The Bronner Burgess Memorial Fund has been instrumental in supporting the Scott Dawson Evangelistic Association. Read further and discover how your support of Buzzbox Coffee transcends into changing people’s lives through the power of faith.
Powerful Faith
As they celebrated last month that there is an empty tomb we were reminded of the people who came to place their faith in Jesus this year at a Scott Dawson Evangelistic Association event. We are always humbled when God uses us to advance the Gospel and we recognized that in a story shared with us after an event earlier this year.
Finding Hope
A sixteen-year old girl recently attended one of our conferences. She had lost her mom a few years ago to a drug overdose. Two weeks before the conference she lost her dad to a drug overdose. This confused and hurting teenager was searching for someone to tell her that everything was going to be okay. She found that someone, Jesus, on the last evening of the conference.
Making A Difference
It’s not an event, song, or personality that changes lives, it’s Jesus Christ and we are blessed to be an avenue to make Him known. Here at the Scott Dawson Evangelistic Association, we’re proud to be a partner with the Rick and Bubba in proclaiming this Hope.
Do you knock your neighbor’s socks off with your drip coffee? Well, now you can, if you follow these 7 Easy Steps To The Best Drip Coffee.
1. The Coffee Must Be Fresh
Coffee has a shelf life of around 6 weeks. The coffee in the grocery store is on average 3 to 12 months old. What that means for you is, if you are drinking store-bought coffee you are enjoying the coffee equivalent of moldy stale bread. To avoid this and to enjoy the vast array of coffee’s flavors — only purchase coffee from a local independent roaster. Your coffee will be hours young not months old.
2. Your Water Has To Be Filtered
The water you use is the second most crucial step to having great tasting coffee (just after the coffee itself). Use filtered water or even bottled water. DO NOT USE distilled or softened water.
3. Be Specific About Your Grind
USE ONLY A BURR GRINDER. If you have a blade grinder, then I’m sorry. You are better off getting the custom treatment you can only get from a local roaster. A good, local roaster can grind your coffee according to your filter needs. If you have a burr grinder then here’s what you do. For ‘cone’ shaped filters (paper or gold cone), grind your coffee at #4 on your grinder. For flat-bottomed filters grind a little coarser with a #6 grind. The grind is imperative to the extraction process and the subsequent flavor.
4. Use The Right Amount
Use 2 level tablespoons of ground coffee per 6oz. of water.
5. Pre-Wet the Grounds
This is a fun trick many don’t know. If you have an Insta-hot or can quickly heat up a very small amount of water, sprinkle no more than an ounce of water on your grounds before you start brewing. This begins the extraction process and starts pulling the flavor to the surface of the grounds. When the brewing starts, it will have a head-start on the extraction.
6. If It Ain’t Hot, It’s Time To Shop
Your coffee maker should maintain a constant temperature of around 200?F to ensure optimal extraction. If you’re coffee is cool or colder than you remember, it maybe time for a new machine. BONUS TIP: A drip maker should also take only 5 – 7 minutes to brew.
7. Don’t Wait, Enjoy It Right Away
Nothing ruins your coffee experience like cold coffee. So, don’t wait, drink it right away. A thermal carafe will keep your coffee warm longer than a glass pot. No matter how warm you keep your coffee make sure to finish it off within 30 to 60 minutes of brewing. BONUS TIP: Re-heating coffee can never revive the optimal just-after-brewing flavor. That’s the seventh step in how to make the best coffee.
Conclusion:
Many coffee ‘experts’ will downplay the flavor of a drip brewer for many reasons. In reality though, a drip coffee maker can make a the best coffee in the world with the right beans, water and grind. Whether you like a light roast coffee, a medium roast coffee, or a dark roasted coffee, you just have to pay attention to the details. Oh, and when you’re done, don’t forget to help your neighbor find their socks.
We’ve all seen movies where two bad guys face off in a diner. They’re drinking bad diner coffee and smoking cheap cigarettes. This type of a scene makes for great cinema but not so great health. Why? Because low-quality coffee has many of the same health risks as tobacco. It’s actually a little scary how many similarities there are. Let’s take a closer look at the side effects and how to beat them.
