How to Make Iced Coffee at Home in Just 3 Steps!

Many college students wake up craving a delicious, rich, and creamy cup of coffee. If that’s you - you know the feeling. The excitement of taking that trip to Starbucks or Dunkin before your first class or before a study session at the library. The pleasant smell of coffee beans filling your nose as you walk into the shop. Waiting for one of the baristas to call your name as they hand you your personalized coffee order. And once that first sip hits your taste buds, you feel ready to take on almost anything - whether that be completing your assignments, studying for that test, going to the gym, or even staying focused in class.

A perfect cup of coffee was just what you needed to jump-start your day.

But… that perfect cup of coffee might not seem so perfect when you realize just how much money you're spending per week, especially if you're going to Starbucks or Dunkin daily. $5-$7 dollars a day quickly adds up, resulting in spending around $40 dollars a week just on coffee. And, in the long run, this could add up to over two thousand dollars per year.

I was in these shoes during my freshman year of college. When I started to see my bank account draining simply from spending all of my money on a medium-sized drink, I knew it was time to do something about it. So, instead of cutting coffee out of my life completely, I decided to start making my own. This has helped me to save more money in college - and to spend that saved money on things such as college necessities, groceries, and gas.

And by following these three easy and affordable steps, you too can learn how to make your own (and still delicious) iced coffee at home and ultimately save money!

Step One: Purchase a jug of iced coffee (Price: approximately $5.49)

For the first and most important step, you will need a jug of iced coffee, which can be purchased from any local grocery store here in Harrisonburg. Each jug of iced coffee has roughly around 5 cups of coffee, which is the perfect amount to get you through the busy weekdays! Then, grab a cup and fill it with ice. To get the perfect amount of coffee, I recommended pouring the iced coffee halfway into the cup.

Step Two: Add milk (Price: approximately $3.29)

To get that perfect creamy flavor, add in a milk of your choice. Pour the milk until the drink reaches the top of the cup, that way you will have the perfect mixture of half iced coffee and half milk.

Step Three: Top it off with sugar (Price: approximately $3.89)

This step is optional depending on personal taste, but you can add one to two spoonfuls of sugar if you prefer your coffee to be sweeter. Then, stir with a spoon or straw so that the sugar does not sink to the bottom, as well as allow the iced coffee and milk to mix together.

So, the next time you are tempted to buy a $5-$7 dollar iced coffee at Starbucks or Dunkin, just remember that you can make your own at home! I hope you will follow these three quick and easy steps to save money!