Hubby and I like to have a stocked liquor cabinet. I’d say for medicinal purposes only, but that would be a lie. As anyone that purchases more than one bottle of liquor a year knows, stockpiling the liquor cabinet can quickly become very expensive.
So how do we keep the costs in line?
• We know what it in our liquor cabinet. We try not to buy 3-4 alike items unless it is cost effective to do so.
• We know our regional prices. If something goes on sale, we know if it is a good deal or not.
• Not only do we shop the sale, we utilize rebates. Even folks who will not rebate for anything else will mail in for a $20 liquor rebate. This past week we bought these sale items:
Black Heart Spiced Rum $10 – $10 MIR = FREE!
Evan Williams Honey Reserve $14.99 – $10 MIR = $4.99
The Irishman Irish Whiskey $32.99 – $20 MIR = $12.99
360 Vodka (1.75L) $33.99 – $20 MIR = $13.99
So sales + rebates = significant discounts when filling the liquor cabinets.
If you drink a particularly high end liquor, a sale + rebate may not work for you. Maybe one of these tips will help you:
• When hubby and I go on vacation, we like to go on cruises. One of the things you can do when going to the Caribbean, especially to Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands where even more is allowed, is bring back several duty free bottles of liquor. The price we pay for Tequila in Mexico or Rum in Puerto Rico or Jamaica is about 30% – 50% of what we’d pay at home. While not the object of the vacation, it is a nice bonus. Since the 3.4oz regulations have been in effect for airline travel to the US several years now, we purchased bottle mailers. We open up the mailers and lay them flat in our suitcases. When we purchase a bottle, we put the mailer together as for mailing, and then inside a plastic bag. We then pack this among padded items.
• As close as I am to the Canadian border, we do have duty free stores at the bridges. While the prices are quite good, I’ve yet to see something FAR there (not that I go that often). However, for especially high priced or high duty items, a duty free store is a good alternative.
Now my advice is only pertinent in New York State. In Utah I know where the liquor stores are located (which always makes hubby laugh as I do not go to Salt Lake more than three times per year), but they are few and far between and highly regulated. I’ve never purchased more than wine At a liquor store in Utah.
Which brings me to questions for you: How do you save on stocking your liquor cabinet? Can you save in your state, or it it all state stores with tight regulations? Are rebates and sales allowed in your states? I’d ask what folks in dry counties do, but I am certain that they too stay dry as their county law regulates.
What are your tips, tricks and hints for stockpile a liquor cabinet on the cheap (if you choose not to abstain)?
{ 34 comments… read them below or add one }
My husband travels to Puerto Rico and lots of other places so he picks up the liquor. My husband is also Canadian so he has always made his own wine. Most people in the States think gross but it is very good if you buy quality kits. We made all our wine for our wedding. Last but not least my brother works at “Total Wine” so he buys us beer when we need it.
Living in San Diego, I am about 15-20 min from the Mexican border. I can park on the US side, walk over to the Duty Free store, make my purchases and then head back over to the States.
Also, this is a military city so I can always get a friend or a co-worker to take me into the base exchange store and get liquor on the cheap!
I’ve never done a liquor rebate b/c it takes awhile to go through liquor at my place, although, I do enjoy martinis.
I wait for my mother inlaw to vist. She is visiting this week went to the package store and bought Baileys 26.99 and Estancia chard 10.99 OOP for me $0 she handed me the receipts and a $5 and $2 rebate so $7mm for me. I am sure she will go back before her trip is over as the baileys is almost gone. lol
KS is about as jacked up a state as there can be regarding liquor laws – so we do the following to help “fund” our wine budget.
1. We watch prices like a hawk and buy a case at a time. Summer and early winter is a great time to buy wine because they are trying to get rid of last seasons vintages before the new releases happen.
2. We travel to CA yearly and make detailed notes. Most wines can be bought back at your local liquor store if tell the manager (and you need to get to know him) what you are looking for. If you store carries low-end J.Lohr, they can also get the reserve.
3. Find several under $10 bottles that you like for everyday wine and leave the $15 and up for special occasions. We always have a list with at 15 wines that are $10 or less. When there is a sale – we stock up.
buy a bartending book and look up what each liquor can be mixed with either other liquors or soda or juice so you can use the same liquor in more than one type of drink you spend less per oz. on big bottles also don’t use the good stuff on mixed drinks most people don’t know the difference
If only!…
I live in Texas and there is zippo in the way of incentives available to us…my town is ‘dry’ and I have to go over to the next city to get a 6-pack!
But, then again, I’m a transplant from Florida so this is really not all that different.
Liquor cabinet? I wait for the holidays when all the guest bring the booze. LOL
I just returned from Lake Skaneateles. My husband and I were visiting his cousin who owns this beautiful property. He lives in CA and has a wine cellar here. I left with 4 bottles of Napa Valley wines that were generously given to me. Cannot get any cheaper than that! Otherwise here at home in WNY, when Premier Liquors have there buy 1 bottle get 1 for a buck sale, that is when I buy wine.
