4 Liquor Shopping Tips To Save You Money

Drinking alcohol can be fun and delicious, but the high price point can be a real frustration. However, there are some obvious ways to economize if you enjoy a drink every now and again. The first is to eschew beer, wine, or spirits at a restaurant. While it might be enjoyable to splurge on a drink with your meal, you're going to be subjected to a high markup (not to mention the additional tip for your server). A dive bar might be less expensive than an eatery, but still, the cheapest drink you're likely to find is the one you make at your own home bar. 

Even when drinking at home, alcohol costs can creep up. Whether you're buying your alcoholic drink of choice at a grocery store, a liquor store, or online, there are a few ways to stretch your dollar as far as possible. Here's to some drinking without breaking the bank. Cheers.

It seems like every brand these days has its own loyalty program where you can download an app for additional savings. Liquor purveyors are no exception to this trend, and you can earn points towards your next purchase. 

For example, Total Wine has its "&More" Rewards Program. It allows members to collect 10 points for essentially every dollar they spend, receiving a $5 reward for every 5,000 points. That works out to $5 off every $500 spent, which is admittedly not a huge savings, but the chain also offers some other perks, including coupons and birthday deals. And if you become a Reserve Member by earning 5,000 points or more, you can get additional rewards including half off classes, members-only events, and a free tote bag. Keep in mind that because alcohol laws vary across the country, the exact terms of this rewards program might be slightly different where you live (for instance, in Massachusetts, you can't spend your rewards money on alcohol purchases).

If you're a regular alcohol drinker and you have the space in your home to salt away a few bottles until you're ready to consume them, buying in bulk is a great way to save money. A lot of liquor stores and supermarkets will give you a discount if you buy more (e.g., a full case instead of individual bottles). And of course, having a bit of a surplus can be convenient too: it's easier to go into your closet or downstairs to grab a fresh bottle than have to go all the way to the store every time. 

You may save even more money if you have a membership to a wholesale club. Costco has an array of alcohol products, as do Sam's Club and BJ's Wholesale Club.  These places allow you to pay an annual membership fee and get bulk-purchased items at a lower rate in return. Of course, despite the generally good values you get at these places, you shouldn't just assume that you're getting a good deal — see how they stack up against your local liquor store first.

Liquor stores, grocery stores, and other places that sell directly to consumers only have so much shelf space available. That means that if a certain product isn't selling as well as they'd like, they will often reduce the price to help it move. This is certainly the case with liquor. Keeping an eye on the clearance section of your local alcohol shop is a great way to find some options at a lower price point (though of course you're stuck with whatever brands and varieties the store decides to reduce). 

In particular, keep a lookout around major holidays as this is when some of the best deals are available. However, keep in mind that just because something is marked as "clearance" doesn't inherently mean you're getting the best deal imaginable. Check to see how much these items are actually discounted before purchasing. 

Liquor stores also sometimes have military discounts, industry discounts, or other price-reduction options available. It can't hurt to ask!

If you don't want to settle for a different brand that's on sale, but still want to save as much money as possible, doing some price comparison is a good idea. Luckily, in the internet age, it's never been easier to check up on prices between stores. 

Your small, local liquor store may not have much of an internet presence, but the big players in the alcohol market definitely do, with their full inventory available to digitally peruse. West Coast liquor giant BevMo, for instance, lets you search by name or keyword, but will also let you search spirits by price from cheapest to most expensive. Binny's, an Illinois-based alcohol distributor, has the same option. If you're willing to do a little research before going out to buy your spirits, and potentially make a trek to a liquor store further away, the least expensive version of what you're looking for will be your reward.