Indulging in a few drinks can be a great way to start out your weekend that is, of course, unless you are on a budget. Drinking can wipe out more of your bank account than you would expect, especially if you aren’t paying attention to how much you are spending. Everyone loves to unwind every now and then, but with the economy now it is often hard to find spare cash to buy luxury items like alcohol. With these ten tips you will be on your way to fun without having to worry about how much you’re spending on the bar tab.
1. Duty Free
Most states add on a state or local tax onto liquor to help stop people from buying. This can end up costing you a lot of money if you add up the extra charges at the end of the year. One of the best ways to purchase alcohol is through duty free vendors. Most of the vendors, however, are located on airplanes or in airports so you won’t get a chance to do this often, unless you are a frequent flier. Next time you go on vacation you might want to have a second looking at the duty free store or through the catalog offered to you during your flight. Purchasing alcohol during this time can keep you from over spending and will allow you to keep track of how much you’re drinking so you won’t have to spend more on alcohol during the year.
2. Bulk Shopping
Sometimes it might seem like bulk shopping is the answer to everything, but when it comes to shopping for alcohol it is an option you should always consider. When you buy things like wine and beer bulk stores are usually a great option. Many bulk department stores offer a large selection of popular beers for a fraction of what you would pay for them in a regular store. This will allow you to stock up for parties, or just keep some extra beer in the home so you don’t have to shop as often. Bulk stores are also known to sell larger alcohol bottles, so you can stock up on your harder liquors without having to triple the price. Wine is a great buy in bulk as well. There are many stores online that require you to buy a few bottles in order for your purchases to actually ship. This makes the cost of purchases better for you though as most companies lower shipping for larger orders.
3. Be Bar Savvy
Drinking at a bar typically isn’t a great way to save money, but if its your way to social there are a few tips that can help you save a lot. One of the easiest ways to save is to have a few drinks before you go to the bar. This will actually save on the amount of drinks you feel you need to buy while out. You can also make sure to hit the bar during happy hour, which will offer you drinks at a much lower price. If you plan on spending a lot of time at the bar then make sure to order water between drinks, this will slow you down and will keep you from ordering more than you should. You should also set a limit before you head to the bar. Let the bar tender know how many drinks you can have, or have a friend keep track for you. This will keep you from drinking too much and will help you not spend over a certain limit. Buying mixed drinks and specialty beers can cost you a lot too, when you go into a bar always make sure to ask what is on tap or drink from the specials menu.
4. Create Your Own
Brewing beer has become a huge trend due to the economy. For one set price anyone can brew the beer of their choice and enjoy their favorite type of beer for months. This is a great way to occupy your free time as well as keep your alcohol budget way down. Plus, brewing your own beer can help you meet new people, win money in competitions, and keep you and your buddies set for drinks for quite some time. If you love to have wine in the home then try to create your home special blend. This is a great way to experiment with your drink as well as create something you might want to share with others. If you are more of a mixed drink fan then try to keep away from kits as they charge you quite a bit of money for not a lot of drink. If you really want a mixed drink trying mixing it yourself. Anything you have left over from the night can be put away for another day.
5. Stay with Local and Off brand
What you buy can be a huge ally when it comes to spending. If you really want to go cheap trying buying off brand alcohol. Most alcohol can taste as good as if not better than the name brand and will cost you a lot less. Another great way is to shop local. This will allow you to support any local brew companies in your area as well as try something new that you might love. Boxed wine is another ally in the fight to save money on alcohol as you usually get a lot of wine for a small amount of money. If you’re not feeling comfortable about buying a beverage you’re unfamiliar with then try hosting a taste test party. Everyone can bring their own off brand or local beverage so that each person can try a wide selection of drinks and you can decide what you actually like.
6. Go Seasonal
With summer on its way most people are dreaming about the exciting drinks they’ll have at the beach. This should show buyers how important seasonal shopping is. We tend to associate many flavors with various seasons, this is because those flavors are in season. So, if you’re looking to save on cash shop for items that are actually in season. Most brew companies will put out special brews for each season that are usually at a great price in comparison to typical or off season brews. If you’re looking to make fresh mixed drinks for a party then head straight for the produce department to see what is in season. This will help you plan the other items you need without having to spend way too much.
7. Don’t Over Indulge
Drinking too much can be one of the biggest expenditures when it comes to alcohol. If you want to save some money then it might be a good idea to set a limit for yourself. This will help you to stay healthier while keeping a little bit of extra cash in your bank account. Make sure you know exactly what your body needs to have a little fun, when you’ve that level then cut yourself off. You might need help doing this, especially at first, so try asking your designated driver or a friend to help you refrain from buying extra drinks. Another way to do this is to simply decide how much you are going to spend and bring only cash with you.
8. Shop Around
Routines are easy to fall into when it comes to shopping for beverages, but shopping in one location can be a huge waste of money. A lot of stores will have special deals on many beverages and if you only keep to one location you will miss out on a lot sales that could save you big. The best thing you can do is plan ahead and look online or in sales papers so you can see the best deals available to you. Another big way to save is to stay away from gas stations. Most convenient stores or gas stations will offer you what seems to be a great price, but when you really look at the price you will find that its not as convenient as you originally thought.
9. Groupons/Coupons/Rebates
Although keeping an eye on sales is a great way to save, so is finding coupons that will help bring your sales items down even more. Many stores offer a lot of coupons on their websites that pertain to alcohol, all you have to do is find them. There are also a good number of rebates available, especially on larger containers of beer. Sometimes these coupons might ask you to buy other items as well, but the rebate will actually make the extra purchases worth it. Most of the time the other items will pertain to the alcohol of choice, such as fajita meat with a Mexican beer. There are also a lot of Groupons out there that could give you and your friends a great night on the town. Make sure you check out all of your local listings prior to planning a night out as sometimes you’ll come across a groupon that could offer your free drinks with a meal for each of your friends.
10. Free Drinks
An easy way to drink for less is to head to a club that offers free drinks to anyone who pays the cover charge. So, for a one time only fee you can have a great night dancing and chatting with friends and get all of the drinks you want without having to constantly pay a bartender or worry about over spending. Wine tastings are also a great way to get a few drinks without paying a fortune. You usually pay a one time fee for a wine tasting and you will receive an abundance of wines to taste. This is a great way to experiment with your pallet and find drinks that you really do enjoy without having to pay a huge fee for the drinks that you do have in the process. Wine tastings are a great way to spend time with a date or a group of friends and will keep you feel wonderful for less.
Alcohol can be a great way to relax if you’re careful with your spending. With these ten tips you will find that your weekend wind down can cost you less every time that you go out. You will love the savings as well as the fact that you will be able to go out and do more things because you aren’t spending as much on alcohol as you once were.
Author: Chelsey McQuitty
