How do I spend less on coffee and tea?

The cost of a daily coffee habit is dominated by whether it is bought or made. Beyond that, the format matters more than the quality — pods cost several times what the same coffee costs as beans.

What you'll need

• A grinder (optional)
• A reusable cup (optional)

Step by step

1. Work out what you actually spend.A daily bought coffee is a substantial annual figure. Seeing it as a yearly number rather than a daily one changes the decision.
2. Make it at home for most of them.The single largest saving by a wide margin. Even good beans and equipment cost a small fraction of bought coffee within months.
3. Buy whole beans rather than pods.Pods cost several times more per cup than the same coffee as beans, and they produce more waste. A grinder pays for itself quickly.
4. Buy the right quantity.Beans lose aroma within a few weeks of roasting. Buying a large bag cheaply and drinking it stale is a false economy.
5. Use a reusable cup where discounts apply.Many places discount for one. It also keeps the drink hot longer, and the discount adds up over a year.
6. Do not over-invest in equipment.A grinder and a cafetière or AeroPress makes excellent coffee for very little. Expensive machines rarely improve the cup as much as good beans and a grinder.
7. Buy loose leaf tea rather than premium bags.Loose leaf is usually better and cheaper per cup than expensive bagged tea, and good leaf can be re-steeped.
8. Keep a decent option at work.A cafetière or an AeroPress and a bag of beans at your desk removes the daily bought coffee entirely.

Tips

• A hand grinder and an AeroPress is a complete high-quality setup for a modest sum, and both travel.
• Buying beans from a local roaster is often no more expensive than supermarket beans and considerably fresher.
• The occasional bought coffee is worth protecting. Cutting it entirely is what makes people abandon the change.

Common mistakes

• Buying pods to save on a machine — The per-cup cost is several times that of beans. Over a year the machine saving is dwarfed by the consumable cost.
• Buying a large cheap bag of beans — Coffee loses most of its aroma within a few weeks. A large bag is stale for most of its life.
• Spending heavily on a machine before a grinder — Grind consistency limits the cup more than the machine does. A good grinder with a simple brewer beats the reverse.

Questions people ask