1. How To Beat Pesticides in Coffee and Cigarettes.
Tobacco is the most chemically treated plant in the world. And, second place goes to – you guessed it! – coffee. Strict USDA regulations prevent farmers in America from putting many harsh pesticides – like DDT – on their crops. However, in foreign countries, the regulations are much more relaxed, so they can put many nasty chemicals on their crops. To make matters worse, coffee is highly absorbent, so the chemicals soak up into the beans and stay there for good. These crops are then imported to the United States.
Here’s what you should do.
Only buy USDA Certified Organic coffee. The USDA performs regular checks — traveling directly to the farms — to ensure certified organic coffees remain chemical free and safe. The USDA also performs regular checks of coffee roasters here in the US. This ensures USDA Certified Organic beans are in fact USDA Certified Organic.
Oh yeah, and to avoid the pesticides in your smokes just flush them down the toilet. No, really, we love you. Please don’t smoke.
2. How To Beat Heartburn From Coffee and Cigarettes.
Heartburn and acid reflux are known side effects of smoking cigarettes and drinking bad coffee.
But, why? It’s all about where the coffee grows — in the sun, or in the shade. When coffee is sun-grown, it grows faster, and unfortunately overdevelops acidity. Most coffee companies buy these cheaper, sun-grown beans and therefore produce a highly acidic coffee.
Here’s what you should do.
Only drink shade-grown coffee. Coffee grows slower in the shade. This allows the beans to grow over time — developing a smoother flavor and giving you much less acidity.
And for cigarettes, just toss them in a campfire. No, really, we love you. Please don’t smoke.
3. How to Beat Jitters From Coffee and Cigarettes.
Caffeine and Nicotine are addictive, cause jitters, and can both lead to dangerous health problems if overdosed.
Just like with acidity, sun-grown coffee develops more caffeine too. With too much caffeine from sun-grown coffee you suffer from ‘coffee jitters.’ Also, much like nicotine, too much caffeine can also cause depression, insomnia, headaches, and many other health hazards.
Here’s what you should do.
Again, I say: shade-grown beans! If you only drink shade-grown coffee you’ll be one step closer to safer caffeine levels. Now for those energy drinks, that’s a different story.
To avoid nicotine addiction and its side effects, avoid smoking by burying those coffin nails in the ground. No, really, we love you. Please don’t smoke.
4. How To Beat Smoke From Coffee and Cigarettes.
Cigarette smoke contains a chemical called Acrylamide. Studies have shown that extensive exposure to Acrylamide can cause nerve damage, paralysis, and other frightening health problems.
Acrylamide also forms when foods are cooked over 250 degrees Fahrenheit (which is why it’s commonly found in potato chips, french fries, and other fried foods).
So what’s this got to do with coffee? Well, many of the coffees you can pick up off of the shelf are stale. The reason for this is the logistics of transporting coffee across the country. Most off the shelf coffees are at a minimum of 3 months old before you even buy them.
To combat this many coffee companies will over-roast or burn their coffees to create a consistent ‘burnt’ taste. And, by over-roasting their coffee – aka burning it! – these companies produce higher than safe amounts of Acrylamide in their coffee.
Here’s what you should do.
Only buy coffee that is super fresh. Look for a roast on date not a best by date. Know how fresh your coffee is. A coffee company with a roast on date has nothing to hide.
The only way to avoid the Acrylamide in cigarette smoke is to avoid smoking these cowboy killers in the first place! No, really, we love you. Please don’t smoke.
Want to try Coffee That’s Actually Good For You?
At Buzzbox Coffee we only roast coffees that are USDA Certified Organic and Shade Grown. And add that to the fact that we roast and ship our coffee directly to you within 48 hours and you’re giving yourself the safest and healthiest coffee around.
Thank you so much for drinking the world’s best coffee and making a difference one cup at a time. For every Buzzbox you receive, a minimum of $1 goes to the Bronner Burgess Memorial Fund. The fund was established in 2008 when my youngest son went to heaven at 2 and a half years old. The Bible clearly tells us in Psalm 139:13-16 that God knew the number of our days and every detail of our life when he wove us together in our mother’s womb. These words from almighty God remind our family that Bronner’s life was complete at 2 and one half years. God has also shown us so many things that have been accomplished and continue to be accomplished through a little boy’s earthly life that only lasted on our terms a very short period of time.
