How to Achieve a Night Out in Lancaster on a Budget

So, you’ve had a mad Christmas, spent your January loan on Dominos and Sultans, treated yourself to an Asda delivery over the trek to Lidl, and now your flatmates have asked you if you’re coming to Sugar tonight while your bank balance weeps quietly in the corner. It’s that sort of week.

But worry not! Because we have the definitive guide to the budgeteer’s night out in Lancaster!

1. Pre-drink!

This really is the student lifesaver – get smashed at home before you go out. Supermarket own-brands (Lidl, looking at you *heart eyes*) are much cheaper than club liquor and all taste the same (don’t @ me on this, you know it’s true). Plus, here is where you get to play all our favourite drinking games and bond with your pre-drinking buddies; our favourite games to play are Mr & Mrs, Ring of Fire/Kings Cup, and Never Have I Ever (an oldie but a goldie).

2. Get a hip flask

Find one on Amazon for as low as £3 then get that bad boy full of your chosen spirit and you’re golden. All you’ll need is mixers (if you’re ‘weak’) or just chug it straight (if you’re mental!).

3. Know your student nights

At GLOW: Skint Mondays offer 3 for £5 (K2 and any house spirit with mixer), 2 for £5 (bottled beers, alcopops, and shots). Social Wednesdays offer 2 for £5 (bottled beers, alcopops, and shots) and £2 single spirit & mixer (£3 doubles). Quids Thursdays offers £1 drinks all night (K2 and Carlsberg) and 2 for £5 (bottled beers, alcopops, and shots). Epic Fridays offer doubles for an extra £1 on all house spirits.

At Sugarhouse: student nights are Wednesdays and Fridays where there are discounts on all spirits, Jäger bombs, beers and ciders, and all other bottles (VK, Hooch, etc.).

4. Get the early entry fee

At GLOW and Sugarhouse, entry fee is usually cheaper on student nights and before midnight – £4 at Sugarhouse (£3 with a Purple card). Although, at GLOW, Social Wednesdays boasts free entry all night and just £3 on Quids Thursdays.

5. Get yourself on that guest list

GLOW’s guest list is available online or via Facebook and can offer £3 entry before midnight on Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

At Sugarhouse, the Birthday Guestlist is available if you have a Purple card – this gives you free entry and queue jump on the night of your choosing during the week of your birthday, plus queue jump for up to 5 friends. (Birthday goodie bags are also available on entry!)

The Sugarhouse Guestlist is also available if you are in a club or society; this gives you free entry and queue jump before 11.30pm.

6. Take cash

On your way to town there are plenty of ATMs around Common Garden Street that you can get money out of without facing a withdrawal charge. Your best bet is to get £10/15 out and convince yourself to leave your card in your pocket when you drop your coat off at the cloakroom.

7. Make friends

Whether this is making friends with kind-hearted (or bigger-walleted) strangers, smiling nicely at the bartender, or being extra nice to your flatmates, it always pays to be friendly – you just might get yourself a free drink out of it.

8. ‘Forget’ to bring cash

Okay, this one is a little bit of a drama act. The *rooting around in your pockets* ‘oh no, oh golly gosh, I can’t believe I’ve left my card at home, what will I do?’ is a 50/50 bet. Most of the time, your friends will see straight through it (yes, this is a shout out to one of mine) but if they’re nice enough (which I am) and are in a healthier overdraft situation than you, they might buy you that Jäger bomb anyway (because life be like that sometimes).

9. Snap up those deals

GLOW student cards get you £1 off entry all night every night, plus 10% off all drinks on Fridays and Saturdays. There are also a whole bunch of online tickets that can be bought for GLOW that cover entry and free (or massively discounted) drinks. On your birthday, GLOW offers your age in drinks vouchers (on Fridays and Saturdays, within a week of your birthday) and 25% off the silver VIP booth package.

10. Get the Sugar Bus or the Night Bus

The Sugar Bus is a gem among the student population; free transport from campus to Sugarhouse and then back again – a heaven-send. Available on Wednesdays and Fridays, we’re big fans of this trick for a cheap night out. Just make sure you check the timetable here.

Of course, if you miss the Sugar Bus, you can get yourself the Night Bus for just £1 (with a day rider ticket – although, these are usually not checked…) from the bus station.

11. Have some frozen carbs back home

I’m sorry but, if you’re on a tight budget, you’re gonna have to skip Maccies and Sultans! I know, I know, the cheesy fries from Sultans are the staple of any good night, but (apologies Sal) they’re pricey and you definitely have food at home.

• budget
• clubbing
• nightout
• student budget
• university