I definitely enjoy a good glass of wine. However, my grocery bill always goes up when I start stocking up on wine. Plus, of course, wine always adds a lot to a dinner bill when dining out. So, I’ve been thinking a lot about ways to save money on wine.
Cut Back on Consumption
Obviously, the best way to reduce wine costs is to reduce wine consumption. During the pandemic, I found myself drinking wine not just with takeout meals but with most at-home dinners. And then with all at-home dinners. Then it became two glasses or three instead of just one. I’m lucky not to have alcoholic tendencies and I was easily able to cut back. I feel a lot better now that I’m back to much more more moderate drinking. Plus, it’s a lot cheaper when I only drink occasionally.
Find Cheap Bottles of Wine to Love
I rarely buy spirits, but when I do, I buy the good stuff. A cheap bottle of vodka just makes me sick. But the same is not true of wine. I can easily save money on wine by buying cheaper bottles because there are a lot of good affordable options out there. If I don’t know a brand at all, then I usually just shop in the $15 – $20 range. I almost always find it tastes good. But there are even cheaper bottles that I’ve discovered I like. Honestly, I’ve rarely gone wrong with “two buck Chuck” from Trader Joe’s. Barefoot brand offers low-cost bottles.
Locate the Cheaper Places to Buy Wine
I was able to save money on wine by finding the cheapest bottles in the area near me. Surprisingly, they’re at this great little corner market. Why is this surprising? Because most things in this market are overpriced. That’s just the nature of trying to survive as a small business in this area. I expect to pay a couple dollars extra per soup can or half gallon of milk if I have to stop in there on the way home. However, they specialize in offering great deals on bottles of wine. So, that’s where I buy a bottle if I want one last minute.
Do Subscriptions and Clubs Save Money on Wine?
I used to be a wine club member. Then for a long time I decided that was a waste of my money. However, I recently joined a wine club membership again. The way it works is that you sign up to receive a certain amount of wine each month or quarter. You usually make a few selections (red, white, or both, for example.) It’s a great way to learn about all different types of wine.
But does it really save you money? I think if you regularly purchase and consume bottles then this can definitely save you money. There are some great cheap wine club memberships out there. For me, it’s not the ongoing savings that’s key right now, though. Instead, it’s the great introductory offers. You usually get your first box for extra cheap. If you cancel your subscription after that, then you have saved yourself a lot of money.
For example, I recently got 14 bottles of red wine plus two stemless wine glasses for about $70 total. It’ll more than double that in future deliveries. However, I canceled my subscription after the first delivery. You’re absolutely allowed to do this with no penalty. (Of course, read the terms of any membership before you sign up.) Now that I’m not drinking so often, that case of wine will last me a long time. And that’s how I save money on wine!
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Kathryn Vercillo is a professional writer who loves to live a balanced life. She appreciates a good work-life balance. She enjoys balance in her relationships and has worked hard to learn how to balance her finances to allow for a balanced life overall. Although she’s only blonde some of the time, she’s always striving for total balance. She’s excited to share what she’s learned with you and to discover more together along the way.