On behalf of our family and everyone involved in the Rick and Bubba show we thank you for now being part of God’s work through our son’s name. The Bronner Burgess Memorial fund supports ministries that must have the proper balance of “good works” and “good news.” The Bible is very clear that truth without love is wrong, but at the same time love without truth can be just as wrong.
My wife and I have personally worked with the ministries that receive grants from the Bronner Burgess Memorial Fund. Living Hope in South Africa is one of those ministries that desperately needs funding after losing financial aid from our government after George W. Bush left office. Living Hope believes the real battle against AIDS can only be won through transforming the lifestyles of a generation through the moral standards of the Holy Bible, while at the same time providing food, water, clothing, job training, education and healthcare to the poorest of the poor in South Africa. Doulos Partners believes that the best and most efficient way to reach people for Christ around the world is to equip the indigenous people of that country who are followers of Christ with the resources needed to reach their own people and plant local churches. Scott Dawson Evangelistic Association works to help youth in our own country and around the world with the message of Jesus Christ through huge events like StadiumFest where we saw thousands of people submit to the authority and life-changing power of Jesus Christ.
Before this Buzzbox program, our funding was very little and our impact wasn’t what we had prayed it could be; but now because of you drinking the best of the best coffee, the funding is coming in to support these types of ministries and the work God is doing through them around the world. We search for those ministries that do “good works” but never compromise the “good news.” Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
A Note From Rick: How Living Hope is Changing Lives
Dear Friends,
The Burgess family along with all of us on the Rick and Bubba Show would like to thank all of you for drinking this wonderful coffee and share the impact it is having through the Bronner Burgess Memorial Fund.
Here’s an update on the work that is being done:
A grant has been given to Living Hope South Africa to help combat AIDS: a disease which has killed a generation of adults and left many children with no parents. Living Hope approaches this problem by presenting a Christ-centered approach and changing the moral fiber of the society by teaching children about Jesus Christ. At the same time they provide health care, job training, and life management for adults.
This ministry is in desperate need to raise funds to be able to continue to provide the teaching and the programs that have saved millions of South Africans’ lives. They give them the hope, joy, and peace only found with submission to the authority, grace, and mercy of Jesus Christ.
Just by drinking this wonderful coffee you are making a difference by literally changing and saving lives in South Africa through Living Hope. Find out more by going to Livinghope.co.za.
Let’s face it…as soon as you smell your Buzzbox Coffee at your doorstep you can’t wait to drink it, right?! You rip the bags open and start drinking it as soon as possible. But what happens after you’ve enjoyed every cup? Do you throw the grounds out without a care in the world? You may not know this, but you’re throwing away the worlds best fertilizer!
Make Your Neighbors Envious Of Your Coffee Garden!
Naturally, coffee grounds are packed with nutrients and minerals making them the perfect soil enhancer to boost your garden’s beauty. With essential minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and copper, your hungry garden can get lots of what it needs from coffee! Whether they’re indoor or outdoor – your flowers, shrubs or evergreens will love your coffee with all its nutrients.
Don’t Forget The Nitrogen
Mineral enrichment is essential to a flourishing garden. However, did you know nitrogen is also important? Nitrogen in the soil will lead to brilliant and healthy plants. Fertilizer at the store is a great source of nitrogen, but why buy more fertilizer when coffee already arrives to your door? After brewing, coffee grounds contain up to 2% nitrogen in volume. This makes your coffee the perfect nitrogen soil enhancer!
Grow Them In The Shade
To get the maximum nutrients in your coffee beans they must be grown in the shade. When grown in direct sunlight, the roots soak up less nutrients from the soil. You don’t have to worry because your Buzzbox Coffee only grows in the shade. With our commitment to shade grown, your grounds will help your flowers to flourish – causing envy in the neighborhood!
Why Using Organic Beans Is Critical
Who wants to add harmful pesticides to their beautiful flowers? We know you don’t! USDA Certified Organic guarantees no pesticide contamination on our coffee trees. This coffee is chemical free! Not only will your plants love this organic fertilizer, but your farmer’s health is protected too. You can rest assured, your Buzzbox Coffee grounds will be safe around your family, kids and pets.
How Should I Place My Grounds In The Ground?
To use the coffee grounds, take your rototiller and till the coffee grounds 6-8 into the ground. Mixing the grounds deep in the earth will trap the nutrients in the soil and reach your plant’s roots. Don’t have a tiller? Take handfuls of coffee grounds and thoroughly mix them with your compost. Then, sprinkle your new coffee enhanced soil around the roots of your plants.
