Drinking For Cheap On St. Patrick's Day

Think Cheap when it comes to Drinking this St. Patrick's Day

There are all kinds of ways 127 million Americans celebrate St. Patrick's Day each year, but some traditions are more popular than others. It is best known for being one of the biggest drinking days in the country, falling just below New Years Eve, Christmas and the 4th of July.

In 2015, at least 1/3 (29%) of National Retail Federation survey respondents planned to spend their St. Patrick's Day at a bar.

Since 2005, St. Patrick's Day spending has doubled with collective totals currently sitting around $4.5 billion. While most people can expect to spend at least $30-40 on the occasion, it's not necessarily an option for those living on a strict budget. Fortunately, there are ways to drink with your friends without spending money you don't have.

Do you know any bartenders?

If you're trying to celebrate St. Patricks Day on a small budget, your best bet is to head to the bars you frequent the most. Assuming you have a good relationship with the bartender, they'll probably be happy to see you amongst the rowdy crowd of people they will never see again. Your odds of getting special treatment for the occasion are much higher than trying to forge a new relationship elsewhere, with possible rewards ranging from good service to a couple of free drinks.

For those who don't go out enough to have a steady rapport with the folks behind the bar, there are still a few ways to increase your chances of scoring a few free beverages. Order consistently, with patience and respect, and you'll quickly become a welcome, familiar face. According to bartenders, a good rule of thumb is to tip 20% and $1 per drink (as you order them), whatever is more, ideally in cash even if you're running a tab on credit. The longer it takes to make your drink, the more you should expect to tip. Exceeding the norm will make you memorable and more likely to receive a drink on the house by the end of the night.

To state the obvious...

One thing is for sure, the bartender has the power to make the difference between a great night and a nightmare. Whatever you do, don't ask or harass the bartender for a freebie or it'll never happen! You'd also run the risk of being asked to leave. Nobody wants to be that guy!

Dress to Impress....

Working the bartender isn't the only way to score some free drinks on St. Patricks Day. In fact, your chances of being gifted beverages are much higher if you entertain the surrounding crowd. A little extra effort spent on your outfit could take you a long way.

According to the National Retail Federation, 82% of Americans celebrate the day by wearing green. 33 Million Americans may claim Irish heritage but on this day, "Everyone is Irish"! However, you can still steal the show since not everyone takes the time to become a leprechaun! Put together a clever costume, practice your brogue, have some Irish phrases on hand and you can easily become the life of the party.

If you are particularly bold, wear a sign with your outfit declaring your mission like "Give me a beer, I'm Irish!". You just might encourage reactions that could land you a few free rounds.

...But don't spend green on Green!

Even though a great costume has the potential to save you money on drinks, there are no guarantees. It's in your best interest to limit the amount you spend on your getup, so you aren't putting yourself over your budget before you even leave the house.

Check your closets for all things green. Anything will work! If you're short on supplies, check with friends and family to see if you can raid their closets. If you have some spare change, visit your local Salvation Army or check out discount costume sites for cheap options. Worst case scenario, find an old white t-shirt, a green marker and get creative!

To state the obvious...

Nobody will really care if you dress up or not. Your attitude will make or break the fun, not your wardrobe. If a $20 costume is too hard to justify (don't forget about saving with promo codes!), simply grab a small bottle of green food dye and "spike" every drink in your hand, even if it's water, to feature some easy green flare!

Make a Plan

Setting a strategy for yourself will be the best way to ensure a regret-free night of partying. Do yourself a favor and plan as much as possible.

If you intend to bar-hop, pick an area that has many places to choose from within walking distance. Of course, it will be easier to do this in some states than others; in North Dakota, for example, in 2011 there was one bar for every 1,621 people (422). Compare this to Virginia, where there was one bar for every 64,773 (125!). If you scout it out ahead of time, you'll be surprised how much money you could save by limiting cab and train rides.

Most big cities offer formal "Irish bar crawls". While you have to pay for your entry wristband and drinks, you are granted access to special food and beverage deals. The participating bars are usually within walking distance which you are free to visit for as long as you like. Do a little research to see what is going on in your town, and take advantage of the offers available based on your preferred experiences and budget limitations.

