DO pre-drink!
Pre-drinking has become ingrained into student culture, and it is a great way to start a night out with friends. Ladies, make it an experience and get ready together whilst sipping wine, listening to some chilled music. Gentlemen, crack open the beers and catch-up with your mates with the tunes blasting. But...
DON'T go too overboard...
Having a drink before you go out and getting tipsy is a great way to make sure you spend less money whilst actually out, but it is pointless if you get so mortal that you don't even make it out of the front door. We have all been there at some point, but actually getting out to visit bars & clubs is fun. Save the serious drinking at home for house parties or drunken nights in.
DO line your stomach.
Again, pre-drinking saves money but it if you go too hard, the night will be over before you know it. Lining your stomach is a must to ensure you hit the tiles tipsy, but not legless. Buy cheap pizza (adding your own toppings & extra cheese to mix it up a bit), wedges and chicken nuggets so you don't break the bank.
DO play drinking games!
There are so many amazing drinking games to play, and they are a fun & exciting way to begin the night out. There are a whole host to choose from here, but my personal faves are Ring of Fire and I Have Never. Remember, you have a whole night ahead of you yet so take it easy, but have loads of fun too.
DON'T purchase a new outfit every time you go out. You might be worried about people judging you, but honestly they won't remember every outfit you wear to every night out. Mix and match different tops and bottoms to wear the same clothes more than once, but achieving different looks. Similarly, swap clothes with your mates so you can wear a new outfit without spending any dollar.
DO work out the best transport options. If there are two or three of you, it might work out cheaper to use a bus. For bigger groups, taxis become most economical. If it is only a small journey, and there are a group of you, you could even (safely) walk into town to save valuable pennies. Remember though, don't walk alone or in unlit areas.
DO go out during the week and take advantage of student deals. Student weekday nights are often the cheapest, and often still every bit as busy as the weekend. In Manchester, you get shots for 50p by going out on a Tuesday instead. If you have a day off in your timetable, make the night before your weekday night out!
DON'T go out on a Friday or Saturday night if you don't have to. As above, go out during the week and host house parties or 'nights in' with your mates on these nights as they tend to be more expensive.
DO try to secure a guest list before a night out. Sometimes entry is fee or heavily discounted if you do so, and the entry fee you save can be used to buy the kebab at the end of the night.
DO get to the club early. Many places have free entry before a certain time, and put on better drink deals earlier on.
DON'T forget to find your local 'Spoons. Wetherspoons has some of the cheapest drinks going, so take advantage by stopping off there during a night out. You can even buy some cheap grub to line the stomach with meal deals which include an alcoholic drink.
DON'T be afraid to seek discount for large groups. If there is a lot of you going out, try to save money on entry or even on drinks in the club by purchasing 'rounds' - you will be surprised at how generous the bar people can be.
DO purchase a hip-flask and take along some drink with you. Easier to get away with in smaller bars or pubs, and it will save you money!
DON'T have a kitty, or buy rounds, unless you can trust everyone you are out with. Some people will often try to avoid getting a round in, or get more out of the kitty than their fair share. It's sad, but true. However...
DO form a small pact with a couple of your closest mates (who you completely trust to not take advantage) to make a mini kitty, or buy small rounds for just you guys. It saves everyone having to line up and buy individual drinks every time, and no one will be taking advantage of your money.
DO check out smaller bars or pubs, before clubs. Not only do they tend to be cheaper, but when they are less busy they are much more likely to have special deals to entice people in. You should happily take advantage of any of these deals.
DON'T take out a jacket in the summer months and you will save yourself a couple of quid on the cost of the cloak room. However, if its cold or wet then the small fee is more than worth getting ill.
DO stay round a mates house if there is room. It's an extra person to share the journey home with, splitting the cost and making the journey safer. If there isn't room, then share taxi's anyway dropping people off individually and sharing the bill.
DO set yourself a budget, and stick to it. Why not leave the card at home to avoid the temptation of spending more, only taking what you need in cash but remembering to leave aside money to get home.
DON'T forget to just enjoy yourself with your friends, and remember that you will have much more fun (and plenty more memories) if you don't drink too much and stay tipsy rather than get too drunk. You will last till the end of the night, remember more of the fun antics you got up to and will have saved yourself a small fortune on expensive drinks. Plus if you last all night, you have more friends to share a taxi home with, which equals even more savings!
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