It’s up to you how much coffee you add to your soil mixture. Your plants will absorb the nutrients whether you add a handful or a whole pound. Don’t forget – only add the grounds after they are brewed. Adding them before they’re brewed can affect the pH balance in your soil. Without the proper pH balance, your plants may wilt.
Make A Difference With Each Cup
You can do more than grow a beautiful garden with Buzzbox Coffee. Not only do your plants benefit but your coffee farmers benefit as well. Your coffee is pesticide free. This means, your coffee farmer did not risk their health growing your coffee. Another reason you’re making a difference is through the environment. By not adding to your waste bin, you can enjoy your coffee through your beautiful plants and reduce your impact on the environment.
Now that you’ve gained this exciting coffee gardening knowledge, feel free to share it with your friends and family! We thank you for making a real difference for our farmers and environment by drinking the world’s top 1% grade beans!
3 Shocking Facts About Artificially Flavored Coffee
Mmmmm . . . . ! Mocha, caramel, and hazelnut flavored coffees fly off the shelf daily. Unfortunately, many coffee drinkers remain in the dark about artificially flavored coffee. Learn the 3 Shocking Facts About Artificially Flavored Coffee and keep reading to the end to learn the 4 Keys to Mind-Blowing Natural Coffee Flavor.
A Smorgasbord of Chemicals: Cream, Sugar, or Antifreeze?
That’s right, you read that correctly, a smorgasbord. The popular coffee flavoring chemical compound propylene glycol, also exists in antifreeze! Do you love Irish Cream? That’s made with ethyl alcohol, dimethylamine-D1, and formamidine acetate. Does that sound delicious? If you’re a fan of peanut flavor, you’re drinking 2,4-dimethyl-5-acetylthiazole. Yum! There’s got to be a better way to enjoy coffee.
HAZMAT Is The New Black!
Naturally, using strong solvents and chemicals to flavor coffee can have an adverse effect on employees. Hazmat suits — this is the dark side of flavored coffee. Without these suits, workers risk terrible long term health effects such as bronchiolitis obliterans, a type of incurable lung cancer. Now just think you drink these flavored beans. Do you really know what’s going into those beans? When you think of employees working at a coffee company, do you picture them wearing HAZMAT suits? Neither do we. That’s why we never flavor our beans. We don’t have to. Read to the end to find out why.
Bitter Beans, Better Taste?
Speaking of brewing flavored coffee beans, what kind of coffee needs to be flavored anyway? The cheap stuff. The stuff that’s left over. The stuff that you couldn’t drink without strong chemicals tricking your taste buds. Most flavored coffee is cheap robusta beans: the highly acidic, bitter coffee beans most big coffee companies use as filler. These beans are simply the carriers of the chemical flavors. You’re not really drinking coffee.
4 Keys to Mind-Blowing Natural Coffee Flavor
Coffee Has More Flavor Potential Than Wine
If your coffee is fresh, organic, and free of imperfections it will blow your taste buds away. How? Because if coffee is taken care of, it will release the power of 800 naturally occurring chemical compounds. To give you some perspective, wine has only 200 flavor compounds. Coffee is packed with flavor — you just have to treat it right.
Freshness Is Key
Protect your coffee experience with fresh coffee. Coffee loses its flavor within the first few weeks after roasting. To give you some perspective, grocery store coffee is on average 3 months old due to the logistics of transportation and distribution. Protect your coffee flavor by only buying coffee thats been roasted fresh within the past few days.
The Soil Must Be Nutrient Rich
A little known fact about coffee is how it gets its flavor. Coffee draws its flavor from the minerals and nutrients stored in the soil. The soil replenishes its nutrients and minerals naturally when a variety of plant life is grown together. That’s one reason why we only roast coffee that is shade-grown. It simply improves the soil quality and therefore the flavor.
Country of Origin Also Plays a Role
The coffee tree is affected by the climate and elevation of the coffee’s country of origin. The higher the elevation the better. The more tropical the climate the better. The combination of soil type, climate, and elevation all combine to give you 800 chemical compounds that make up coffee’s complex flavor.
Adding it all together . . .
