Frugal Tip Friday - for your Cafe Fix!

There's nothing like going out to a cafe and sitting and chatting with a good friend. There is just something inviting about a good warm drink at a cafe, and I thought, if I could just make these cafe type drinks at home I could save so much money while still being able to enjoy a cafe drink! We have this little terrace attached to our apartment and yesterday was so nice outside, I sat outside at my little garden style chair and table and drank my tea in the sun. With a cafe drink, and maybe some cafe like pictures around, I could totally turn that into my own little cafe haven:) Anyways, I'm going off on a tangent (but I'm so excited!). Whether its sitting on your own balcony chair or sitting in a comfy indoor chair, you make your own cafe haven! So how can you make your own little cafe haven and save money on 1- gas going to the cafe and 2- the 5$ small coffee drink? First you will need some kind of picture that reminds you of being in a cafe. Pictures and visuals can do wonders for helping you to travel to your cafe haven. Maybe its a picture of a cafe from Europe, maybe its a simple picture of coffee beans, maybe its the word CHAI in a picture. Either way they simple and easy to make. First - take a photo of your favorite coffee in a cup, or a close up of coffee beans. Take the photo and put it in a frame. Place your framed picture in your new little coffee haven area:) Here are a few cute ones!

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Next way to make your own cafe haven is to make your own coffee drinks! And its SUPER EASY!
Here are a few drinks that you can make at home and save a ton:

Cafe Latte - This is a fancy way of saying coffee with frothed milk:) Just make your favorite regular cup of coffee and place it in your favorite jumbo mug. Next take nonfat, 1%, 2% or whole milk and place 2 cups in a pot. After you heat up the milk to your desired temperature, take a whisk or a handheld kitchenaid mixer and mix the milk until it froths. When it froths, just pore milk into coffee mug and scoop desired amount of froth on top!

Vanilla Latte - Do the same as above as in Cafe Latte but add in 1/2 tablespoon of vanilla syrup or vanilla extract!

Chai Latte - If you know me, you know this one is my FAVORITE! I love chais and have probably supported Starbucks in the years so far with some crazy amount of money, but no more! Not since I discovered Tazo Chai Mix. This mix is actually what Starbucks uses! You can buy it at most grocery stores/Whole Foods or Fairway. It is located in the tea/coffee section and looks like this.

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To make a Chai Latte. Take 1/2 cup of chai mix and pore into fave mug. Next take 2 cups of your desired milk and pore into a pot. Heat milk. Next use your mixer (like above) or whisk and mix milk until froth is created. Pore milk into fave mug with chai and scoop out desired amount of froth!

Cafe Mocha - this one is from Danielle at Danielle's Meandering Thoughts! Thanks D for stopping by!
"I make my own 'cafe mocha' or 'dunkachino' by making instant coffee with hot water and adding a packet of hot cocoa. (I use sugar free),, but the packets of hot cocoa have like their own sweetness and creaminess so there is no need for milk or sugar!"

And you have saved lots of money and made your own little cafe haven at home! How cool is that!?
Those are just a few cafe drinks you could make at home! Have any favorite cafe drinks you like to make at home? Leave them in the comments below!

Holly Clark stops by to give us a tip on how she saves money living in the city. Holly works part time as a centerpiece designer, attends college and interns in the film/television industry. Hollys says "Walking to and from my destination in NYC saves me 89$ a month on a metrocard!"

Have a frugal tip that you'd like to share or would you like to guest post at Frugal Tip Fridays? Email me at simplelivinginabigcity@yahoo.com and I'll link to your blog after the tip! 

Happy Frugal Tip Friday!
Nikki