Keep boozing, save money

Tara Gillespie

Keep boozing, save money

The global pandemic has given us the opportunity to reflect on our behaviours, actions and habits. I, for one, have rediscovered my love of cooking and have all but cut out takeaways. I accepted that my 6 weekly manicure probably wasn’t an “essential” (my nails do their job just fine). I also have the best intentions to continue doing one form of exercise a day after 7 weeks of only being allowed to do that.

One thing that certainly hasn’t changed is my love of an alcoholic drink! And it turns out I am not alone.  Last week The Guardian reported a 41% rise in alcohol sales in supermarkets - even as pubs and bars reopened.

I think this is absolutely fantastic. Not because I am an alcoholic (I promise). But because we can turn this rise in alcohol sales into a +£900 a year saving!

How can you keep boozing and save money?


The average pint in a British pub costs £3.69 (add an extra £ if you are a Londoner). If you drink only the recommended number of units a week (which I obviously would never exceed...) you are spending £22 a week. That's £1,200 a year!

Buy this from your local shop instead, and you are looking at around £300 a year to fuel your boozing. That's £900 a year in your back pocket. Hypothetically, and obviously this is just academic, if you did drink more than the recommended number of units that saving would be a lot higher!

Pandemic or no pandemic, I’m not going to stop drinking and for that I make no apologies. I’m also not going to stop going out for drinks altogether. But there is something quite attractive about opening a bottle of wine at home with the girls, whilst we plan all the fun things we can do with the £900 we are saving by not drinking the pub’s overpriced bottles of 2018 Malbec.