I, like, so many caffeine-addicted college students, used to spend at least $10 a week or more on coffee. Iced lattes, macchiatos, and mochas were my weekly treats during the school year, and my wallet was not happy about it. I thought about buying a cold brewer, but was hesitant about spending the money.

chocolate, beer, tea
Kristen Pizzo

 I did have a single cup coffee maker in my dorm, but quickly realized how unappealing hot coffee could be on warm Florida days, so I rarely used it.  To avoid getting my iced coffee fix at Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts more than once a week, I began buying 12-packs of canned cold brew coffee for about $20. 

Still, that came out to about $10 for a week of coffee, and although that may seem like pocket change, it is a lot to spend on coffee when you have textbooks to pay for. So, I finally broke down and bought a $20 cold brewer, a bottle of hazelnut syrup, and soy creamer. 

coffee, tea, beer
Kristen Pizzo

Now, I have only been getting coffee while I'm out occasionally, and drink cold brew the rest of the time. It takes just 5 minutes to pour coffee grounds and water into the pitcher, and 24 hours for the coffee to brew in the fridge. If you prepare a pitcher over the weekend, you'll have cold, smooth, less-acidic coffee for the week.

One bag of ground coffee can fill the pitcher about 3-4 times, and each pitcher can last a whole week. Excluding the initial cost of the cold brewer, that comes out to about $25 a month or less for coffee, flavors and creamer included. 

tea
Kristen Pizzo

 If you have the time, it's easy to get creative with your cold brew. Brands like Torani and Monin have every coffee syrup flavor under the sun, but if you would like your flavor and creamer all in one, Coffee Mate has dessert-inspired creamers that will allow you to recreate your favorite coffee shop drink.

The convenience of picking up a $5 iced coffee between classes is tempting, but by setting aside a few minutes of your day, you can save money and cut back on sugar by making your own drink. So add a cold brewer to your dorm or apartment shopping list, and start getting your caffeine fix for less.