53. Save $200 per month – Save money on bars: go to cheap bars rather than discos, or get tipsy cheaply before going to club, choose your (girl)friends carefully
If you reduce you spending by going out to cheaper bars where they serve drinks cheaply instead of discos, you save money. Or you could first get to cheap bars with friends to get somewhat tipsy, then you don’t need to spend much more in expense clubs to stay tipsy, or you drink some cheap drinks at home to get tipsy (like some cold beers from fridge), then go out. Get rid of friends that cost you money, for instance, people ask you to come to the disco so they profit from you. How much are your (girl)friends costing you? Analyze on your spending activities with your (girl)friends and find out if they are in it (to be friends) just for the money. Going out with student-guys is also much cheaper than going out with high-rollers that show of for the money. People with lower spending habits will also less likely convince you to waste your money on unused shopping or going out. There is no need to impress women with money, there are many real millionaires in the club that are even more frugal than you showing off with money. Don’t make friends by giving them drinks for free unless they also offer drinks for free, like share the bill. If you are the only person footing the bill of the party, they become friends to take advantage of you. Get rid of those suckers and make new friends elsewhere or reduce your time spent with them.
Also, as soon as you arrive in a club, don’t waste your money on expensive drinks, cheap beers gets you sometimes even more drunk than those expensive wines or alcohols, or get drunk first on cheap drinks and when the party starts going, move on to more expensive alcohol while you need less because you are already drunk. Same way, don’t go to the club too early (only when party really starts), you will spend $100 before the party really starts. You can thus first get tipsy at home (if you don’t get caught driving drunk) or at local bar at walking distance to club. Get cab if you happen to be too drunk, you don’t want to wreck car or end up behind bars and pay high fines for drunk driving, or drive with friends from home to club and back to home. If you stay longer and are too drunk to drive, like you are hitting on a chick, go home by cab and skip friends.
Finally, keep distance from lavish, high-roller friends: If you have lavish friends who buy a new car every other year (or worse still, lease it), have large screen TVs and every other conceivable electronics gadget, eat out at fancy restaurants every other night and just live way beyond their means, keep the distance. They may be nice people and mean you no harm, but hanging out with such people often can lead to a lot of unnecessary desires and discontent. What’s more important – your friends or your peace of mind?
Invite friends over instead of going out. Almost every activity at home is less expensive than going out. Invite some friends over and have a cookout or a potluck meal, then play some cards and have a few drinks. Everyone will have fun, the cost will be low, and the others will likely reciprocate not long afterwards.
Encourage your friends to do less expensive activities. This is often a tricky thing to do, but there are a number of techniques you can try. My favorite one is to be the first one to suggest something – that often gives you the power to steer the group towards things that are cheaper. If you can convince your friends to go to the park and shoot hoops instead of going golfing, those green fees are going to stay in your pocket.
Avoid spending money this weekend. Be creative in what you choose to do, even if it includes a picnic, a long walk, flying a kite, a pick up game of soccer or football, an impromptu poker game (not played for money), surfing the internet or reading a good book.
Having happy hours with your friends at coffee shops is able to save you a lot more than going to pubs.
Rather than meeting friends for lunch, meet them for a walk or low-cost craft session at your home.
