6 Ways To Save Money On Booze
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As well as the cost of the food at Christmas, the cost of drinks, especially alcohol, can soon start to add up too. While the majority of us like to enjoy a Christmas tipple or two it’s worth starting early and including the cost of drinks in your Christmas budget. There are also plenty of ways to save money on Booze this Christmas.
5 Ways To Save Money On Booze
1. Ditch The Big Brands
Almost all of the supermarkets sell budget ‘own brand’ versions of popular Spirits. I enjoy making Snowballs at Christmas (very retro I know!) and Lidl’s own brand of Advocaat (the weird-looking yellow stuff!) is half the price of the real thing and tastes exactly the same.
I’m fairly certain Aldi do an own brand version too. I can justify the need to buy premium spirits if I’m drinking neat or with a small amount of mixer but in Cocktails and cooking you’re far less likely to notice the difference and will save a fortune in the process.
Another prime example is Bailey’s, which can be as much as £20 when not on offer. Even the M&S version is cheaper than the real thing and comes in some super exotic flavours such as Coconut and Peanut.
2. Use Money Saving Apps
Some of the Money Saving Shopping Apps have fantastic money off offers at this time of year so are always worth checking.
You simply buy a product listed, upload a photograph of the receipt and then are awarded cashback on that item. It does pay to be diligent though – ensure you’re buying the right size, flavour and brand as listed on the app, otherwise, your cashback claim could be rejected.
3. Do Some DIY
Fancy Flavoured Gins are super popular but they also come with a rather hefty price tag. Remember the Parma Violet Gin that was doing the rounds last year and came in at a whopping £44.99?
Thankfully the price has now dropped but people were going nuts for it. Instead, you could attempt making your very own DIY versions by adding fruit or flavoured syrup your usual brand of Gin.
Pinterest is awash with ideas for this sort of thing: See loads of DIY Gin ideas here.
4. Use Money Off Vouchers
I’m a big fan of using money off coupons – in particular conditional spend vouchers, ie, £3 off a £20 spend.
If you wouldn’t normally hit the threshold for these vouchers, using them when you’re stocking up on booze for the festive period is a great way to save. They are often posted through the door and could be mistaken for junk mail so be sure to keep an eye out for them.
5. Avoid Overbuying
If you’re hosting Christmas this year and catering for a lot of people it’s worthwhile asking what they like to drink – there’s no point stocking up on booze that no one likes ‘just in case’ – I think things like port and mulled wine often fall into this Category.
When planning their wedding couples are often advised to use a drinks calculator to estimate the amount of drinks they will need to provide – if you’re catering for twenty this might be a good idea to avoid overbuying and being left with lots of alcohol you won’t drink.
6. Be Quick on Special Offers
While there are often special offers on various spirits and other alcoholic drinks in the run-up to Christmas, you do need to be quick off the mark to take advantage of them.
I’ve already tried to get the discounted the 1 Liter bottle of Baileys several times this year as it’s my Dad’s favourite, but every time it’s been sold out by the time I’ve managed to get to the supermarket.
My parents also ordered it with their online groceries shop but only received the 700ml bottle as the store was out and weren’t refunded the difference in price because there wasn’t one – the 700ml bottle was being sold for the same price as the 1-litre bottle.
Do you have any tips for saving money on booze this Christmas?
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Fiona Hawkes
