something nice every once in a while.  The issue is, my every once in a while became every single day.  Ugh.  Then, there was the guilt and debates about big business and fair trade and organic and the beating myself up about it all…all while still wanting a stinking beverage.  Vicious cycle.  Nasty, vicious, no good cycle.

So, a little over a week ago Tool Lady and I used a 20% off coupon at Bed, Bath & Beyond to purchase a brand new toy…

…and every single day since our purchase, I’ve been able to enjoy my espresso beverages guilt free!  Oh yeah…espresso with steamed milk, caramel syrup and actual caramel on top = a Caramel Macchiato.  Espresso with steamed milk and vanilla syrup = a Vanilla Latte.  It’s all quite magical!

Even better is our ability to bring our beverages to work with us!  So, every morning before we leave the house, we grab our mason jars, lids and cozies and brew up our beverage of choice.

So, how does it all break down?  Well, as mentioned above, I like the expensive drinks…you know, the ones that run about $5 each.  Holy cow.  Tool Lady went back and forth between Lattes and drip coffee and since we carpool more days than not, if I was getting a beverage, so was she.  So, for the sake of an average, let’s say we spent $8 a day, 5 days a week.  That’s a whopping total of $40 a week, or $160 a month!  Ouch!

With our coupon, the machine itself cost about $120.  The bottles of syrup and such cost $3.99 each and we got four to start us off.  So, our total up front investment was just under $140.  This means that, within a month of making our own beverages, we will recoup our costs.  Even adding in the cost of organic milk, bags of organic, fair trade espresso and bottles of syrup, we’ll still be saving a ton of money!  Magic!

I am incredibly excited about this new adventure of ours!  There is no guilt and there are no chemicals…we are saving money, being a little more gentle to the planet and, best of all, I still get my tasty beverages each morning!  What more could a lady ask for?!

xoxo,
M

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10 Comments on “Espresso”

  1. Oh Bee girl I came to the same conclusion some months ago and haven’t looked back! In the long-run it saves so much money and yes, has to be kinder to the planet then buying them from somewhere like Starbucks.Enjoy!! Thanks so much for sharing at Wednesday’s Seasonal Celebration! Have a good week:-)Rebecca@ Natural Mothers Network x

    1. So glad to hear I’m not alone in this venture 🙂 One small step at a time makes a big difference for our planet! Thanks for being on a similar path and for sharing your experiences with all of us!!

    2. BTW, much more sustainable option! Glad you bought the machine and ditched Starbucks 🙂

      Thanks for sharing on The HomeAcre Hop!!!

  3. I know this addiction. it has been a while with the caffeine beverages… but I still love myself a caffeine free rooibus chai with almond milk – all coming in around $4 a cup. I am in love with your new found dedication and love to saving money and making your own delicious drinks. But more so, I’m in love love love with your mason jar cozies. Time to knit myself one.

    1. Ah yes…any beverage that’s not straight drip coffee can get pretty expensive pretty fast! I’m telling you, the cozies make a plain old mason jar feel special which just adds to the wonder of making your own beverages at home 🙂 Happy knitting!

  4. love this! i have the same problem, except i suspect most of my addiction is using coffee as an excuse to get out of my office and take a walk. but i mean, walks are good, right!? haha. i need that machine though, there is not nearly enough steamed milk in my life.

    1. Tiff! So happy to see you here! Yes, there is always the need to get out of the office…it’s so easy, too, when the coffee shops are so darn close!!! I highly recommend investing in this little guy! It really is wonderful 🙂

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