Put together mixed 6 packs, take advantage of sales, etc. Now that my wife is finished with school and recently found full time employment, things are looking up for my beer budget.
don't buy bombers, find a regular cheap beer you like (narragansett for me) and stick to 12-packs or cases.
I see no reason to drink every day or have more than 1-2 in a sitting except on special occasions, so I don't buy more than I need. That's probably my golden rule. Other things I do are mix 6 packs, look at what releases are coming to give me a figure, and I basically don't buy bombers that are over $10 ever unless I know what I'm getting. It also helps to pick up the well priced 12 pack of something that I like and don't mind sharing. My monthly average is probably $30-60.
this isn't a motto, more my default policy: buy now, ask questions later. the tough part for me is once i settle on, "ok now i'm good for a while" there's inevitably a tasty release right around the corner i just can't seem to abstain from.
I've started 2013 trying to stick to a budget ($150/month) and it's actually worked out pretty well for me thus far. The main things I've done to keep spending down are to cut down on trades, which really start to add up with shipping/extras, and to refrain from drinking 3 nights a week.
I wouldn't say I necessarily budget, I just don't spend excessively. I've never had too much problem managing my money. Live frugally day to day, small frivolous purchases sprinkled in, large splurges very rarely. I'd say I spend maybe $20-50/week on beer. Depending on if I buy a 6-pack or not, if I go out on Friday and Saturday or just one of the weekend nights, or if I go have a beer after work with a girl friend or something. On the rare occasion of travelling, I'm spend reasonably freely on beer. Trying new breweries and buying beers that I can't get at home. But still, I've never spent too much to really regret it later.
The fact that in my profession, I have to stay physically fit and athletic keeps me grounded and inside my "beer budget."
I've got a pretty stellar system that's working for me this year. I budget 1 sixer/bomber per week but I also reward myself when I: * avoid grabbing coffee and breakfast during the week * avoid going out for lunch during the week * don't grab crap at Wegman's when I do the grocery shopping I also don't drink more than one beer per weeknight, except when I have gigs. Thank the lord I've been playing lots lately!
I don't really budget for beer, I just don't spend money on any other entertainment/hobby activities. So my money goes to bills, food, and beer.
I think the rule at my house is if there is space for beer, then there is funds available. Sorry, not very sound financial advice.
So the manager at the liquar store says "hey bud get that" and I do week after week after week and that is how I budget.
I've got a seperate debit card as a payment option From my company. Every two weeks $150 gets direct deposited onto that card. That card is my beer buying card (and trading expense).
I used to just buy whatever I wanted whenever I wanted, but we are starting a daycare/school now for my daughter that is going to run us $800+ a month so my beer budget is going to take a huge hit. My ticking and trading days may be a thing of the past. I actually thought about getting a side job just to pay for my beer hobby.
For me I try to keep it under 50 a week, but my wife and I have talked about special releases and I have given myself $500 to spend on special releases seperataley from the $50... For instance I may buy $35 worth of beer for the week but then CW Barrel beers show up and I always buy atleast a case of each. I got about $75 left in my Special fund for this winter, just enough for a case and 1 4 pack of CW BBBW!
I buy quite a bit of whiskey throughout the year so beer competes for those dollars. I do pretty well so I really don't budget. I can go weeks and not buy anything and then spend bucks over the course of a week on beer and/or whiskey. This past week I dropped about $200 on beer and whiskey and this next weekend I'll probably do more since I'll be attending Julio's Liquor Go Whiskey Weekend up in MA. I just make sure the bills are paid, I invest as needed and use the rest for life's simple pleasures.
For many, many years I smoked at least a pack a day of cigarettes, and in Boston, a pack of my preferred brand eventually cost close to nine bucks. Then I quit smoking and, before too long, had redirected that nearly nine bucks per day into beer instead. So I don't really budget for beer so much as I've continued spending roughly the same amount of dollars each week on my more recently chosen vice.
- Only drink homebrew on weekdays - Spend freely on the weekends (only as much as I can drink directly at bars/breweries, does not include bottles) - Don't do any trades which involve shipping beer - Travel light so I can smuggle bottles back anytime I go out of state - Don't live in Portland (I failed this particular one)
It kind of depends on the time of year but boy, this is a tough season to budget with all the special releases between December - March! I usually make one or two trips to the big city per month and spend from 30-50 per trip and augment it with an occasional purchase at my local super. I just ordered two four packs of Abrasive from Minny but they are holding up the shipment a few days due to the extreme temps they are having right now.
When I attend a baseball game, I always buy beers at $8.25 a pop. It kills me. Then when I'm at the store buying craft beers....I feel a lot better and justified for the amount I'm spending?
Since I've found attempts to limit my beer spending are pointless, I've decided instead to focus on inventory management. Which means, no room for trying new beers until I've put a significant dent in what I've already bought. It has actually helped a lot - my beer store visits are less frequent, and instead of spending $75-$150 per visit, I'm only spending $40 or $50. It also means I've spent the last several weeks drinking all of the Parabola, Sucaba, Speedway Stout, and other similar stuff that I badly overbought in the last couple of years.
I figure buying beer is as good as, or better than, an investment in gold. When my fiat currency hits the floor, at least i can trade my beer that will still retain its value. Who wouldn't be looking to get drunk when their savings disappear? My advice is to invest!
I just don't spend on going to the movies and bars, restaurants and give the wife an allowance and that leads to happy wife is a happy life
I generally don't buy anything that costs >$15 and I rarely bombers. Here in MA, there are more 6- and 4-pack at >$13 and of great quality that I don't often feel like I'm missing out. I'll pick up the occasional big bottle when friends are coming over, but other than that, it's mostly 4- and 6-packs for me.
I just play the lotto on a daily basis and cross my fingers that I win $1000000 so that I can spend all of that on beer. Until then, $50 a month.
Drinking in a pub or a bar here costs an arm and a leg whilst buying beer in the monopoly here is alot "cheaper", even with taxes that would make Americans start revolutions. I figure if I've "willingly" spent 20+ dollars on a cover charge and a couple of macro beers at various venues in the past, I wont go broke from spending that money on store bought beers instead. Rarely do my weekly beer purchases exceed 15 or so bucks and I stretch the money further by drinking a good deal of lager beers that I enjoy. Me and my wallet are both happy for the fact that I can still enjoy a German pilsner just as well as an American IPA. It also helps that the monopoly here has a limited number of new releases in a year, so there's not a ton of stuff on the shelves that I'm desperate to try or haven't already. Once every other month there's a few of the releases that I'm interested in trying immediately and I shell out for them. I'm truly in awe however of what some people on here are buying/hauling and drinking. There seems to be a serious amount of redistribution of wealth going on . Me I'm happy to stand on the sidelines and pick up a craft beer here and there, made available this far north thanks to the carefree, frivolous spending of legions of American beer drinkers .
I spend way to much, about $100.00 on beer and scotch/bourbon a week. Thats more than I spend in a month eating/going out. I actually get excited finding new beers, and reading the reviews while at my local liquor store.
I have budgeted 10% of my net worth towards beer purchases.....present and future. Thus, money is never a problem. I buy what I want. I repeat the process every week. I recompute my net worth...take 10%...and cap any spending there. I never hit the amount. Works like a charm and still keeps me with 90% in equities and fixed income. Funny look from my banker when I list assets such a 24 BCBS and 15 Abt12. He thinks they are stocks!!