To state the obvious...

To ensure strict adherence to your budget, carry cash with you. Determine an amount of money you can live without and only make that available to you for spending. Credit and debit cards can bring a level of temptation too hard to deny once you have a couple of drinks in you!

Pace yourself

The worst thing you can do to your wallet on St. Patricks Day is lose track of your spending. Without a firm grip on your rate of consumption, you could run the risk of buying many more drinks than you need.

Studies have shown that loud music in bars cause people to drink more over less time. With this in mind, decide to pace yourself by setting a limit to how many drinks you'll have per hour or per bar. The party vibes will try to tempt you to go overboard, but you can stay in control. Pay attention to your level of inebriation and cut back when you've reached a happy place.

Aside from spending unnecessary amounts of money on alcohol, drinking too much could lead to other wallet-damaging decisions. Losing control could result in a wide array of expensive decisions you wouldn't otherwise make, especially if money is tight.

Avoid buying obscene amounts of food, tattoos you don't want, and mindless one-off purchases by keeping yourself in check. Also, don't put yourself in a position where you wake up to a huge charge on your card from buying everyone multiple rounds! Sometimes you really can be too nice!

To state the obvious...

Believe it or not, people tend to drink mixed cocktails faster than cans of beer, simply because there is less liquid. When it comes to hard alcohol, portion control is everything. Even if it isn't your first choice, sticking with beer will not only be lighter on the wallet, it will give you a better chance of keeping a steady buzz throughout the night rather than hitting it too hard too quickly.

Drink before or after the bar

Nobody said you had to buy your booze at the bar to have fun at one! In fact, it would be in your very best interest to avoid spending money on alcohol at a bar at all times given the outrageous markups.

Research shows that the price of liquor, wine and beer can be marked up as much as 400% at a restaurant or bar. In other words, ingredients to make a standard Stoli and Coke may fall at $1.35, but you'll pay $7, plus tip! The reality is the consumer is paying for more than the booze itself, but the ice, soda, straws, waitstaff and even general overhead costs incurred by the establishment owner.

That's why it's in your best interest to hit the package store before safely transporting yourself to your desired party spot. Why pay $7 for a single beer when you could buy 30 at $.83 a piece? You can enjoy the party atmosphere with the same amount of alcohol in your system for less than 1/4th the price. Seems like a no-brainer!

Don't forget about nips! For your hard liquor fix, pick up a few of your favorites to boost your pregame for less than half the "retail" price. You will not only be able to control/measure the amount you drink ahead of consumption, but you'll pay around a dollar for the same amount of whiskey you'd pay $6 for in a bar.

To state the obvious...

No matter how you choose to celebrate the 4th biggest day of drinking remember, drunk driving is not only reckless and irresponsible, but it's also a costly choice, costing as much as $10,000 fine. Assign a designated driver or rely on public transit for the festivities to ensure a safe, cheaper experience for all.

Skip the bar altogether!

Of the 53% of Americans that celebrated the occasion in 2015, 1 in 5 people made plans to attend a private party. Why surround yourself with a bunch of people you don't know when you can throw or attend a party with friends and loved ones? There can be countless advantages to making such arrangements.

If you decide to throw a St. Patrick's Day party, you could set it up to be 'pot luck' style so each guest contributes something everyone can enjoy. This method ensures that you aren't stuck supplying all of the food and multiple kinds of beer and wine on your own.

Ask a few friends over early to help make some simple decorations which will help set the tone, and utilize services like Youtube and Spotify for the music. For very little money and effort you could have yourself a frugal but fun party!

Those lucky enough to receive an invitation to a party may luck out all around. Unless an invite specifically asks you to bring your own party goods, it's implied they'll be readily available to you. Keep in mind, however, proper party etiquette calls for some kind of small gift to the host or hostess.

To state the obvious...

A financial funk doesn't need to lower your spirits on such a happy occasion (pun intended). If celebrating St. Patrick's Day is important to you, planning can guarantee you a good time. Putting $10 aside every week from February 1st leading up to March 17th would leave you with $80 to play with! Considering the average person spends around $40, you could end up with a few extra bucks after the day is through!