So you've got your budget, you're on track to creating an emergency fund, but you still want to hang with your friends and have a life, and of course, as Jamaican friends do, they hang out and have a drink all the time.

What to do, what to do...you want to have the same vibe and not feel cramped, but you also want to keep your budget in check. Well here's how to make that splurge money stretch.

Tell your friends about your goals. Friends should admire, encourage and support. If they don't, get new friends.

We can all identify with sitting in an abandoned building going through a bottle of vodka right...right?

Drink with friends, not alone - Friends split bills, sometimes they cover it completely. If you really want to drink alone though, buy your liquor from a wholesale or a liquor store for MUCH cheaper than you'd get it at a bar. Seriously, the difference between wholesale liquor prices and bar prices are astounding to anyone who ever looks at a bar bill (certain bars of course...).

Drink at homes - House parties are the best and drinking at your home with friends is only beat by drinking at a friend's yard with friends...because then they have to clean up, not you (Be a good friend and offer to help clean up, no one likes a mess). On the flip side, if everyone is drinking at your house, you get to keep the extra liquor (unwritten rule). Seriously though, the vibe is cooler at houses, you have a better time, you're usually safer, and the liquor is MUCH MUCH cheaper and you're drinking a bit of everybody's stuff (plus no tips!).

Wanna go to the usual spot and still save money? No prob!

Tip 1? Learn to drink rum. Trust me. Note also, the clearer the rum, the better it mixes (there may be some slight personal bias here). The liberal application of rum mixing and drinking skills will keep you drinking for a long time from 1 single quart.

"Last one, I swear...." - The non-lame friend...

Of course, last but not least, Moderation! Managing your drinking is not just healthy, but also cheaper. Just ask your 'lame' friend who has willpower of steel and always says "I'm only having 2 drinks", then goes on to actually only have 2 drinks. Yes they're lame, but you love them anyway, and think of how much money they're saving! Just imitate their stance, "I'm only having 2 qs", once it's within your budget, then you'll be perfectly fine, financially I mean. 2 qs of whites will have you feeling even better than fine...for a while anyway...

Enjoy yourselves responsibly, try these tips out, and let me know in the comments how it worked for you!

Until next time!

Cheers!