How to Enjoy the Nightlife and Save Money at the Same Time

If you’re a person like myself, who enjoys going out to socialize over food, wine and drink as well as soaking up the nightlife scene, the amount spent on food, alcohol and other entertainment can easily be your Top 3 expenses and put a dent on your bank account if you’re not watching your spending habits.

Fortunately, you can limit the damage to your bank account by following these simple strategies that are not only fun, but also allow you to enjoy the nightlife and save money at the same time:

The Pre-drink

The classic strategy of saving money before heading out to bars and clubs. This is not only one of the best ways to save money, but makes for a fun ritual amongst friends before heading out that gets you warmed up socially and primed to meet new people.

If where you live is even remotely close to the nightlife scene, it might be a good idea to have your place become the “pre-drink” destination where friends gather. Just have plenty of glasses, cups, ice and some staples in terms of liquor or wine and you’ll soon be known as a social hub. If you ask friends to bring their own drinks, there almost always will be leftover liquor which can be saved for another time in the future, which also cuts on your alcohol expenses for you and your friends as well.

Choosing the venue

Choosing a place should be one of your central strategies in saving money as well. If you’re living in a large city or college or university town, finding a great place to frequent that also features a cheap drink night shouldn’t be too hard as the competition to lure in party-goers and nightlife revelers is fierce. Do a bit of your own research online and find out where the good spots are to go to through word of mouth. Calling in advance to get on the guest list can save you a few bucks as well.

Buying drinks

Generally speaking, if you’ve already done some pre-drinking it doesn’t take that much to get to a decent buzz, but it’s tempting to get carried away with how much we spend when you’re a bit tipsy – especially if you’ve met someone you’re attracted to. In that case, it might be a good idea to go cash only for the evening with amount that you’re comfortable with spending, which might include a cab fare.

Host a party at your place

In line with the pre-drink, the only different is that it bypasses the hassle of getting everyone to a venue.  Having a party at your place is a great way to cut down on expenses as well as meet people and keeps your social life thriving.  If you can’t have a party at your place, pitch the idea to a friend, chip in for the expenses and promise to help prepare and tidy up if they need some persuading.

Stocking a few staples in terms of alcohol be it hard liquor or beer would be a good idea beforehand and is generally much cheaper than going out to a bar or club.   In addition to that, you can offload some your costs by making your event BYOB (Bring Your Own Booze).

Having a few close friends attend and then asking them to bring a new friend or someone who is adjacent, but not in your immediate social circle is a great way to keep things fresh and fun for your guests as well as yourself.

Here are a few ideas that can make your house party a night that will be talked about after for weeks to come:

• Having some guests that are “popular” (the influencers) can generate buzz, and with their connections, they have a lot of social pull and will make for people to actually seek you out to attend your event. It takes a little bit of work to get to know them on a genuine basis to make them friends, but the effort is well worth it if you’re a cool and social person.
• Owning some board games or even video games like Guitar Hero or Rock Band that bring people together are a great way to help people be more social and have fun.
• Themed parties can be fun as well. Sometimes attaching a theme to a party makes things a lot more fun and creates an anticipation of what other people will be doing or dressing up as. Having like, a “Post-Holiday ugly Christmas sweater party”, an 80’s/90’s party (insert whatever decade or era tickles your fancy), or if you’re feeling racy, a “No Pants” party are all great themes to that will make for an awesome time for you and your guests.
• Hosting a dinner party that with a limit to how many people can attend can be fun and equally fulfilling as well. It can be a classy affair, potluck or just simple with wine and easy to prepare foods available to your guests
• Collecting your guests keys at the beginning of the evening would be a good idea if you know things will get messy. It’s your duty as the host to do your due diligence, to not only provide an environment that’s conducive to fun conversation, but also ensure your guests arriving home safely.

What are some of the strategies that you used that were fun and clever to have and awesome nightlife without breaking the bank? Please share in the comments below

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