You can keep the coffee

Kent and I go through a pound of coffee in about six days. We used to get a Roasterie blend called City of Fountains that was sold at our local Costco. We liked the price ($12.99 for two pounds) and we also liked supporting the Roasterie, a Kansas City-based business. Plus it was really great coffee.

We knew we’d have to find something else once we moved to Boston; while the Roasterie is sold across the Midwest, you can’t buy it here in Boston unless you buy online. Unfortunately, the blend we like is distributed exclusively to Costco to sell in their KC facilities. Ordering something else would mean we'd pay more for pound plus we’d have to pay for shipping. To top it off (and to be honest) we’d really have to plan ahead for coffee. Sorry, folks, that’s just not going to happen. I tend to realize I need more coffee the day before I actually need it.

So we turned to Starbucks. We’ve liked their Christmas blend and God knows you can find one on almost every block, so availability wasn’t an issue. But it’s $10.95 for a pound of the coffee we like. Let’s say we buy coffee 54 times a year, accounting for us using a bit more than a pound a week and also allowing for the occasional guest. We’re looking at almost $600—OK $591.30—a year. On coffee!

Dunkin Donuts coffee is revered here in Boston. It’s also cheaper at $8.69 a pound. Using the same math, we’d be spending $483.84 a year—saving us $107.46 a year. In Boston terms, that’s one hair cut, or two cheap dinners out, or almost two monthly T passes, or about 10 days’ worth of groceries. As Kent said, it’s not a no-brainer but it’s worth a try.

I hate this coffee. Even Wally, who usually tries to sniff and drink my coffee, turns his nose up at this swill. As soon as this bag is done, we are switching back to Starbucks. Plus we aren’t even saving money. In order to make this coffee semi-palatable, Kent said he’s using probably three of our scoops per pot rather than two. So Boston can keep the Dunkin Donuts coffee, and I’ll stick with their donuts.