I am just trying to get a sense of value of money on this forum…
So many of the AFers are making $200,000 or $300,000+ a year with bonus and everything.
YET, in a lot of posts, like this one, $200 is considered a decent amount of money.
Is it just me, or the AFers are the richest, conservative spenders out there???
I have one or two drinks a week. I buy my alcohol by the half liter or liter – gin or scotch – and make my own cocktails.
My favorite drink at bars? New York City tap water on the rocks.
^roofy coolata
I think a lot of people here are cheap asses. Also, everyone is obsessed with early retirement, so they like to save money. Also, I think once most people try to quantify the cost/benefit of spending money on random crap, they will decide they don’t need to spend that money. People who do finance stuff for a living are probably more likely to perform this analysis on their own spending.
That’s an interesting difference of perspectives… i almost want to open another topic to discuss this!
So you are never drunk.
Why??
And how do you justify it in front of friends and coworkers?
Then use the new topic button!
According to Mint, I spend about $100-150 a month on the “alcohol and bars” category. There is probably another $20-30 in cash spending per month that doesn’t get captured.
Truthfully it depends a lot on what I’m doing in month, like if I’m meeting a few of my next failed dating attempts for happy hour, or maybe my month is filled with happy hours with free drinks.
As to numi’s point, when I was in the city this summer I noticed that drinking in NYC is just so god awfully expensive. I’d probably just rather drink at home/somebody else’s place. Where I live/go out, a normal weekday drink price is probably $3-5.
I don’t justify anything. They think what I’m already doing – picking good stocks and being a positive influence on my teammates – is awesome. I agree with them. 
I’ll also add that my idea of fun isn’t necessarily to go to some crowded Manhattan bar, where I don’t know what people are putting in my drinks and I can’t hear what the person across from me is saying. I’d rather just have a few folks over at my place, make drinks for everyone, and have a totally chill time.
Too bad. I was hoping for some tips:)
I also prefer apt gatherings to bars, but at work event I still get sh…t for trying to escape drinking.
It’s like men are not comfortable until they see me with a drink in my hand
krnyc2008, I know you declined my offer to try some Russian caviar a few months ago, but doesn’t seem liek either of us likes caviar anyway so no big deal. I also think it’s wrong that your colleagues are giving you sh!t for not drinking. Next time just tell them you’re going to a party at numi’s place, and they should leave you alone.
Haha I will give it a shot
I stopped drinking with co-workers in my early/mid twenties…maybe 26 or so. Unless there’s live music involved, I’m usually not hitting a crowded bar. I did find out that there’s a new micro brew pub opening down the street from me, so I’ll probably drop some dollars there.
Now that it’s the new year, I’m ratcheting back the booze. It’s definitely a social thing among my groups of friends and family and, while this may sound bad, I probably will just see them less over the next few months (at least outside of a gym or sports setting). I need to save my liver for my bachelor party…we’re going skiing, so I guess it will be at least somewhat active or at least not just drinking and strip clubs.
While drinking and talking with my future bro in-law over NYE I realized a little piece of wisdom: it’s not that he or I drink enough for it to be unhealthy, it’s more that you know that if you are drinking then there is something else you are missing out on. Maybe you’re not getting in early to work or the gym or you’re not getting enough sleep or you’re not doing something else you enjoy creatively. Then again, many muscians and writers are chronic alchies, so YMMV.
THIS!
I am so over going to the bars, unless I absolutely have to (aka birthdays, bachelorette parties)
there are a bunch of low key less expensive nice bars on the west side
Rather than comparing to total annual compensation, I think a better baseline would be to compare to other monthly expenses like rent. My rent is $700/mo, so saving $200 isn’t a trivial amount to save in comparison.
Also I’m just 2.5 years out of school and still currently under $100k total comp so, for me, the scale you used is probably a little different.
edit: Also, I completely agree on preferring house/apartment get togethers to the standard bar – though there are some exceptions (music, trivia, etc.)
If you are making $50,000 a year, for example, i would say spending $200 on drinks maybe significant.
But if you are making $250,000 a year, i think $200 a month on drinks is just spare change, no? That’s less than 1% of annual income!
people in 'murica pay taxes
There was a thread here not too long ago and most AFers didn’t even want to spend $$$ on cable. Too many fakers or nerds addicted to NPV analysis.