Spending too much on your beer budget? You're not the only one

by Mike Pomranz, Posted Aug 13th 2008 @ 6:57PM

We've all been there: You save 20¢ buying generic at the grocery store only to blow $10 on two beers at your favorite bar. Or even more guilt-inducing, you forgo a first-rate happy hour special in favor of a pint of your favorite imported or craft brew. Such examples are especially apt during the U.S.'s recent economic downturn when saving money has become top priority for many Americans.

But don't worry. You're not the only one. As reported by the AP, people are saying: "Recession? Eat, drink, and be merry." Jane Wardell reports that Anheuser-Busch turned a profit despite the rising costs of things such as barley, wheat and fuel. "The company is so confident that consumers won't abandon beer," she continues, "that it plans to increase prices for popular brands like Budweiser and Bud Light to stay ahead of the higher costs." Yikes.

File beer under "affordable luxuries" -- those mini-spending sprees we all occasionally need to keep us feeling sane. Milwaukee's Kate Brozovich said: "I'd rather spend $4 or $5 on quality beer than $3 on hopped up water. It's worth the extra buck or two to get quality." Hear, hear!

Long story short: No need to feel guilty about your beer splurging. Turns out you're just normal. (But feel free to read the long story too.)

Interesting side note: I read a study last year about "jet-setters" (people who own their own jets) that concluded that the average jet-setter spends more on alcohol each year than the median American income. Now THAT is splurging!

[via the Associated Press]

Filed Under: Business, Drink Recipes
Tags: beer, drink, eat, recession, saving, spending

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

8-13-2008 @8:25PM App said... Mike, I agree. The price of a good six pack of beer at home is still far less than a few pints at your favorite local. Of course truth be told, the price still wouldn't stop me. I mean who can refuse good bear?!
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8-14-2008 @11:14AM lizandrsn said... Who are these people?

Clearly they don't have children to feed, house and clothe.

I can't imaging spending money without considering if my basic needs are covered. For me, beer isn't one of them.
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8-14-2008 @8:53AM Pyrofish said... Who are these people? They're me! Single-middle-30-something-man!

Seriously though, the cost of going out on a date has stayed the same. So staying in and cooking a lavish meal for that same date, while still high, is far less than going out. Dinner and a movie is $100 or more for two (at least for me). A couple of weekends ago, I cooked a 2lb prime rib, mushroom risotto, roasted tomato salad, and blueberry clafoutis, AND two six packs of craft brews for under $50. We wouldn't have bought a 12 pack in a bar. So by taking the date in this direction, I actually bought more beer than if we had been out.

The date was cheaper, and we watched my HD TV instead of a theater. So yeah, "eat, drink, and be merry!" ;-)
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8-14-2008 @11:30AM Mike Pomranz said... I fell you, Lizandrsn, but I think the moral of the story is we all have "affordable luxuries" in our lives. Maybe for you its the weekly lottery ticket or the name-brand pair of sneakers. Obviously you're reading Slashfood, so maybe you like to get a nice meal now and again. Unless you're subsisting off water and gruel (my college days!), there's always places to cut corners.

What this article points out (or possibly warns us of) is that it appears for many people alcoholic beverages are not where they are willing to compromise.
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