Beer Budgeting

switch to homebrew

 

I spent about $250 of my own money on beer Saturday and about $150 of my works the last week... I'll have to budget again when I get home from my business trip too =(

 

I try to limit myself to seasonal stuff and one-offs and limited brews especially when saving up for beer roadtrips. Yeah and homebrewing definitely helps.

 

I just switch between 2 credit cards and cash, to trick myself (but mostly the wife) that I'm not spending so much money on beer.

 

Be retired and forced to live on a limited income you learn to budget/homebrew fast.
Of course its not that bad, its just that spending $300 on beer one week is no longer something you really want to do, unless you like being in Credit card debt, and we do not have any. Plus we save for trips, so I can live with less beer all year, besides 2 beers a day is working for me. On average.

 

I basically work a part time job so I can buy 100 dollars worth of beer while I'm in college. Even with that money I still want to buy more.

 

• Limit yourself at bars.
• Don't even look at 750s, bombers, and 375s at the store.
• Don't trade.
• Learn to hate anything barrel aged and/or sour.

 

Look for bargains like:
Pike XXXXX stout - amazing and only 4.99 a bomber.

 

Homebrew more!

Since my brews improved and I put in a 3-keg setup, I very rarely buy beer for immediate consumption. Initial capital is a little steep, but it catches up quickly, especially if you buy ingredients in bulk.

 

This might sound really simple...but drink less. I'm dieting and my budget has been very tight all year...I really haven't bought much beer at all, and over the past month, I've been only drinking two beers tops a night. I still have about two cases of homebrew left too...I'd rather spend ~30 on ingredients for a five gallon batch and get a case (one for me, one for my buddy) in a month then to buy a case of an awesome craft for 50 or whatever.

 

Beer Budgeting. One response and one observation.
Response - What's that?
Observation - oxymoron

 

I wish I could keep my beer budget under control, but being a ticker simply doesn't permit that. I wish I could be content buying the same inexpensive beer over and over, or go the home brewing route.

 

Agreed in most cases. However, sometimes the special releases are much less expensive on draft than they are in bottles. During happy hour you might be able to get a pour of some one-off beer for $5 (around here anyway) when the same beer would cost you $10-11 for a bomber at the bottle shop. Granted, it's 16oz vs 22oz but still a better deal. Basically you and a friend could each have a pint at a bar vs 11oz at home.

Also, you can use bars to taste the special releases and see if you want to buy a bottle or not. You could even just get a 2 oz taster, which most places will pour you for free.

 

I've been strapped since I moved. I don't have any hard and fast limits but I have cut back a lot. Generally I try to buy cases of local stuff pretty frequently, especially Sly Fox, Yards, and Victory which are mostly around $32. I sometimes buy 4/6 packs of seasonals, but only at Whole Foods or Wegmans. Bombers are mainly off limits, particularly those over $6. I make exceptions for my favorite limited releases like Pumking.

Budgeting stinks, but you do what you gotta do. When things get really tight a $16 case of Yuengling cans tastes great.

 

I agree with you there. I just meant get 2-3 beers at a bar instead of 5-6.