I am sad to say that I just buy what I want, when I want. When it comes to booze, I like what I like and I will get it. I need to start watching prices. Then again, I have been working on the same 12 pack of beer in the fridge since April. My liquor cabinet hasn’t been opened since Bacardi Mojitos got me pregnant (Sept. 2006). I will have a drink at my moms now and again for zero OOP!
Where do you shop to make sure you get the rebates? I know some liquor stores aren’t as good about having the forms available.
Re: RAOK Rebate Forms
Since comments are closed on that thread, I thought I would try reaching out here to say THANK YOU to whoever gave these to Ann to give away. You are too kind!!
YAY! I found one of the rebates on ebay and we are getting free beer out of it! Thanks! I’m glad to see saving moving beyond just groceries.
Thank you for all the great deals Ann!
Ann,
Where do you find the rebates? I have never in my life seen them except for the buy 3 bottles of something and get $5 back in the Sunday papers…
Also I always see “state minimum liquor prices” being advertised, so how can they go on sale?
Thanks,
Amanda
It looks like I will need to start stopping in at the liquor store during my deal hunting time!
Suzanne and Amanda:
Like LeaAnn I shop at Premier a lot (same one she does as a matter of fact). Premier has them hanging on the necks, on tear pads AND at the register. And, Premier spits out the second, separate CRTs that the liquor rebates will accept, and that are matched to each form.
I also shop at a discount liquor store up in Lockport. They are usually cheaper than Premier, but their selection is a lot more limited (they are about 1/4 of the size of Premier). They also have the rebates on the neck, tear pads and at the register, and their machines also do the duplicate CRTs.
Another place you can look for liquor rebates is the printable rebate list I post ‘em as I find ‘em, or as they are sent to me.
Ann
Thanks for the insight! I don’t have a premier, but I will have to find somewhere in the area that has the rebates… Also I will check out your printable list… Thanks!
We aren’t big drinkers. Hubby likes his Margaritas. We usually stock up on cruises to Puerto Rico or Virgin Is. In Delaware, there are no state stores, they are privately owned. Prices are not bad if we want something different, liquor wise. It is just over the past couple of years that Delaware has allowed liquor stores to be open on Sunday. People used to go over the line to Maryland or PA or NJ on Sundays.
We buy wine at Trader Joe. Can’t beat the “two buck chuck”! When hubby or I go to Russia we bring back some vodka. Total wine is ok for Champagne or sparkling wine.
I’m with TB – we are in Florida and can’t beat the $2 Trader Joe wines. I love cooking with them too, and for that price, it’s great!
We have friends that vacation in other countries and hubby gives them a list and the money and they bring it back for us.
Does anyone know if “Two Buck Chuck” wines can be shipped? Like can I order it online or from Trader Joe’s? We don’t have a Trader Joe’s near me.
They do not sell online Rachel. If you visit a state where they sell liquor in-store, you could bring some back with you, but that would be about it.
Ann
Thanks, Ann. Is Trader Joe’s the only place that sells it?
It is sold exclusively at Trader Joe’s Rachel.
Ann
DANG! Thanks for the info.
Rachel, I have not heard of such a service to be offered by TJoes. But I have seen people from NY stocking up on wine, etc. at TJoes when I was shopping there. I personally like to go to TJoes in other states when I travel to pick up different stuff our TJoes does not carry. Also keep in mind that some states do not allow alcohol to be shipped in. I used to live in MD and that was the case there.
That’s because we can’t buy wine in the grocery store in NYS, so even with a Trader Joe’s here, we are still out of luck on the two buck chuck.
Ann
Haven’t I given you enough reasons to visit already, Ann!!!
Yeah but driving near you is a nightmare. On our way home from Raleigh we stopped overnight near Fredericksburg, and the “express way” was a parking lot! (seriously, no one was moving) It was worse than the west side highway at rush hour on a Friday!
We took the back roads home.
Ann
I know I 95 S is a disaster area at almost all times. But Fredericksburg would have been close enough!
Thanks for all the info! I think my state (MO) allows wine to be shipped to my house. I just need someone to get some and send it my way. If TJoes won’t, then maybe one day I can talk someone into taking some PayPal money and ship me a few bottles so I can have some. A girl can dream!
i don’t really keep anything stocked in advanced. i just buy what i need as i need it for a particular recipe (drink or i use a lot of liquor in baking). sometimes there are liquor coupons in the sunday paper around here so if i do have a coupon for whatever is on my shopping list i obviously use the coupon to save a bit.
There were two coupons for Great Arrow Liquor Store in today’s (Saturday August 28) North Buffalo Metro. The coupons are for 15% off one one wine order and 20% on a case of wine. They are separate coupons so you can probably use one or the other. I might check it out to see if I can get a good deal, possibly with a combined rebate.
I guess I am going to have to be on the lookout for more coupons or deals than just the hangtags on tequila or scotch (I drink neither)!! Hopefully I can at least find some on wine.