Using a Flask
After I turned 21, I realized the sheer amount of money people waste at bars. Here in Austin, TX. we have a thriving Downtown nightlife, consisting of several streets of busy clubs and bars...needless to say there are tons of places to throw away your money.
From about 9pm till 2am, the main product being sold all over Downtown is alcohol. Clubs/bars make almost all their money from alcohol, restaurants make much of their money from alcohol and even cruise boats make much of their money from drink sales. It's actually pretty ridiculous how much money is made from alcohol sales.
To combat these high prices (and allow me to be extremely cheap), I will sometime bring a flask out with me. This thing cost me $20, fits perfectly in my back pocket and holds roughly 5 oz. of liquor.
If I know I'm going out, but don't want to spend a lot of money, I'll fill the flask with a liquor of choice, for example, rum. This way I can ask the bartender for JUST a Coke with ice. I'd say about 70% of the time they'll give it to me free. I can then secretly mix in some rum, and have a Rum & Coke.
Ghetto? You bet!
The most I've ever spent on a single drink was at an upscale club in Miami - $17 for a Vodka & Red Bull. Imaging my surprise when I pulled out a $10 bill to pay, but was quoted $17....and then I had to tip $3!! TWENTY DOLLARS for a small drink in a plastic cup filled mostly with ice!! OUTRAGEOUS. I can buy 20 Double Cheeseburgers from McDonalds for that money.
Another thing I do when going out is use CASH ONLY. I NNEEEVVERRR charge drinks to a card. This way you can SEE how much money you are throwing away, and I can control my spending much better this way. A $20 bill can generally cover an entire night (Generally which I end up spending mostly on Pizza :-) and leave me with some money the next day.
posted by Neville @ 1:03 AM
59 comments
59 Comments:
http://www.me2money.blogspot.com
The solution is simple of course: stop drinking. However that wouldn't be fun, would it. ;-)
But for those people who have drinks after work the extravagant cost is an investment to network with people!
They told me that many college students from America spent a lot of their time at bar at night,is that true?
Anyway,I think that you are canny.
How do they do it - it's factored into the business model.
-Wes
Nev, I try not to use cash because say you're choice of drink that night is beer. 1 beer = $4 = $1 tip. That means you are tipping 25%. If you use a card, you can technically buy the one drink and still tip 15%....I'd feel bad leaving 60 cents on the bar if I was using cash lol.
If I'm not doing that, then usually when I'm with a bunch of people, we'll alternate who buys the drinks. Round 1 will go to one person, so rather than 5 people paying $1 each ($5 tip), you have maybe 1 person paying $2 tip.
The other thing I like about flasks is discretion, like when you're at a public place where no liquor is allowed.
$7.50 average per drink = $180 + $27 tip = $207.
That and as someone mentioned, you are paying for the atomsphere, etc of a bar when paying for these drinks. I wouldnt be comfortable with myself going in there, enjoying everything, and slipping a secret drink out of my back pocket. If I didnt want to spend the money, I would stay home.
http://me2money.blogspot.com/
The bigger problem here is being busted when adding flasked liquor to the bought drink or taking a swig from the flask. The bar can lose the liquor license. Bad news for everyone.
Its a very funny and interesting read.
Cheapskate with tips?
That says a lot about what kind of human you are.
He was also talking about opening a beer. If the tender is making multiple fancy drinks, different story.
Here in Paris, France, average for an alcohol drink is $14. A glass of Coke is around $8 so it worth it! Last week I paid $28 for a Mojito in a small pub!
Now most of the time we start having drinks at each other's appartments, then before leaving we fill in a plastic bottle with some rhum or whiskey and juices and drink it on the way to the pub :-)
BTW, I like your blog !
Keep up the great work Nev, yours is one of the few blogs I still read.
To the other comments, if you don't like it, don't read it. Especially if its just going to make you jealous of his success.
And regarding tipping, its a simple supply and demand equation. If waiters/bartenders don't like getting paid in tips, get a different job. Or follow Nev's lead and start your own business.
