13 Clever Ways to Score Cheap Liquor, Wine, & Beer
No more searching for the “cheapest liquor store near me” — use these tips no matter where you source cheap liquor, wine, or beer!
Cheers to affordable adult beverages!
How does the idea of spending less on alcohol sound? From beer and wine to liquor and mixers, prices can add up pretty quickly and before you know it, you’re forking out a good chunk of change on casual drinks and big get-togethers.
Of course, you could not imbibe alcohol altogether to cut costs, but enjoying a glass or two is a treat for many. By following a few of these money-saving tips, you’ll be able to enjoy a drink at the end of a long day or cater to a large party without blowing your budget.
Here’s how to score cheap liquor, wine, and beer:
1. Filter cheap vodka in a water filter.
If you’re a vodka drinker, you probably know that the more times it’s been filtered, the more expensive it usually is. To avoid paying the high price for a quality bottle, try filtering a bottom-shelf cheap liquor brand at home with a water filter.
Yes, seriously!! Lots of penny-pinchers have tried this booze hack and reported improved flavor, aroma, and smoothness after 4-5 filtrations. Although you’ll have the initial cost of the water filter, you’ll save quite a bit by not spending more on top-shelf vodka.
2. Save on draft beer with reusable growlers.
There’s nothing like an ice-cold brew on a hot summer day. But before you stock up on your favorite six-pack, consider using a beer growler instead. Many grocery stores and bars will fill up a 64 oz. growler for $9-$15 (depending on the brew) and that could end up saving you a few bucks.
Don’t forget to do a price onlineparison first to ensure you’re getting the best deal. Growlers are usually available for purchase at grocery stores and craft beer shops, but you can also get them on Amazon for pretty cheap.
3. Get wine discounts when you buy in bulk.
You’ve probably seen 10%-20% off wine case offers at numerous grocery stores and, while you’ll spend more upfront, you’ll save a lot in the long run.
Total Wine & More offers 16% off their mixed wine cases, and Whole Foods will take 10% off your purchase of 6 or more bottles. A few other grocers that offer bulk wine discounts include Publix, Hannaford, Harris Teeter, and Safeway. Ask your local grocery or liquor store about case discounts to see what they offer!
4. Try a monthly wine club.
Wine clubs are a great way to save on large quantities and you’ll likely get a really good introductory offer, too. Here are a couple of affordable wine club offers to consider:
- Firstleaf: Buy 6 bottles of wine for only $39.95 shipped!
- Wine Insiders: 15 bottles for only $89 shipped!
5. Check Groupon for some major deals on adult beverages
Believe it or not, Groupon usually has a plethora of deals on beer and wine and some of the biggest discounts I’ve ever seen. A few current offers include:
16 bottles of wine at just $3.56/bottle?! It doesn’t get much better than that!
6. Make your own hard cider.
Cider making is an investment as you’ll likely spend $40-$60 on equipment, but once you have it, the only additional costs are purchasing fresh apple juice, yeast, and yeast nutrients.
Since you can make large quantities at such a low cost, you can enjoy $3 homemade cider gallons all year long, which is substantially cheaper than the cost of a 6-pack of cider at the store.
7. Get cashback offers with savings apps.
If you don’t see an in-store deal, don’t forget to check cash back apps like Rakuten, Ibotta, and Checkout 51. They offer pretty sweet cheap liquor deals at hundreds of popular stores.
We’ve seen offers for up to $5 cash back on already low-price items and when you do the math, you could save up to 50% on some alcoholic beverages.
8. Check your local drugstores for beer and wine deals.
Surprisingly, Walgreens and CVS offer amazing beer and wine discounts on a frequent basis (depending on where you live). We’ve spotted prices that beat out Walmart and discount wine shops many times, but you’ll want to take advantage of the deals when you find them because they usually don’t last long.
While you can’t use drugstore coupons on alcohol sales, you can take advantage of cash-back offers through Ibotta or Checkout 51 (mentioned above) and save even more on your purchase.
9. Shop for adult beverages at budget-friendly stores like Costco, ALDI, and Trader Joe’s.
If you’ve got a Costco or Sam’s Club membership, you already know how unreal the deals are. You can easily find affordable beer, wine, and spirits priced lower than other major retailers. If you’re not a member but happen to live in one of these states, you can actually still purchase alcohol in the store.
Costco savings tips:
- Pay attention to prices that end in random numbers like .77 instead of .99—this means that Costco negotiated with the manufacturer to get their customers an even lower price.
- Go for Kirkland-brand beverages. They’re substantially cheaper than other labels and are also pretty good quality.
- If you’re not a Costco member, you can still buy your booze there if you live in one of these states.
Walmart also holds true to its everyday low prices when it onlinees to adult beverages. Their selection isn’t very big, but you’ll likely save $2-$4 on beer and wine onlinepared to prices at other grocery stores.
Trader Joe’s has some pretty darn good prices on beer and wine, and their selection is quite expansive. From their famous two-buck chuck wine to cheap craft beers, there are hundreds of affordable and enticing options to choose from.
Hip Tip: We tried out several of the wines from Trader Joe’s for under $10. Here’s the taste test review!
If you’ve got an ALDI in your area, you can score quite a few great deals on beer and wine. From Winking Owl wine under $3 to quality prosecco under $10 and a small selection of craft beers, you can’t go wrong with the affordable options they’ve got. ALDI also has a great variety of artisan meats and cheeses to pair with your wine.
10. Stop buying mixers and start making them.
Mixers are often just as expensive as liquor, but there’s a way around that and it involves just a little bit of mixology! Not only will you save money, but your drinks will likely taste WAY better!
Here are a few cocktail recipe hack ideas:
- Classic Margarita: Squeeze citrus juice from lemons, limes, and oranges and mix with homemade simple syrup (equal parts sugar + warm water) and tequila. Garnish with salt and lime zest.
- 3-ingredient Piña Colada: Freeze canned pineapple chunks and blend with canned coconut milk and rum. Garnish with shredded coconut.
- Easy White Russian: Instead of buying pricey Kahlua, whip instant coffee with warm water until it reaches a foamy consistency. Pour flavored coffee creamer (vanilla or sweet cream work) and vodka over the foam and add a few ice cubes. YUM! This is one of our favorite cheap cocktail hacks!
- Simple jam cocktail: Mix your favorite fruity jam with seltzer water and your spirit of choice. You can’t go wrong with a gin and blueberry onlinebo with a squeeze of fresh lime. So easy and so delicious!
Don’t have a fancy shaker to mix up your cocktails? Use a mason jar or wide-mouth water bottle instead!
11. Check Valpak and other local flyers for deals on adult beverages.
Most liquor stores don’t advertise this in the store, but a number of them offer deals in Valpak mailers and other local coupon flyers.
You can also find out about sweet deals in advance when you subscribe to your local liquor store’s newsletter and check their website frequently.
12. Aerate cheap red wine in a blender and it’ll taste twice as good.
Who knew a blender could turn a $5 bottle of wine into a $15 bottle of wine?! I’ve been using this hack for quite a while and it really does work!
Your cheap red wine will onlinee out smoother and less acidic, making it much more palatable. I’ve even tested this hack out with friends and family and they were blown away by how much better their wine tasted!
13. Get money back with liquor store rebates.
Just about every liquor store has a variety of rebate offers on spirits. Most range between $1-$5, but some will give you as much as a whopping $10 back! Talk about a cheap liquor store score.
Keep an eye out for rebates throughout the store and online and be sure to submit them while they’re valid because they could potentially save you hundreds over time.
Have you tried one of these White Claw adult slushie recipes yet?! They’re perfect for summer sippin’!