When you add together the soil type, the high elevation, and the tropical climate you find there are only a handful of places in the world that can grow truly phenomenal coffee.
It’s Your Lucky Day!
If you love artificially flavored mocha, then you’ll love our organically grown Papua New Guinea with its naturally strong cocoa tones. If hazelnut is your flavor of choice, then our Brazil Dark roast with its strong nutty flavors will knock your socks off. And right now, when you join Buzzbox you can have either of these coffees for free. Give them a shot and let us know what you think.
Here at Buzzbox, we like to give credit where credit is due. So, Vive la France! Thank you France for giving us the best coffee extraction method known to man – the French Press. Here are 5 Tips to Make the Best French Press Coffee.
1. The First Step to Make The Best Coffee For French Press – The Right Water
Using tap water will handicap your flavor. You must use filtered or spring water. Nope, distilled water won’t work either; you need minerals to aid in the extraction process. So, only use cold filtered, or spring water.
2. The Second Step to Make The Best Coffee For French Press – The Coffee
Yes the coffee beans make a difference in your cup of coffee. You need the best coffee in the world. Of course this means you need certified organic, shade-grown and freshly roasted coffee. But how do you grind it? Coarse! The beans must be ground coarse to prevent the sludgy post-brew grounds from ending in your cup. You need 2 tablespoons per 6 ounces.
3. The Third Step to Make The Best Coffee for French Press – The Equipment
You need a good filter. The best filter will keep the coffee grounds in the press – not in your cup. Bodum makes some of the best french presses. Their filters come in three pieces that you can take apart and clean.
4. The Fourth Step to Make The Best Coffee for French Press – Don’t Boil The Water
Never pour boiling water on your freshly ground beans. Boiling water will scorch the beans and alter the taste. You need hot water that is just off of the boil. The ideal temperature is between 195 and 205?F.
5. The Fifth Step to Make The Best Coffee for French Press – Bust the Crust!
Once you have doused all of the grounds in water wait for the ‘crust’ to form. The ‘crust’ is the grounds that will rise to the top. To aid in the extraction process you must stir the grounds and break up this ‘crust’. If you have a glass french press, only stir using a wooden stirrer or chop stick. Over time a metal stirrer or spoon can cause the glass to crack and break due to the high temperature of the water.
6. The Sixth Step to Make The Best Coffee for French Press – Let It Sit!
Let your coffee sit for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on how strong you want your brew. Then, finally, press and pour.
7. The Seventh Step to Make The Best Coffee for French Press – Enjoy
The dark brew falls, splashing and swirling til it comes to its resting place – in your warm mug. Warm your mug prior to pouring to maintain the heat and flavor of your coffee. Lastly drink your beautiful french press coffee within 10 minutes of pouring. The flavors of the coffee will change as the temperature cools. This provides you with the widest range of flavors.
So there you have it: the 7 tips to make the best coffee for french press. The best coffee extraction method: French Press, running the length and breadth of coffee’s vast variety of flavors.
We as Americans have had a tempestuous relationship with the French. Anyone remember Freedom Fries. Well at Buzzbox we like to give credit where credit is due. So, Vive la France! Thank you France for giving us the best coffee extraction method known to man the French Press. Here are 5 Tips to Make the Best Coffee French Press
1. The First Step to Make The Best Coffee For French Press The Right Water.
Using tap water will handicap your flavor. You must use filtered or spring water. Nope, distilled water wont work either you need minerals to aid in the extraction process. So, only use cold filtered, or spring water. Thats the first step to make the best coffee for french press.
2. The Second Step to Make The Best Coffee For French Press The Coffee
Yes the coffee beans make a difference in your cup of coffee. You need the best coffee in the world. Of course this means you need certified organic, shade-grown and freshly roasted coffee. But how do you grind it? Coarse! The beans must be ground coarse to prevent the sludgy post-brew grounds from ending in your cup. You need 2 tablespoons per 6 ounces. Thats the second step to make the best coffee for french press.
3. The Third Step to Make The Best Coffee for French Press The Equipment
You need a good filter. The best filter will keep the coffee grounds in the press not in your cup. Bodum makes some of the best french presses. Their filters come in three pieces that you can take apart and clean. Thats the third step to make the best coffee for french press.