Like it or hate it, it's thinking on your feet which most of you people who read this blog can't do on your own. B/c if you did you would not have to follow Nev's blog... since you all probably have no social skills to begin with. So for all those anti-socials with small tools go start your own blog then get back to your job at Burger King.... and if your lucky you might be able to advance to manager one day and get some of that hot Burger King IPO stock.
BigBill...
You seriously think by frauding other businesses you can become successfu? What if you were the bar business owner, would you be happy if some frauding kids bring their own flask?
I hope they catch you and charge you with fraud and for being a cheap pr1ck.
Then he stopped by the local KFC and busted out his empty milk gallon jug and filled it up with the ice tea. Money business #2!
Next stop was the grocery store where he scanned 10 loafs of bread while scanning his ONE coupon that gets the item for free ten times...at the self check-out isle. Money business #3!
Amazing at the amount of money he just saved there... everyone agree???
Just a thought.
This post gets to circumventing the business, yet still enjoying the amenaties that the business provides. Basically getting their product for free.
As a business owner, Nev, I would think that you would value the service and products of others that you frequent, rather than trying to cheat the system.
I'd say, use the flask at home and in the parking lot if you must, but buy the drink when you are at the bar.
Tipping is a funny thing. I tip 2 bucks on a drink, so the bar tender remembers me, and serves me first among the long line of people. If I have four drinks at a bar, that's an extra 4 bucks. Hardly a dent in the pocket book 'To Insure Proper Service'.
http://me2money.blogspot.com
The guy with the ski poles needs those crammed up his @ss. How cheap can you get?
We are all anxiously awaiting a response from Neville on his latest entry...
If that is not an admonition of guilt I do not know what is. How would you know if it is not the same person if that person were not you? What a complete asshat you are. It was some good comic relief however.
for me sounds like a way to steal money, not to save or make :)
if this drinks is overpriced for you, just don't take it :), why cheating ?
// Sergey
p.s.
possible best ROI will be to travel in WC rooms in the trains :) - no need to buy a ticket :)
Plus, it's not like he's getting fancy mixed drinks, hard-to-find liquor, nor can he use his flask for a girl he's met (all reasons to go to a bar). What's the difference between him taking shots at home before going to the bar and taking shots (or mixing with Coke as the case may be) at the bar from his flask?
This is a price issue: because the price is too high, he wouldn't normally buy the drinks anyway. The bar isn't losing any sales from him.
And how many people would bring candy into the movie theatre, but are bitching about the flask? Who are all these critics? STOP READING, and maybe we can get some decent discussion in the comments from those who find value in Nev's posts.
http://me2money.blogspot.com
Crazy Daves Blog
now you're an idiot too, your whole purpose is just to get people to hit up your lame-az5 site...
To promote how to fraud businesses and justify it by saying that the bars already made the money by the cover fee... here's a point, most bars in austin do NOT charge cover... I know, I have lived there for 4 years.
man, now we have idiots promoting other idiots...
figures, look at you trying to justify again that people could fraud bars and business only because they're a little more expensive and that charge for other various expenses. it was your choice to attend those expensive places, therefore it is your RESPONSIBLILITY to pay for the product and services they provide...
go buy your, then what? you going to burn it down to justify that you couldn't afford your mortgage and have the insurance company pay for it?
again, idiots now trying to justify...
Anonymous, you claim to live in Austin, why don't you call up Nev and meet with him? All of his contact info is posted. You can then discuss in a civil matter what your problem with the flask is.
I bet you anything you would not be so crude in person.
Craig
The bartenders and waitresses are making much money on tips but that is the name of the game.
when i do go out, i usually drink a couple Mike's before we go out though. i have never considered NOT tipping. i know that when i pay cash i get better, stronger drinks and faster service, because i tip each time. usually $1 + coins if there is any from the change. When i use my debit card the bartender/waitstaff has no idea what i will end up tipping. NOT tipping would probably get you weaker drinks and slower service.
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