Travel Hack #23: How To Get A Coffee When The Café Is Closed: Make It Yourself
Posted: October 30, 2024 | Tagged: Travel Hacks
Save money on making your own coffee with the added convenience of being able to have a coffee whenever you want.
When you are on the road, staying in hotels, and there are no tea or coffee-making facilities available, your only option is to head out and find a cafe.
But what happens when the rain is lashing down, it's late, or early, and the café is closed? You go without. You suffer.
Being able to make your own coffee whenever you want is a convenience to will learn to love. Any fool can be uncomfortable. Sometimes it is essential when travelling, to organise your life to a point that being on the road feels like home.
Not only that, you will save a shit load of money. A double whammy. A bit like a double espresso or a double A-side single.
But what happens when the rain is lashing down, it's late, or early, and the café is closed? You go without. You suffer.
Being able to make your own coffee whenever you want is a convenience to will learn to love. Any fool can be uncomfortable. Sometimes it is essential when travelling, to organise your life to a point that being on the road feels like home.
Not only that, you will save a shit load of money. A double whammy. A bit like a double espresso or a double A-side single.
Equipment for making coffee on the road:
If you are happy with instant coffee or you just prefer a simple tea, then you will need just a few essential items:
Travel Immersion Water Heater
Nomadic Backpacker Mug
I have my own Nomadic Backpacker Mug, which I got at Office Depot in Mexico City, which I carry for the sole purpose of being able to enjoy a cup of coffee or tea whenever I want:
Instant Coffee or Tea Bags
Sugar
Water Spoon Electricity
How to make your own coffee using the Travel Immersion Water Heater
- Fill the cup with water
- Place the Travel Immersion Water Heater in the cup
- Plug the Travel Immersion Water Heater into the power outlet.
- Wait for the water to boil
- Unplug the Travel Immersion Water Heater from the power socket
- Place the Travel Immersion Water Heater somewhere to cool down
The coil will burn out very quickly if plugged in and not immersed in water or if you leave it boiling too long. Do not get distracted.
The costs involved in making your own coffee verses buying one in a cafe
My own Nomadic Backpacker mug cost me 90 pesos, but you can pick them up in most shops for around 50 pesos. You can find Water Heaters in most hardware stores in most developing countries. I paid something like 30 pesos for mine in Ziploite.
A small jar of coffee costs about 30 MXN, and the sugar, 15 MXN.
And that's all you need.
The cheapest coffee in Mexico is street coffee and they cost about 15 pesos. A coffee in McDonald's is now 25 pesos, in OXXO, 24 pesos. A coffee in a cafe is now 40 - 50 pesos. The costs sure add up over a week, month or year.
And of course, 1 coffee is never enough. Huge savings to be had for just a small outlay.
A small jar of coffee costs about 30 MXN, and the sugar, 15 MXN.
And that's all you need.
The cheapest coffee in Mexico is street coffee and they cost about 15 pesos. A coffee in McDonald's is now 25 pesos, in OXXO, 24 pesos. A coffee in a cafe is now 40 - 50 pesos. The costs sure add up over a week, month or year.
And of course, 1 coffee is never enough. Huge savings to be had for just a small outlay.