4. The Fourth Step to Make The Best Coffee for French Press Dont Boil The Water.
Never pour boiling water on your freshly ground beans. Boiling water will scorch the beans and alter the taste. You need hot water that is just off of the boil. The ideal temperature is between 195 and 205?F. Thats the fourth step to make the best coffee for french press.
5. The Fifth Step to Make The Best Coffee for French Press Bust the Crust!
Once you have doused all of the grounds in water wait for the crust to form. The crust is the grounds that will rise to the top. To aid in the extraction process you must stir the grounds and break up this crust. If you have a glass french press, only stir using a wooden stirrer or chop stick. Over time a metal stirrer or spoon can cause the glass to crack and break due to the high temperature of the water. Thats the fifth step to make the best coffee for french press.
6. The Sixth Step to Make The Best Coffee for French Press Let It Sit!
Let your coffee sit for 3 to 5 minutes depending on how strong you want your brew. Then, finally, press and pour. Thats the sixth step to make the best coffee for french press.
7. The Seventh Step to Make The Best Coffee for French Press Enjoy.
The dark brew falls, splashing and swirling til it comes to its resting place in your warm mug. Warm your mug prior to pouring to maintain the heat and flavor of your coffee. Lastly drink your beautiful french press coffee within 10 minutes of pouring. The flavors of the coffee will change as the temperature cools. This provides you with the widest range of flavors. Thats the seventh step to make the best coffee for french press.
So there you have it The 7 tips to make the best coffee for french press. The best coffee extraction method French Press, running the length and breadth of Coffees vast variety of flavors.
Let’s Change The World
Join us and support amazing ministries through the Bronner Burgess Memorial fund. You can change lives with your daily cup of coffee – and to get you started, the first pound is free.
“I don’t want your Buzzbox Coffee. I have a Keurig!”
This is what a friend of mine told me recently. I told her, “Great! But, did you know your Keurig is being held hostage by Gangsters?”
“What! What are you talking about?”
Here’s what I told her. . .
1. Big Coffee’s Gangster Tactics are Shackling Your Keurig Cost Per Cup
It’s not really who you know, it’s who you pay. A variety of big coffee companies have paid to have the exclusive rights to produce K-Cups. This has created a ‘coffee monopoly.’ Why does a ‘coffee monopoly’ matter to you?
Well, with a ‘coffee monopoly’ the Keurig cost per cup is astronomical. Around 80 cents per Keurig cup. Compare this to around 25 cents for a cup of organic, shade grown coffee. To give yourself the best Keurig cost per cup keep reading!
Also, these coffee companies roast their coffee in big batches, pre-grind the coffee and then store it for months in prepackaged K-Cups. These K-Cups can be upwards of 12 months old by the time you pop them into your Keurig. Since coffee goes stale around 10 weeks after it has been roasted (and even sooner after grinding ) these pre-packaged K-Cups contain stale coffee.
2. Use a Solofill Filter to get the Best Keurig Cost Per Cup
How do you beat big coffee’s stale and pricy cronyism? Make your own K-Cup. Keurig makes the My K-Cup filter. Simply purchase fresh coffee from a local independent roaster and batta-bing-botta-boom you’ve got yourself a quick and easy, fresh and flavorful, K-Cup. Keurig’s My K-Cup filter also helps to alleviate the environmental burden on local landfills since prepackaged K-Cups aren’t recyclable.
We specifically recommend the Solofill reusable filter for the best Keurig Cost Per Cup. The Solofill does a great job of providing convenience with less mess. Plus with the Solofill your cost per cup is at 25 cents cost per Keurig cup instead of 80 cents. Give yourself the best Keurig cost per cup!
3. To get the best tasting K-Cup use only freshly ground Coffee
Why let big coffee companies extort you for K-Cup convenience? A stale, prepackaged K-Cup cost per cup is around 80 cents. For around 25 cents a cup give yourself fresh coffee from the local roaster of your choice. At a local roaster you can buy coffee that is hours young not months old. Coffee that’s fresh is the most important factor in brewing the best tasting cup of coffee. So combine the convenience of K-Cup with the great taste of fresh coffee with the Solofill reusable filter to give yourself the best Keurig cost per cup!
Let’s Change The World
Join us and support amazing ministries through the Bronner Burgess Memorial fund. You can change lives with your daily cup of coffee – and to get you started, the first pound is free.