The big New Year’s resolutions are usually (say them with me),  get fit, save money and get organized. Of course, I want to do all three at the same time. It’s not always obvious when one little change can yield a triple play, but I think saving money and making mornings less hectic with DIY mocha coffee alternative is all that and more!

How much is a Starbucks treat? Easily somewhere between $4 and $6, right? Grab some high-quality instant coffee and a cannister of salted caramel hot cocoa mix at Trader Joes, and it’ll only set you back $8 in store, which I estimate will make at least 15 drinks. That’s about $.53 per drink. On Amazon, you can find these products, which may or may not be as good as Trader Joes: Salted Carmel Coco Mix and organic instant coffee for roughly the same price-ish, about $20.

Now, I know you might be thinking, EW! Instant coffee! But honestly, I can’t tell the difference. This is really high quality stuff. And I like the fact that I can control the strength and the sugar amount by varying my mix. If you try it and hate it, hey, you are only out $8. But if you love it? Here’s what you stand to gain…

Let’s say you indulge maybe 15 times a month, that’s about a $90 Starbucks tab, or about $8 the DIY way. Over the course of a year, you would spend about $96 versus $1,080 at the corner shop.

In other words, you can save about $984 this coming year by changing just one habit. And you don’t even have to give anything up!

I know, I thought my math was wrong, too, but it’s not.

$.53 per drink times 15 drinks per month times 12 months equals $96.

Versus $6 per drink times 15 drinks per month times 12 months equals $1,080.

Savings= $984 per year.

Now, if you were to invest that money and let it grow with compound interest or stock market growth, we’re talking real money. Growing at just 2% interest over the next 20 years, that turns into over $25,681. Growing at something closer to 7% for 20 years, it’s more like $46,939. And let that money grow for 30 years, well that’ll get you $108,607. Not bad.

This little DIY mocha coffee alternative and the effect it can have on your wallet probably isn’t news to you. The idea that you can become rich by skipping the fancy lattes has been around for a long time.

But have you ever thought about what else this DIY mocha coffee alternative is saving you????

A coffee-house drink is typically loaded with calories. Because you can mix this to your taste, you can cut waaaaaay back on the calories, if you wish. As I’ve gotten older, my sweet tooth has tamed just a bit, so I usually mix drinks with half or less of the recommended mix. You can also add a spoon of protein powder in, if you wish, and skip the upcharge that you’d otherwise get from the barista. I added a bit of coconut creamer, lower in sugar than most other creamers, but still fairly sweet. You can easily save hundreds of calories this way without even noticing.

But the real bright spot in this equation? A better organized day. Better use of time. Save time on your commute. Avoid waiting in line. Ever notice on the day that you really, really need that coffee, it’s also the day when the lines are extra long and you are late even before you get started? Thanks to the magic of instant coffee and powdered drink mix, this whole drink takes two minutes from the cabinet to the microwave to the car cupholder. That is assuming, of course, that you can find your favorite travel mug and lid. That’s a good reason to have just two or three favorite travel mugs and keep them organized.

So, does this little DIY mocha coffee alternative hack have the potential to save money, help you reach your fitness goals, and feel more organized? More importantly, can you pull this off without feeling deprived? There’s only one way to find out. Let me know how it goes.