Thinking About Drinking

I like olives.

This post discusses the financial aspects of drinking. To further clarify, I'm talking about all kinds of drinks. Alcoholic, non-alcoholic, coffee, juices, milk... even water.

Has anyone else noticed how atrociously expensive our drinking habits are?

It's freaking ridiculous.

My favourite drink at Starbucks is $7.80.

My favourite Fresh juice is $12.20.

My favourite pint of beer at our local watering hole is $8.50.

Really what all these have in common is that they are found "out and about", and with little self-control they can really blow a budget, or become a horrible vice for those up to their eyeballs in debt or trying to save. And its so easy to say yes.

The social ties to drinking are harder to avoid then a personal rival on your Instagram feed:

"Let's meet for a coffee."
"Come have a beer with me tonight after work."
"Can we do a juice cleanse together?"
"Would you like to split a bottle of wine?"
"I'm so thirsty lets get a bottle of water at the corner store, we're so far from home."

Holy Toledo, I swear it happens at least twice to three times a week. As if the social pressure isn't enough, the taste and basic enjoyment add on another level of difficulty in cutting down drinking, because we ENJOY the beverages we lavishly lap up.

I can definitely say I enjoy a good beverage.

So what have I learned? Make a half-assed version yourself, and keep making it until it doesn't taste half bad. And don't break the bank whilst doing it.

I now am an expert at making: southern-style iced-tea, cold brew coffee, a mean margarita, juices and smoothies that rival any juice bar, and above all I always have a drink with me on the go. To elaborate: I do not carry alcoholic beverages on the go. Please don't sniff my bottle, you won't find anything. Instead I try to invite people over for drinks, or vice-versa. Last time we went over to a friend's place, I sampled my new whiskey sour recipe. Aced it.

All in all, learn to avoid drinking outside of your home as much as possible. Do not quit every liquid other than water cold turkey; it will not work. Everything is cheaper if you buy the ingredients yourself, drinks included, which is why the profit margin on drinks is huge and so many companies *cough-STARBUCKS-cough* are doing so well. Put that back in your bank account instead.

I will close with this famous quote from a random ever-so-slightly hot old man with too many young females surrounding him: "Stay thirsty, my friends."

And you know its to keep Dos Equis in business and his paycheques coming.

Seriously, go make some iced-tea.

Back in Black (no cream or sugar please)