Author Topic: I need to spend less on beer -- but I don't want to give it up!  (Read 17887 times)

kodokan

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Re: I need to spend less on beer -- but I don't want to give it up!
« Reply #50 on: December 31, 2014, 12:59:11 PM »
Then hate I shall! I actually very much dislike being drunk. Can't handle liquor or mixed drinks for this reason.

Me too! It used to be fun, but now I'm in my 40s it feels less and less like a pleasant buzz, and more and more like I'm being lightly poisoned. Stupid ageing body.

I wish someone would invent really good-tasting low/ no alcohol alternatives to beer and wine. I'd happily drink alcohol-free stuff if it actually tasted like the real thing.

brandino29

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Re: I need to spend less on beer -- but I don't want to give it up!
« Reply #51 on: December 31, 2014, 03:27:31 PM »
I'm a bit miffed by all the suggestions that it is excessive consumption.  Clearly these are from folks who never found a passion for beer.  I don't drink to get drunk, I don't drink just because I'm out with friends and that's what you're supposed to do,  I drink a good beer because I enjoy it.  Substitute your own little personal habits/enjoyments that costs a moderate amount of money before judging too quickly. 

Anyway, I appreciate the constructive suggestions.  Unfortunately Trader Joe's and Costco are both out, nearest of both are ~2.5 hours away.  Buying bulk ingredients for homebrewing sounds like a good experiment.  I love the suggestion of getting draft beer in the home, that would definitely be awesome but would certainly lead to MORE, not less, drinking of delicious beer.  Every other night may be something I try out as well. 

Thanks!

mm1970

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Re: I need to spend less on beer -- but I don't want to give it up!
« Reply #52 on: December 31, 2014, 04:27:42 PM »
Don't drink Mondays through Wednesdays.

I've done dry January's a few times too, in fact, I'll probably do it again this January. It's so much easier to go cold turkey, and to have basically an excuse to cut back, when others are doing it too.
I was thinking I'd do this too.  I had a dry November, and it was easy (way easier than giving up wheat, which I also did for November).

Public Hermit

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Re: I need to spend less on beer -- but I don't want to give it up!
« Reply #53 on: December 31, 2014, 05:22:18 PM »

Switch to liquor.


Sacrilege. Somebody ban this man!

Hate all you want, but my bladder(and wallet) have been thanking me for making the switch.

I still like beer, and love crushing 5-10 ice cold beers on a summer day. But bourbon/whiskey does the job better in most cases.(At least for me anyway)

Then hate I shall! I actually very much dislike being drunk. Can't handle liquor or mixed drinks for this reason.

Then don't get drunk. It's not like it's impossible to avoid getting drunk from straight liquor(or mixed drinks).

skunkfunk

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Re: I need to spend less on beer -- but I don't want to give it up!
« Reply #54 on: December 31, 2014, 05:36:50 PM »

Switch to liquor.


Sacrilege. Somebody ban this man!

Hate all you want, but my bladder(and wallet) have been thanking me for making the switch.

I still like beer, and love crushing 5-10 ice cold beers on a summer day. But bourbon/whiskey does the job better in most cases.(At least for me anyway)

Then hate I shall! I actually very much dislike being drunk. Can't handle liquor or mixed drinks for this reason.

Then don't get drunk. It's not like it's impossible to avoid getting drunk from straight liquor(or mixed drinks).

I don't have the best track record. That crap sneaks up on me. I don't like the taste and don't want to be drunk and have trouble with it. Logical solution is to avoid it.

Good Beer is good. Totally different. And better.

Schaefer Light

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Re: I need to spend less on beer -- but I don't want to give it up!
« Reply #55 on: January 02, 2015, 02:35:19 PM »
Believe it or not, the Kirkland Light Beer they sell at Costco ($21.99 for a 48 pack of cans in OH) is not terrible.
Interesting that you posted that.  My wife just sent me a text from Costco saying they had their own light beer now.  As someone who drinks quite a bit of light beer, I might have to give it a try.  If I like it as much as Coors Light or Miller Lite, it could save me quite a bit of money over the course of a year.

EDSMedS

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Re: I need to spend less on beer -- but I don't want to give it up!
« Reply #56 on: January 02, 2015, 03:53:09 PM »
Believe it or not, the Kirkland Light Beer they sell at Costco ($21.99 for a 48 pack of cans in OH) is not terrible.
Interesting that you posted that.  My wife just sent me a text from Costco saying they had their own light beer now.  As someone who drinks quite a bit of light beer, I might have to give it a try.  If I like it as much as Coors Light or Miller Lite, it could save me quite a bit of money over the course of a year.

Yuck.

I thought the OP was interested in GOOD beer...? ;)

skunkfunk

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Re: I need to spend less on beer -- but I don't want to give it up!
« Reply #57 on: January 02, 2015, 03:53:56 PM »
Believe it or not, the Kirkland Light Beer they sell at Costco ($21.99 for a 48 pack of cans in OH) is not terrible.
Interesting that you posted that.  My wife just sent me a text from Costco saying they had their own light beer now.  As someone who drinks quite a bit of light beer, I might have to give it a try.  If I like it as much as Coors Light or Miller Lite, it could save me quite a bit of money over the course of a year.

