We all know that coffee, the most traded item after oil is expensive. If you would to look at it, as a daily expense, it seems little. However, this being a lifestyle, a daily necessity, a couple of dollars multiple by the days, weeks and years -it can add up to probably a trip to "that part of the world" you always wished you went.

1. The cost of good Coffee from Coffee house

There are so many variety of coffee out there, but let's say you always go for a cappuccino which cost about 3 dollars and you have 2 per day. Assuming that you have the same pattern everyday, you would be spending: $3 X 2cups X 365days = $2190 (about that amount for a tour?).

The couple of dollars refer to the gourmet coffee that you would purchase from Starbucks or somewhere similar. To lower the cost, you can either make it at home and as most of your day is spent in the office, get one machine for your office would also mitigate the spending on these gourmet coffees.

2. The cost of good coffee from office coffee machine (self purchase)

We still stick to the assumption that you love your cappuccino, so you would not be getting any drip or vacuum coffee maker, it would have to be an espresso machine.

**Hint: the cheapest cappuccino machine around would be the Mr Coffee Maker ECM 250 which can make a simple cappuccino and is less than 50 dollars.

To enjoy the same standard in the office is another 50 dollars outlay. That is not forgetting that you would have to "treat" your colleagues who are so envious of your sweet smelling cappuccino!

The beans would probably cost you at 0.20 dollars per serve. You consume 2 cups but would probably have to "treat" anything from 5 to 10 cups. Let's say you "treat" 5 cups per day. The total cost of your coffee would be: 7cups X $0.20 = $1.40, lesser than what you would pay to Starbucks, but not the best savings!

You spent a total of S$50 (initial investment) + S$1.40 X 365 = $561.00 just to enjoy your 2 cups of cappuccino.

3. The cost of good coffee from coffee travel mugs

Using a coffee maker for the office still cost you about $561.00 every year. It is cheaper than the $2190.00, but to us, it is not good enough. Imagine, where the $561.00 can get you to? If you are traveling to Asia, this amount probably can bring you from Japan to another few days stay in Hong Kong!

Let’s see how much savings, a simple coffee travel mug can get for you:

Everything remains the same; you still drink 2 cups of cappuccino everyday. The difference is you get yourself a great Nissan or “Frontgate" coffee travel mug, which can keep coffee warm for hours! The initial outlay is approximately $20.00.

You do not have to share your coffee as your coffee travel mug is personal, so folks would not come to you for "treats" and nobody likes sharing from the same mug -so you save the "treats". The total cost for the good coffee from coffee travel mugs would be $20.00 (the purchase of a good thermal mug) + $0.20 (the cost of beans) X 2 serve per day X 365 days = $166.00.

Between having a coffee maker in the office and bringing it from home -you save close to $400.00 and you would saved more than $1500.00 simply by using coffee travel mugs and not buying from coffee house.

So, what do you think? Simple thing yes, but in the era where cost is rising so rapidly, I seriously think that the savings from coffee travel mugs can go a long way for working folks like all of us!