I spend a ridiculous amount of time and money at coffee shops and it isn’t for the uncomfortable chairs or the cheesy jazz music–it’s for the coffee. But it occurs to me that the more I spend on coffee, I could actually be making my own at home using an espresso machine.

Consider this: If I drink an average of five espresso drinks each week at $4.00 each, that adds up to $1,040 every year! And that’s not even counting what other members of my family spend. Not to mention the environmental impact of hundreds of paper or Styrofoam cups that are generated each year this way.

For a thousand dollars you can buy a top grade espresso maker, plenty of imported Italian espresso, and even a nifty apron for you to wear in your kitchen and pretend to be a barista! Think about it…it’s better for you, better for your pocketbook, and better for the environment.