# The Liquor Spending Report



## Ag Driver (Dec 13, 2012)

To put it plainly, I am a young, single bachelor that enjoys a drink with buddies at home and at the pubs here and there. This is where most of my reckless spending takes place. I don't buy fancy clothes or the latest and greatest electronics. Heck, I don't even own a TV. Now that I have had over a year on my own, I can get a better average of my pub and drink expenses. Here are the numbers between the two credit cards for 2014.

LCBO/Beer Store - $160/month
Bar/Restaurant - $260/month
Groceries - $200/month

I cook often and eat healthy, but I will still go out for the odd meal with friends. I frequent coffee shops....but also do wings and drinks. The Bar/Restaurant leans more towards the pub side, so I think I can safely assume that on average, about $375 or better a month is on reckless spending at the liquor store and bar!! Really, this is a bit outrageous. That being said, this number doesn't really surprise me. I think the goal for 2015 should be to reduce the reckless liquor spending!

I think I would like to see this cut to at least:
LCBO/Beer Store: $50/month
Bar/Restaurants: $150/month

How much do you spend on booze and bars?
How much do you allocate for liquid fun?


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## Letran (Apr 7, 2014)

You are asking the wrong questions.


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

Ag Driver said:


> How much do you spend on booze and bars?


Zero


Ag Driver said:


> How much do you allocate for liquid fun?


Zero, unless you include Timmy's coffee, then ~$10 / month.


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## gardner (Feb 13, 2014)

Learn to brew beer. Have your friends over instead of going out. Done.


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## Letran (Apr 7, 2014)

Letran said:


> You are asking the wrong questions.


See what I mean?


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## Letran (Apr 7, 2014)

cainvest said:


> Zero
> 
> Zero, unless you include Timmy's coffee, then ~$10 / month.


How do you get away with that? a cup a day is costing me at least $50+  I'll take black, no sugar please.

oh Ag, I'll come over for a pint, but I'll bring over my own 6-pack


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## Eder (Feb 16, 2011)

I probably spend a thousand/month on wine/beer/margaritas between my wife and I...the rest I just waste....


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## indexxx (Oct 31, 2011)

One of the reasons I quit drinking was I realized I had poured the better part of a nice house into my liver over 20 years or so, and all I had to show for it was a beer gut, wasted time, and lost productivity. And I've never liked coffee. So, $0 a year on either- I take what I used to spend in the bar and invest it.


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## My Own Advisor (Sep 24, 2012)

We spend about $100 per month on alcohol. A nice glass of wine with friends and family is nice. We don't buy coffee, no Timmy's, grind and make our own. No sugar, refined sugars are very bad.


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## Ihatetaxes (May 5, 2010)

$250-300/ month LCBO/beer store (90% of that is red wine).
$40/ month at Starbucks for 2lbs of ground dark roast (usually Italian roast or Verona).


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

Letran said:


> How do you get away with that? a cup a day is costing me at least $50+  I'll take black, no sugar please.


Only stop at Timmy's once a week, so a $1.80 a visit. Most years, like this one, I get Timmy gift cards from work so I actually haven't paid anything yet.


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## Feruk (Aug 15, 2012)

Looks like between eating out and liquor, the wife and I spend ~$1,300/month. Most of that is the eating out as we buy lunch every day, I get coffee every day, and we'll eat out a couple nights of the week. Another $800/month on groceries (for 3 of us). A mix of spending a bit much and Alberta being pricy. So to me, your costs aren't obsurd, they just reflect someone younger.


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## sando (Jan 22, 2015)

This was an interesting question for me too. I track all my spending and categorize, these were my numbers for 2014. Keep in mind this is for two people per month:

Groceries - $284 - some months purchased metropass for the 4% cashback on CC, too much work right now to find and fix numbers.
LCBO/Beer - $100
Restaurants - $285 - includes alcohol, but can't separate now, eating out or ordering in, fast food when I forget to bring lunch or no leftovers.

This year my plan was to reduce both LCBO/Beer and Restaurants Categories to:
LCBO/Beer - $80
Restaurants - $240

LCBO/Beer - reduce by obviously drinking less, we also made our own wine this year have 14 bottles (appx $3.50 each to make), probably continue to do this.
Restaurants - Eat out less and cook at home more. We usually cook at least 4-5 days a week and pretty good with eating balanced meals. 

We could probably reduce these amounts more and that is the goal, but for my budgeting purposes I'll stick with these and adjust as time passes.


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## Rusty O'Toole (Feb 1, 2012)

I gradually got into the habit of stopping at Timmy's every day. It cost money plus I have to drive 5 miles to get there. So I got out the old coffee maker and bought some Maxwell House. I make 6 cups in the morning and put it in a thermos and I have fresh coffee all day. For less than it cost for one coffee. Also Tim Horton's coffee tastes gross. I don't know if they changed it or it is me but I like my own brew better.

Making your own wine at a wine shop will save a lot of money and be healthy too. Wine you make has half the chemicals and preservatives as the kind you buy.


