Everybody loves a good cocktail after an aggravating day of work or when they’re hanging out with friends. However, if you thought going to the bar was expensive, you should see how much it can cost to make your own cocktails at home.
There is a more cost-effective solution; pre-made cocktail mixers.
Today, we’re going to calculate the costs of three popular cocktails when you make them at home, and you can compare them to the price of pre-made options. For the record, the average pre-made cocktail costs approximately $14-$16 per 6-pack if you go with a decent option. Keep in mind that this also applies to other drinks as well. So, if you were to follow a blowjob shot recipe or a birthday cake mimosa recipe, you’d find out just how much they differ in price at home versus at a bar. The three drinks listed below are simply to give you an idea of where the costs go and which option is better for which instance.
This comparison is going off the price of the ingredients and assuming they are for you and a couple of friends to enjoy a drink or two together one time. So, how many cocktails you can squeeze out of each ingredient set is irrelevant.
1: Jack and Coke
Jack and Coke cocktails are basic, only require two ingredients that you have to buy (unless you need ice, but we aren’t counting that), and you can find the ingredients literally everywhere.
So, how much would it cost you, without having any of it to start with, to make the cocktails on your own?
Well, a fifth of Jack Daniels Number 7, the most popular product the brand offers, costs about $18 on average. So, you’re already over the price of the pre-made mixed drinks, and you’ll only get about six drinks out of it.
Then, you have to factor in the $2.50 for a two-liter of coke.
That’s $20.50 before taxes to make about six cocktails unless you’re light-handed with the alcohol.
2: Margarita
This is a fan favorite at any Mexican restaurant, and your guests will love it. However, the cost can be a bit steep.
You need tequila, orange liqueur, lime wedges, and salt.
For a mid-range tequila, you’ll need about $17 in most places. The orange liqueur will cost you about $12, a lime is roughly 50 cents, and coarse sea salt is about $2 for a container.
That’s $31.50 to make your own margaritas, and that’s assuming you go with mid-shelf options and don’t add anything fancy.
3: Screwdriver
Screwdrivers are renowned for their simplicity and ease of drinking. In fact, they’re the only way a lot of lightweight drinkers can stomach vodka. Luckily, they taste really good, and this is probably the only option you’re going to find that is comparable in price to pre-made cocktails.
For this, you need a bottle of vodka and a carton of orange juice. We’ll go with a decent mid-range vodka that costs about $14 for a fifth in most areas, and since we’re saving so much, we’ll go for a really good orange juice without pulp to make sure it cuts the harshness of the vodka properly. That’s about $3. That’s $17 for your cocktails, and since the vodka is largely being masked anyways, you can opt for a cheaper vodka.
Pre-Made is Almost Always Best
For the price of about six margaritas, you can buy two six packs and enjoy a couple of drinks with your friends; without doing any of the work.
Pick up some pre-made mixers, and of course, drink responsibly.