And making homemade coffee is a real savings compared to buying it in a coffee shop.

Regardless of the brewing method you choose, all we start with freshly ground coffee beans.

Coffee beans are roasted to various degrees of darkness.

Choose darker beans for a stronger flavor, lighter beans for mild tasting coffee, and create your own blend for something in between.

Coffee grinders are inexpensive and well worth the investment.

Since coffee beans lose their freshness quickly, it's best to grind them fresh each time you make coffee.

The most popular methods for brewing coffee are the automatic drip, the manual drip, and the French press.

Follow the manufacturer's guidelines for your coffee maker for either a fine or coarse grind.

For an automatic-drip coffee maker, measure the ground coffee into the filter, pour the water into the reservoir.

Each 6-ounce cup of coffee, use three-quarters of a cup of fresh cold water and one to two tablespoons of ground coffee, depending on how strong you like your brew.

And press the button to start the brewing process.

To use a manual drip coffee maker, measure the coffee into the filter, bring fresh water to a full boil in a kettle, turn off the heat and allow it to rest for a moment, and then slowly pour the water over the coffee.

Water just under boiling at 195 to 205 degrees releases coffee's compounds at their flavorful best.

Be careful not to overfill the filter basket.

Give it a stir to make sure all the grounds are submerged.

You may need to wait for some of the coffee to drip into the carafe before continuing to pour the hot water.

To make coffee using a French press coffee maker, measure the coffee into the carafe.

Pour the tempered hot water into the carafe.

Place the lid on the carafe and allow the liquid to brew for four minutes.

Press the plunger to the bottom of the carafe to trap the grounds.

Whether you like your coffee black or with milk, cream, or sugar, it all starts with the right brew.