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By: Lili Rousso

For those who enjoy drinking gourmet coffee, they may be in for a world of hurt with the recession the country is facing. Stopping by popular coffee shops and dropping up to $5 on a latte may very well be a thing of the past for many. But it doesn't have to be that way. There is a way to have your gourmet coffee and drink it, too!

Anyone who has frequented coffee shops knows just how hard it can be on the pocketbook. Having a taste for fine gourmet coffee shouldn't break the bank every week. Yet, for many people, it does just that. So, just how does one go about partaking in great coffee, while not sacrificing a day's pay to do so? It's simple.

The answer lies in becoming a home coffee connoisseur. Taking the power out of the hands of coffee shops and putting it into your own, at home, will help you keep the gourmet coffee you have become accustomed to, while still keeping money in your wallet for other things. Still not convinced? Consider the following:

1. You'll spend less. A lot less. Compare what it costs to stop by a place like Starbuck's every day with how much it costs to create great tasting gourmet coffee at home, and you'll see just how crazy it is to continue pumping extra money into the former. In fact, if you stopped by a coffee shop and bought one drink per day, at $3 that would total $1,080 per year! If you were like many, who buy two per day, you would spend an average of $2,160 per year.

On the flip side, if you purchase a home espresso machine, the average cost per cup is only around 50 cents. Drink two cups a day and your total spent per year would only be $360, which is around an 85 percent savings per year!

2. Keep the quality. Let's face it, if you are like many people you have become accustom to drinking good tasting coffee. Just because times are tight, you shouldn't have to give up this one thing that you really enjoy. Plus, it probably helps define who you are. Right? Being a fine coffee drinker is one of the defining characteristics that some people have.

3. Boost Morale. Being able to keep the little pleasures in life, such as drinking gourmet coffee, helps to keep your morale up. Keeping the morale up is a good way to stay positive and helps fight depression, which many people experience during such economic times. Enjoying a home-made espresso each day may just be the extra boost you need.

4. Increase Alertness. Medical researchers have done a lot of studies involving caffeine. Many believe that it increases mental clarity and helps with alertness. Plus, for those who are cutting gourmet coffee breaks out of their diet, there can be withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches and sluggishness.

5. Share with Others. When you get your coffee from expensive shops you are not in a position to share with friends and family. It would just cost too much to try to do so. But, having a home espresso machine can put you in a position to impress your guests. And once they find out how much money you actually save, they may join you in making the switch to home-brewed gourmet coffee.

6. Keep the Control. When you opt for getting your coffee at gourmet shops like Starbuck's, you have very little control over what you are drinking. Sure, you place an order for a drink, and the length of the name may take a while to memorize, but how much do you really know about the ingredients going into that drink?

When you make gourmet coffee at home, you have all the control. You know what type of coffee you are purchasing, where it comes from, how much went in, etc. You maintain more control over what you are consuming. Plus, as a bonus, you have more control over when you get to have it, no more beating the clock or being left high and dry on the holidays.

Gourmet coffee is good medication for the mind, body and soul. People have been consuming it throughout history and it's one of the most popular beverages throughout the world. However, frequent purchases of it, at gourmet coffee shops, can be troublesome in such economic times.

Purchasing the tools to make it at home, such as buying an espresso machine, will help you be able to still enjoy it, yet stick to your New Year's resolution to save money. During these economic times we can use all the help we can to do both.

Aroma Cafe Culture is a Los Angeles, California-based company. They are a distributor of Lavazza: Italy's Favorite Coffee, which is the largest family-owned coffee roaster in the world. They offer a popular "coffee-shop-in-a-box" that allows people to make gourmet coffee at home, for a small fraction of the price they would pay at a coffee shop. Visit their Web site at Aroma Cafe Culture.

Tags: Food and Drink/Coffee lavazza blue lavazza espresso point Lavazza Espresso Machines aroma cafe culture espresso machin

How to Save Money While Still Drinking Gourmet Coffee