A recent article suggests that the average American worker spends something like $1100 a year on coffee—that’s over $20 a week! When you compare that to the commute costs for that same worker, you’d be tempted to think that drilling for coffee might be at least as important as drilling for more oil. You know you’ve got to have that coffee, so how do you propose to make it more affordable? Maybe it’s time to try a cup from one of the other chains, or even a local coffee vendor. Joining affinity programs can get you a free cup after buying a bunch. And then there’s always the possibility that you could drink it black, instead of adding all the various flavorings and dairy concoctions that jack the price up. Or how about making it at home? You can grab a home drip coffee maker for a couple of bucks, or pick up a French press pot for not much more than pocket change. And just think: if you can score your cup of coffee for a cheaper price, you can drink even more of it!

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