Cheap wine or expensive wine! Wine is growing on the taste buds of more and more people. No longer is it some fancy, special occasion only affair.
Wine can and is being enjoyed for even the simplest of moments, say Tuesday night and some takeout. It can also be a part of frugal living, if you do your homework and find those bargain.
Still, purchasing wine can confuse the best of us, with so many selections, varieties and price differences. The question is, do you get what you pay for with expensive bottles of wine?
The answer seems to be a resounding no. Several studies have been done that show that how much you enjoy a wine has to do with perceptions and shockingly, the taste itself!
One study shows that in a blind taste test, people rated the same wine higher when they were told it cost more money!
Another study shows that people rated cheap wines better than expensive wines in a blind test not knowing anything about either.
And personally, drinking something that I knew didn’t put an irreplaceable dent into my wallet would make me enjoy it even more. My wine drinking (moderate though it is) shouldn’t hurt my frugal living budget.
What does all of that mean? Ignore the snobby, stuck up critics and pick what tastes good. The best news of all is that there are hundreds of great selections of wines under $20 or even $10 per bottle.
Drinking Cheap Wine
So now you know that price doesn’t matter, that even on an extremely modest budget you can partake in some wine you will truly enjoy. What’s the next step?
- Now that you know that great cheap wine is out there, do some research and find wine online. There are many places and listings where you can study what cheap options are available.
- You can buy cheap wine online from online stores. However, beware that shipping charges can be expensive and can offset your price savings.
- If you don’t want to actually buy your budget wine online, sign up for newsletters or membership clubs for your local wine stores, distributors and outlets. Get in the know on their special sales, discounts and tasting times.
Other Cheap Wine Tips
- Buy your wine in bulk. Stores have typical discounts for buying a case of wine, usually between 10 and 20 percent.
- Don’t limit your options to common, cheap brands, or box wines (although, there are some better than expected box wines on the market today!)
- Visit a local winery. Taste what they have to offer and if you like something, buy it directly from them.
Making Your Own Wine
For some people, finding frugal wine to buy is a reward in and of itself. However, for some people, the reward will be in actually producing your own wine.
Taking on the task of making your own wine can be time intensive but very rewarding. All of the hard work and planning you put into it not only gives you a plethora of new found knowledge and expertise, but a tangible object you can say you made and can enjoy drinking.
There is or course an initial outlay in costs when first deciding to make your wine. You will need to buy several large demijohns, large buckets, filters and various additives depending on the type of wine you plan to make.
This can seem quite expensive at first but considering that this equipment will last for a very long time and the fact that the amount of wine you will be able to produce with it will save you from buying wine retail, it is well worth the outlay.
Also remember that a lot of this equipment can be bought second hand at either yard sales or on online auction sites, so put your frugal head on and check these out before making any purchases.