Going out for a drink at the bar is a pastime which never gets old, no matter how old you get, but at any age you need to be aware of how much you are spending. When you’re young you often don’t have a lot of money to spend at the bar because you’re yet to land a full time or high paying career, and as you get older there are other bills and commitments which must be prioritised before drinking money.

Luckily, there are more socially acceptable ways to save money at the bar than slipping out before it’s your turn to buy a round. You don’t have to take the low road to save money at the bar, you just have to do a little thinking before you start drinking, and use these tips:

Don’t drink alone. When you drink alone at a bar you are likely to drink more than if you were with friends, and you are more likely to get sucked into buying drinks for other people, just so you don’t have to drink alone. Plus, when you go to the bar with your friends you’ll not only have a better time but you’ll be able to split the cost of a cab home, and have someone to watch your back.

Agree on drink orders. When you go to the pub with a group of friends it is often easier to take it in turns to go up and buy the drinks. However, before you all get carried away, set out some ground rules about what you will be ordering, for example, don’t order drinks over a certain amount. You may even want to give your drinks cash and drinks orders to the designated driver at the beginning of the night so that you don’t get ‘friends’ joining a round of drinks only to skip out before it’s their turn to pay; plus, when the money runs out you know it’s time to go home so you can’t overspend.

Work drinks. Going out for work drinks often sounds like an obligation, but going out for a drink with your boss also often means going out with the company credit card too. work drinks can be a good way to have a drink or two before heading out for the night with your friends, but just remember to drink in moderation as you have to see those people at work again.

Become a regular. Never underestimate the value of getting to know the owners or the bartenders to save yourself some money. Regular customers are very valuable to any business and where you may be given a free toothpaste each time you visit your regular dentist, going to a regular bar could see you and your friends receive a free drink or discounted drinks.

Shop the specials. You may have a favourite clothing store, but when the store next to it has a sale on you still stop in for a look and you should keep the same open mind about the bars you choose to drink at. Do a little research and find out where the best happy hours and special offers are and work them into your night.

Enjoy ladies night. There are many bars which run a promotional ladies night where ladies drink free or at a discounted rate for several hours, or all night. Seek out these places to enjoy the specials, and if you’re not one of the ladies, you may be able to ask some of the ladies to order you a round.

Don’t get too fancy. If you want to drink fancy cocktails or mixed drinks, organise a cocktail party at home as it will be much cheaper to buy the bottles of alcohol you need, than paying a premium for those cocktails when you’re at a bar.

Don’t get too drunk too fast. Buy one get one free cocktail offers may sound like a bargain, but they are actually designed to get you so liquored up that you don’t think about how much you spend for the rest of the night.

You have to ask. If you are trying to save money at the bar then you have to ask how much the drinks are. Therefore, ask for a drinks menu, and ask about any specials or happy hours.

Your wallet may be more attractive than you are. You may be flattered by how many people chat you up while you’re at the bar, and it can be very tempting to buy that hot guy or girl a drink or two to keep them talking to you. However, that hottie may be more interested in the drinks you’re buying them than in you, so be careful not to get so infatuated that you lose your shirt, and not in a good way.

Drink before you go out. Meeting at one person’s house before you hit the bar can save you several rounds of drinks because you can buy your favourite beers or wine at the bottle shop for a fraction of the bar price, and when you arrive at the bar you are already feeling a little buzzed so you don’t have to spend as much on drinks while you’re out.

Curb your drinking. Drinking less at the bar will not only be good for your wallet, it will also be good for your health. Therefore, switch every second drink for a non-alcoholic option, or simply stretch out your drinks by having a water in between.

Alban is a regular contributor to personal finance blogs. He writes about frugality and explored various ways of saving money. When he is not writing, Alban reviews term deposit rates at Savings Account Finder