The Frugalista in Winter: Coffee Ground Magic

An especially icy spot on the deck

Like many folks, I love love love coffee. We drink only a moderate amount (most days!) but enjoy it to the hilt. Not only do I never waste a drop (any leftovers in the pot find their way to a Morning Monkey Smoothie [recipe in a future pot!], or just plain old iced coffee) but I don't waste the grounds, either. Black gold, they are! I use them in making soap, in the garden, and even in my pottery.

Today I discovered one more use: in place of sand on an icy walkway!

Salt and sand don't go away. They build up in your walk, and kill the soil on either side. Coffee grounds enhance the soil as they biodegrade. Grounds do little to melt the ice, so occasionally you may have to resort to salt, or an eco-friendly alternative, but more often than not a thorough shoveling makes salt unnecessary. Coffee grounds provide the same grit that sand does, to make the ice less slick.

This winter has been a series of snow/thaw/freeze cycles, resulting in a treacherous buildup of ice on driveways and walkways. Lacking money but having no shortage of coffee grounds, you Frugalista sprang into action! Feeling safer already.