Last Updated on November 24, 2021 by John Moretti
Coffee is a habit that many people enjoy. One of the only downsides of being a coffee enthusiast is that this hobby can become very expensive very quickly. This may have you asking the question, “how can I save money on coffee beans?”
Coffee beans can be expensive. To save money, buy coffee beans in bulk, grind your own beans with a grinder that has low retention, brew your coffee with a scale, and begin to drink less coffee or create smaller drinks. This will help you continue to enjoy your coffee habit while saving money.
Saving money is important in the current world climate, and one way to save money is to save on luxuries such as coffee. Is there a way to save money and still enjoy good coffee? Let’s find out!
How To Save Money On Coffee Beans
Coffee beans can be expensive. Not the type expensive that they will break the bank, but coffee beans are the type of expensive that takes a chunk out of your wallet over time.
To enjoy a long-lasting relationship with coffee beans, it is important to mitigate this lover-time spending by attempting to save money on the coffee beans that you buy.
This is a good way to save money on your overall budget, but it is always a good way to control your coffee habit and keep things reasonable.
Saving money on coffee beans can sometimes seem impossible, especially if you have very high standards regarding coffee, but there are some simple ways to help keep coffee bean costs down.
Let’s look at some of these methods and start saving some money as soon as possible.
1. Buy Coffee Beans In Bulk
One of the best ways to save some money for those coffee drinkers who buy a lot of coffee beans every month is to buy beans in bulk.
This process is more challenging and time-consuming than simply buying one bag of beans at a time, but if you consume enough coffee to go through a bulk bag within 8 weeks, then it is safe to buy large quantities of coffee and use it before it begins to go stale. Another option to keep coffee fresh is to freeze it.
Buying in bulk reduces costs over time and is significantly less expensive by weight than buying individual bags every few days.
2. Buy Whole Beans Rather Than Pre-Ground
Everyone who truly loves coffee knows that buying whole beans rather than pre-ground coffee beans leads to a significantly better coffee drinking experience.
However, what not many coffee lovers may realize is that buying whole beans rather than pre-ground is a good way to save money on beans.
Pre-ground beans are more expensive by weight than whole beans, even though pre-ground beans are inferior in terms of quality.
This higher price is due to the added processing step of grinding the beans that pre-ground beans undergo before being packaged and sold. Every step in the processing journey of a bag of coffee increases the cost of the final product.
This means that buying whole beans will save the coffee drinker money over time and provide a better cup of coffee every time. This is a no-lose money-saving solution.
3. Grind Your Own Beans
Along with buying whole beans comes grinding those whole beans into something than being brewed into a cup of coffee.
By grinding these beans yourself, you will save money over time. This is because whole beans are less expensive, but this also allows you to grind exactly the amount of coffee that you need for each brew, rather than over-packing a portafilter or pouring too many grounds into your Moka pot.
This ultimately reduces waste, which saves money as well.
4. Use A Good Grinder With Low Retention
When grinding coffee beans, it is imperative to use a good-quality coffee beans grinder. Good quality bean grinders tend to have what is known as “low retention.” This is the amount of coffee grounds that are left behind in the grinder or the amount of grounds that the grinder retains.
The fewer grounds retained in the grinder means, the fewer grounds wasted. More retention equals more wasting.
It is important to use as much of the coffee that you buy as possible and waste as little as possible. This will help your coffee last longer and lengthen the times between buying more beans, thus saving money over time.
5. Buy Good Coffee That Is Abundantly Available
It is somewhat surprising to know that the price of coffee is not always related to the quality of the coffee but rather to the rarity of the coffee.
There are plenty of highly expensive types of coffee that are only expensive because they are rare, while there are plenty of superb coffee beans that are very affordably priced because they are abundantly available.
Do not judge a coffee bean based on price alone. A high price does not necessarily mean a good coffee.
This means that buying a less expensive coffee may actually give you a better coffee experience while saving you money with each purchase as well.
6. Avoid Buying Coffee Capsules
Coffee capsules are very convenient, quick, and simple to use, but coffee capsules tend to cost significantly more for less coffee per cup.
This high price is mainly due to all of the extra packaging that is required for a coffee capsule.
Buying fresh whole coffee beans is always cheaper than the more modern specialty coffee trends such as coffee pods.
7. Use Less Coffee
This is an obvious tip, but to save money on coffee beans, simply use less coffee.
This is particularly applicable when brewing coffee such as espresso. If you are accustomed to brewing a double shot of espresso for every coffee drink, rather brew a single shot and make your drink smaller.
This will save significant funds in the long term, and you will not have to compromise on drinking coffee at all.
Conclusion
Buying coffee beans is a luxury, but it does not have to be expensive, even if you are the person who enjoys high-quality coffee.
Simple acts such as using less coffee or using the proper equipment to grind with to minimize waste will all add up to saving money over time and keeping the initial costs of buying coffee lower.
This is important for everyone who drinks too much coffee. Use these tips to keep the coffee budget down while maintaining coffee enjoyment as at as high a level as possible.
