Pod-style coffee makers provide a convenient way of brewing yourself a nice cup of coffee without a lot of mess. However, coffee pods do tend to cost more than bulk coffee. If you are like most people with pod-style coffee makers, you are looking for ways to save and buy pods inexpensively. There are some good ways to get great deals, but there are also some ways you can screw up while chasing those deals. Adhere to these dos and don'ts as you look for inexpensive coffee pods.

Do: Buy in bulk.

As with many items, you can generally get a better deal on coffee pods if you buy a large container rather than a small box. If your local grocery store only carries small packs of coffee pods, then you may need to look online or visit a big-box retailer to find larger boxes. Calculate the price per coffee pod before you buy it. This makes it easier to directly compare the costs of boxes with different numbers of coffee pods.

Don't: Buy outdated coffee.

Coffee pods are individually sealed, so they do last a while. But they do eventually expire, and once expired, they do go stale pretty quickly. Stale coffee is not delicious, even if it was cheap. So check the dates on cheap coffee pods, and don't buy them if you won't be able to use them all by the time they expire.

Do: Consider a different brand. 

Many people are drawn to the big brands of coffee pods because they're most familiar. But you can often find great deals on less popular brands. Their lack of popularity does not mean the coffee is not good. In fact, sometimes coffee distributed by smaller companies is even better! The lack of demand for these less popular brands, though, means retailers often have to mark them down to move them.

Don't: Sign up for a subscription without carefully examining the terms.

There are subscription services that will deliver coffee pods to your house on a schedule. Such a service can work well for some people. However, the cost tends to be higher. If you are given a low, introductory rate for your first month, look carefully at your contract to see what the rate will increase to in the coming months. Subscription services are rarely the best way to save on coffee pods. The focus here is more on convenience.

If you adhere to these dos and don'ts, you should be able to save on coffee pods without having any big regrets.