How to Save Money on Alcohol

You should always have a budget when it comes to a party. It is important to stick to that budget. Sometimes that strict budget can affect the types of alcohol that you can buy. The best place to buy hard alcohol and chasers for a party (not beer) is Costco. If you don’t have a Costco near your campus, then I feel really sorry for you, but there should be an equivalent discount warehouse center (Sam's Club, etc). Someone in your frat should have a Costco membership card, and if they don’t then it’s always a good investment to buy one. 

Costco has the lowest prices when it comes to buying handles of alcohol. They don’t have sales, but there prices are always low. Some supermarkets might be able to match the Costco price during a supermarket sale, but those prices will increase later. Costco’s prices very rarely change. The two types of vodka that I suggest purchasing for all of your parties would be Smirnoff Vodka and Skyy Vodka. The first can be purchased for $14.99 or $17.99, depending on your geographical area. The latter can be bought for $19.99 or $20.99, depending on your area. In the supermarket or liquor store, there is at least a $5 increase per bottle for both brands. When you are buying multiple bottles, the savings will really pay off.

Now if you don't have a Costco near you, you are probably stuck with just the liquor stores in your neighborhood. Unfortunately you will probably have to deal with a smaller selection and stock--in addition to higher prices. One good way to get lower prices is to speak with the owner of the liquor store about getting a discount if you buy in bulk. If you tell him that you will be buying about X amound of handles and 30 packs of beer per week, he will probably be inclined to give you a discount in order to guarantee your business. You can probably push for at least 10%, but you might be able to get 20% off, especially in these difficult economic times.