So you’re finally 21, huh? The day you have been waiting for since you can basically remember. Gone are the days of sticky fraternity basement floors, Natty, and taking shots of cheap tequila. Wait, just kidding… you’re still going to be taking shots of cheap tequila, but you’ll be doing it without the thought of an underage in the back of your mind. Here we are, you’re 21 and broke – not how you pictured it, is it? No worries, though, that’s why you’re reading this… to find out just how to do the whole “20 fun” thing on a budget.
Where To Drink:
Now, you may notice that I left Saturday and Sunday blank and that’s because they’re always changing. You’re most likely to get the best deals during the week, but I highly suggest giving your favorite bar a “Like” on Facebook because they post about their specials almost daily. In addition to them posting about their specials, they also tell you when they start charging cover too (Hint: try and get there before they start charging for cover.)
Bar Safety:
Of course you want to have fun, but you should still be safe. You’re probably tired of hearing it, but don’t leave your drink alone… ever. Don’t put it down and look away and the only time you should put it down and walk away is when you’re done with it. Always know where your drink is (which should simply be in your hand) and if you must put it down, give it to a friend to hold onto for you.
Another thing to always plan for is a DD. Maybe you have some younger friends who are able to take you to and from the bar or maybe you and your friends can take turns DDing. Or if you have some extra money, you can order Lyft or Uber. Find out if any of your friends don’t have the app for some reason and send them a promo code so you can get a free ride or download the Ibotta app onto your phone to get $1 back for every Uber ride you take.
Total side note: Ibotta is a shopping app that gets you cash back for things you buy online and is something I have come to love lately.
Another thing my friends and I do before we go out is share our locations with each other. We haven’t needed it yet and we hope we never do, but knowing that we can find each other if someone runs off helps give us peace of mind before we go out.
Cheat the Liquor Store:
With GetGo being so close to campus it is definitely so much easier to run there real quick and pick a case up; however, Wine and Spirits have sales every month on a wide variety of both wines and spirits. You can grab the list of sale items in the store or you can find it here on their website. So grab a friend and go in on a bottle or stock up on your favorite cheap wine.
Another option, especially if you have a car, is to take a drive into Ohio or New York to save quite a few dollars on any alcohol you want. Pennsylvania is actually one of the more expensive states to buy alcohol in and with Behrend being so close to the PA/NY border, it’s so easy to just head over to the nearest NY convenient store or grocery store and save some money.
So, Collegiettes, enjoy being 21, drink responsibly, and find as many ways to save your money. Pregaming is definitely still a thing, so by all means keep doing it. It is much cheaper to nurse a buzz than it is to walk in sober and get wasted.