Congratulations on 20 years with Kris. This is why GRS appeals to many audiences because you are so real.

I’m posting the same comment I posted on beingfrugal.net about the mocha here:

Good recipe but no matter how I tried using brewed coffee and cocoa, it is never quite the same.

I decided to invest in an espresso maker. They were all very expensive but after extensive research, I picked the DeLonghi machine from Target for $79.99. Though still expensive, I consider it frugal, considering it paid for itself in one month by keeping me from going to Starbucks. The only drawback, the milk steamer is not very hot so I still have to heat up the milk separately. Best of all, it tastes MUCH better than Starbucks because I use good ingredients.

Recipe:
8 ounces milk or 1 cup (I use soymilk)
0.5-1 ounce chocolate syrup (I buy the Trader Joe’s brand, no high fructose corn syrup. I also found some cocoa mixes work good like Dagoba brand)
3 ounces espresso (I like Italian Roast)

Cost: Less than $1 per cup.

This is just my experience, do what works for you.

@Becky — Thanks for the links (#7) — they look good.

http://www.afullcup.com also gives super advice on where the sales are and how to get them combined with coupons to get stuff for cheap or free.

BTW – It’s ironic that you were about to post something about buying a used car. My wife is expecting a baby and we just went through the whole process. I wrote a short article with some tips — feel free to borrow the material or if you’d be interested in a guest post, email me! (Full disclaimer though, I’m more of a blog reader than a blog writer!)

http://www.vincentchiaro.com/2009/01/vinnys-guide-to-buying-car.html

My favorite investment is the time I spend with my family and friends. Who would have thought that I could get such great returns from a simple act like changing a diaper.