These Common Coffee Mistakes May Actually Be Costing You $$$

Brew your coffee at home, they said. It will save money, they said. But what really happens is an entire world of coffee-making is opened up — with confusing, sometimes contradictory instructions. Grind your own beans! Use water at exactly the right temperature! A process that literally just involves adding hot water to ground beans can become incredibly intimidating.

But, there's no reason to wave the white flag yet. In general, we stick to the maxim of brew what you like, be that coffee from a cheap Mr. Coffee or the hipster pour that takes over five minutes of hands-on attention for the perfect cup. However, no matter how you're brewing your beans, there are common pitfalls that we have all been victim to, whether we're aspiring baristas or java newbies.

Ahead, five common mistakes we make when brewing coffee at-home – and how to avoid them.