Are You a Coffee or Tea Enthusiast?

Can you start your day without Coffee? Not Me! For the last 50 years, I have had this habit of starting the day with a cup of strongly brewed coffee. But before you judged me that coffee is bad for me and I am wasting a lot of money on this drink, allow me to explain. First, I grind my own beans and brewed coffee at home. I seldom purchase coffee at Starbucks. The coffee in Starbucks is overpriced. My personal experience is that the Dunkin Donuts and McDonald coffee taste better. When I am in the Philippines, my favorite brand of coffee is Barraco from Batangas.

The following article from CNN Money Magazine confirmed my belief that an expensive cup of coffee is not always the best tasting coffee your money can buy.

“There are those of us who should not be allowed in public without having a cup of coffee first. That said, java is also an expensive habit. Luckily, you can have your cup and drink it too by cutting certain corners.

Look Before You Leap: Abstinence is the best policy with respect to saving money; but for most of us, when it comes to coffee, that's neither possible nor desirable. So before you take any drastic measures, simply track what you spend. Don't alter your buying habits; just spend a week chronicling your expenses. Though it may feel cumbersome at first, it can be illuminating to learn how, when, why and where you spend money.

Test Your Taste: Expensive doesn't necessarily mean you're getting a better bean, or a tastier one. Starbucks is getting more expensive -- the company recently announced a price hike -- but New York Magazine food critic Adam Platt found that patronizing the Seattle-based chain might not be worth it: In a blind taste test, Platt discovered that Starbucks ranked last in termed of taste -- and it's 31 cents more per cup than Dunkin Donuts. Opting for Dunkin Donuts over Starbucks could save you almost $230 a year. But it's always possible to be penny wise and pound foolish. There are also hidden costs: For instance, investing in fair trade coffee will save you and the planet more money in the long run. Common sense can also result in saving cents.”

To those of you who are not coffee drinkers, this article may not have any meaning. Again, do not talk to me in the morning before I have my cup of coffee, otherwise you will be fully ignored. To me a day without coffee is like a day without sunshine.