Warm Drinks on a Budget

My favorite drinks come out around fall and winter; such as a pumpkin spiced chai, matcha latte with oat milk, or a coffee with peppermint syrup. But as a college student on a budget, it’s not ideal to go to Starbucks every day (even if it’s right on campus). So here are some ideas on how to make your own tasty drinks at home!

1.Buy your own matcha, chai, and coffee!

Instead of spending $7.00 on a cup of coffee/chai/matcha a day, buy your own to make at home, lasting you longer and saving you money at the same time. You can buy beans and get them ground at Starbucks for your own coffee at home, or Trader Joe’s carries matcha and chai with a scoop to portion everything out. You can also buy these products at Walmart or Stop & Shop.

2. Buy Flavored Milks!

I’ve been obsessed with Trader Joe’s non-dairy pumpkin oat beverage for a while now. It’s perfect to make your own pumpkin spiked latte, pumpkin chai, or matcha at home. You can also buy your own oat milks and other flavored milks like banana, chocolate, or strawberry to use in your drinks.

3.Make Your Own Syrups!

Making syrups is not as hard as people think it is. By making a simple sugar syrup, which is one part sugar and one part water that boils to dissolve the sugar, you can add different flavors to the process, creating your own flavored syrups. Try adding strawberries, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and even bananas!

4.Experiment!

When making your own drinks, there’s a lot of experimenting you can do. Whether it’s making new syrups, your own cold foam (by whisking heavy cream and a splash of vanilla together to create a foam), or even the garnishing on top, the possibilities are endless!