Yuck.

I thought the OP was interested in GOOD beer...? ;)

Yeah, he should be buying Lost Lake!

LionInTheHub

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Re: I need to spend less on beer -- but I don't want to give it up!
« Reply #58 on: January 02, 2015, 03:58:18 PM »
Just wanted to reiterate: 12pk cans of Sierra Nevada Torpedo are quite possibly the best value in Craft Beer right now, especially if you dig hop profile.  $14/12pk and prob cheaper in a more reasonably priced state (I live in MA).

alsoknownasDean

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Re: I need to spend less on beer -- but I don't want to give it up!
« Reply #59 on: January 02, 2015, 07:26:29 PM »
Buy a 12 pack, and aim to make it last a week (and if you run out before then, too bad). If you can manage that, maybe try and make the next one last 10 days or even a fortnight. If you can get a 12 pack of beer to last two weeks (and it'll probably be easier the longer you do it), then that's your beer expenses cut :)

I've started buying the beers from Aldi, and find that they're usually pretty good, and much cheaper than the big brands, and way cheaper than the micro brews (which are often $20 for a six pack here, beer prices here are crazy).

SailAway

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Re: I need to spend less on beer -- but I don't want to give it up!
« Reply #60 on: January 02, 2015, 07:44:43 PM »
Everyone is writing about beer and money, but that's not the issue. He already knows a solution, which he wrote: "I'd like to halve that for 2015 and I'm looking for suggestions."
Ok, but that IS the issue. He specifically asks about cutting down the spending, not the intake.

Obviously the best way to save money would be to stop drinking, but I don't feel in any way that we have a "drinking problem," simply a spending problem.  I generally drink 1 beer a night, sometimes 2, rarely more than that, so I drink probably 10 a week.  My wife will often join me, let's say she drinks 5 per week.  That's 15 a week, or about 65 a month.  The beers we buy typically cost around $15 per 12 pack so we're spending in the neighborhood of $80 per month.  I'd like to halve that for 2015 and I'm looking for suggestions.
I feel your pain. I've been avoiding the issue about how much we spend on beer but I just started YNAB, so we're soon to find out. I second the rec for growler fill specials. A $5 fill is 4 VERY full pints, coming out to $1.25/pint and draft beer just seems better than bottled. That is if you live close to a brewery (or 30, like we do).

alsoknownasDean

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Re: I need to spend less on beer -- but I don't want to give it up!
« Reply #61 on: January 02, 2015, 07:55:17 PM »
Everyone is writing about beer and money, but that's not the issue. He already knows a solution, which he wrote: "I'd like to halve that for 2015 and I'm looking for suggestions."
Ok, but that IS the issue. He specifically asks about cutting down the spending, not the intake.

Well there's four ways to reduce the spending in this case.

1) Reduce beer consumption.
2) Making it yourself.
3) Switching to a cheaper brand of beer (although that's been ruled out)
4) Switching to a different drink (ie: wine or spirits)

Number 1 is probably the easiest, but number 2 is probably the most badass :)

SailAway

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Re: I need to spend less on beer -- but I don't want to give it up!
« Reply #62 on: January 02, 2015, 08:01:17 PM »
Everyone is writing about beer and money, but that's not the issue. He already knows a solution, which he wrote: "I'd like to halve that for 2015 and I'm looking for suggestions."
Ok, but that IS the issue. He specifically asks about cutting down the spending, not the intake.

Well there's four ways to reduce the spending in this case.

1) Reduce beer consumption.
2) Making it yourself.
3) Switching to a cheaper brand of beer (although that's been ruled out)
4) Switching to a different drink (ie: wine or spirits)

Number 1 is probably the easiest, but number 2 is probably the most badass :)
I don't disagree, just adding 5) Cheaper/smarter procurement of beer.

He did say he home-brewed and it was suggested he acquire a mash tun and switch from kits to all grain. A good suggestion, however, we occasionally home brew, and I will say, when we have two full kegs in the garage, it makes it hard to keep consumption down. ;-)

alsoknownasDean

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Re: I need to spend less on beer -- but I don't want to give it up!
« Reply #63 on: January 02, 2015, 08:05:39 PM »
Everyone is writing about beer and money, but that's not the issue. He already knows a solution, which he wrote: "I'd like to halve that for 2015 and I'm looking for suggestions."
Ok, but that IS the issue. He specifically asks about cutting down the spending, not the intake.

Well there's four ways to reduce the spending in this case.

1) Reduce beer consumption.
2) Making it yourself.
3) Switching to a cheaper brand of beer (although that's been ruled out)
4) Switching to a different drink (ie: wine or spirits)

Number 1 is probably the easiest, but number 2 is probably the most badass :)
I don't disagree, just adding 5) Cheaper/smarter procurement of beer.

He did say he home-brewed and it was suggested he acquire a mash tun and switch from kits to all grain. A good suggestion, however, we occasionally home brew, and I will say, when we have two full kegs in the garage, it makes it hard to keep consumption down. ;-)

I used to brew at home as well, and can vouch for it (along with the increased consumption). :) All-grain requires a fair bit of extra equipment though, I used to brew primarily with malt extracts (boiling my own hops and all). Good times.