If I buy coffee to drink when I'm out (or, in the case of the recent power outage in the wake of Sandy), I go to McDonald's for the buck-for-any-size Newman's own.

I drink my coffee (and my tea, for that matter) with extract of neither cow nor cane. (Except very, very occasionally, if, perhaps I've got a wonky tum.) Tom prefers cream, but no sweetener.

I have sometimes used instant coffee to flavor cakes or other baked goods, but I certainly wouldn't drink it, although I recognize that some brands taste better than others. Instant espresso is a much better substitute for brewed coffee. And I keep coffee BAGS around for "emergencies" -- they're like tea bags, but for coffee. I stock both regular and decaf (from which I normally run screaming, but is nice if I'm in the mood for a coffee drink (alcoholic with whipped cream on top) and it's after, say, 2 p.m.

I usually freeze the day's leftover coffee, if there is any (we usually only drink a cup or two with breakfast), in ice cube trays and keep the cubes in a Zip-loc bag until used. After Tom broke his ankle, I started doing the shopping and discovered how expensive coffee is. I can't stand waste (the used grounds are composted) and we're on a low fixed income and a tight budget. Tom won't drink coffee with the cubes added, but I don't mind and I prefer my coffee on the tepid side anyway.

Linn