Are you tired of dishing out $5 for lattes and $3 for black coffee at your local coffee shops? Feel guilty about needing that boost and spending so much to get it? What if you had the opportunity to make a cup of black coffee for $1 that is far better than what you would get at a coffee shop?

No more of this.

I entered the specialty coffee world because I discovered a love for amazing coffee, but I hate discovered I hate breaking the bank for it. Searching for ways to make brewing coffee more efficient financially, I found that making it myself would decrease the cost dramatically, allowing me to save lots of money.

I’m going to start throwing out some numbers to prove that incredible coffee can be had for just about $1 a cup. Follow along and check my math if you’re skeptical. For this, I am going to be using high-end brewing methods and top-quality beans, which will result in a cup better than my local shop can give me. Just for extra proof, I am going to list prices generously.

Initial Investments

French Press

First we need to invest in a brewing method. A Bodum french press will run us about $30. Other solid options would be the Aeropress ($26) or the Clever ($22). The Clever and Aeropress require filters that will need to be replenished eventually, but the French Press uses a metal, permanent one. If you’re not sure why we aren’t using a normal coffee pot, quickly read why manual brewing is always best.

Then we’re going to need a coffee bean grinder. The inexpensive Hario Mini Mill ($35) is an incredible choice, but other might prefer the automatic Baratza Encore ($130). I would recommend the Mini Mill if you’re looking to save more money.

Find Good Coffee Beans

And finally we need beans. We’re not going to Wal-Mart or Market Street to get these beans. We want excellent, freshly roasted to perfection beans. Your local shop might have beans for sale, or you could look into purchasing some online. Check out how to find high quality coffee beans to make sure what you choose is the best of the best. For this exercise, we’ll assume the beans are $15 for 12 ounces.

Up to this moment we’ve spent a total of $80 on equipment. But wait – let’s add $10 in case anything was shipped. Now we’re at $90. You’re probably thinking it’s just not worth it at this point. But just wait.

Save Money by Brewing

That 12oz bag of coffee holds 340g of coffee beans. Using the french press, only 20g are needed per cup. That means that 12oz bag of high quality beans can make a total of 17 cups. You spent $15 on it, so the cost per cup is 88 cents. Starting to see how this works? You just saved money, nearly $2, on that cup since you made it yourself instead of going to a coffee shop. By continuing this daily, you’ll make back that $90 in just 45 days – if you only have a single cup a day.

Keep in mind that we’re using high-end beans and equipment. If you decide with a little $3 generic cone or even lower-quality beans, the results will still be impressive and you will still save money. This should bring you happiness.

And that’s how I discovered that if I begin brewing my own coffee instead of visiting shops so often. One year later, my counter is full of coffee brewing methods and I have a website about it all. Welcome to the world of specialty coffee. Happy brewing!