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## Mookie (Feb 29, 2012)

Ag Driver said:


> I can safely assume that on average, about $375 or better a month is on reckless spending at the liquor store and bar!! Really, this is a bit outrageous. That being said, this number doesn't really surprise me. I think the goal for 2015 should be to reduce the reckless liquor spending!


I suggest you take 10 minutes and do the math to see how much money you would have at age 65 if you cut your reckless spending in half and instead invested it at a conservative 4% rate of return. You might find the answer to be outrageous as well.


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## Ag Driver (Dec 13, 2012)

Mookie said:


> I suggest you take 10 minutes and do the math to see how much money you would have at age 65 if you cut your reckless spending in half and instead invested it at a conservative 4% rate of return. You might find the answer to be outrageous as well.


You're right. I am clueless about the benefits of cutting costs and compound interest. Why did I even make this thread to point out reckless spending? Why did I even mention cutting these costs?*

*note sarcasm

To be clear: My personal finances are in line. My budget is in line. I allocate a certain percentage of my income to various bills, investments, personal goals, and entertainment. I do not spend over my means. Drinks and restaurants are a part of my allocation for play money. I do not need moral advice, nor do I need your personal opinion on how I spend my money. Some people buy lottery tickets, fancy clothes, golf memberships, own and dock boats, buy cottages, etc. These are all life choices that have no interest to me and hold no entertainment value. I choose to live my life and spend my money as I see fit. Some find joy in sitting on cash and saving every penny...I do not see that as living a life. To each his/her own.

The point of this thread was to A) Point out the amount of money that can be spent in one spot. and B) Gather some numbers on where others stand in this spending. 

That being said, if it takes you 10 minutes to do a simple compound interest calculation...you may not be best suited for giving advice.


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## 1980z28 (Mar 4, 2010)

Ag Driver said:


> To put it plainly, I am a young, single bachelor that enjoys a drink with buddies at home and at the pubs here and there. This is where most of my reckless spending takes place. I don't buy fancy clothes or the latest and greatest electronics. Heck, I don't even own a TV. Now that I have had over a year on my own, I can get a better average of my pub and drink expenses. Here are the numbers between the two credit cards for 2014.
> 
> LCBO/Beer Store - $160/month
> Bar/Restaurant - $260/month
> ...


Are you also including other recreational substance


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## 1980z28 (Mar 4, 2010)

I have enjoyed a drink in my day

Now 54 will retire at 56

Net worth million +

Only worked as a mechanic,now semi retired

If you enjoy a drink and dont drive,enjoy,I still do


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## Ag Driver (Dec 13, 2012)

1980z28 said:


> Are you also including other recreational substance


The LCBO/Bar category is purely for home consumption. This includes friends, as quite literally, I have an "open bar" policy at my house. 

The Bar/Restaurant category includes various activities such as billiards and beers, wine tasting events, wine and food shows, Tim's, dates, wing nights. Anything that primarily revolves around going out for drinks with friends or just restaurant/fast food purchases.


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## 1980z28 (Mar 4, 2010)

Ag Driver said:


> The LCBO/Bar category is purely for home consumption. This includes friends, as quite literally, I have an "open bar" policy at my house.
> 
> The Bar/Restaurant category includes various activities such as billiards and beers, wine tasting events, wine and food shows, Tim's, dates, wing nights. Anything that primarily revolves around going out for drinks with friends or just restaurant/fast food purchases.


I am a pool and dart player,played in many money leagues,back in the 80 and 90`s,still play recreational pool 8 ball and 501 darts,got into lots ?????????

My intake now per month about 200 to 400 as I have a table in the house and buddies to help,enjoy your life

I have friends that can not drink for health and wife issues or not the free cash to do so


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## Ag Driver (Dec 13, 2012)

1980z28 said:


> I am a pool and dart player,played in many money leagues,back in the 80 and 90`s,still play recreational pool 8 ball and 501 darts,got into lots ?


I LOVE 8 ball. Unfortunately the only friend that plays Valley National is a co-worker who lives 2 provinces away! This past year I had signed up for 2 sports leagues. This year I plan on signing up for the same two leagues, and I am also actively seeking an 8 ball league to sharpen up my skills. A few years ago, I used to go to the billiards hall the odd time on my own and see if I could scrounge up a race to 3. Most sharks would want to put a couple hundred down ... I offered $10 if they taught me the entire time. I lost most of the time, but learned a ton. 

When I finish my basement, you can bet that I will have a nice slate pool table down there.


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## 1980z28 (Mar 4, 2010)

I have many trophy's for pool and darts

As all my boys,33,30 and 19 all play,but no where as well as Dad

Consumed many brews playing pool and darts,also made a lot of cash,which paid for the brews


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## oob (Apr 4, 2011)

Doesn't seem unreasonable to me if you're young - how do you save from LCBO/Beer Store? +
Seems like you're already doing the economical thing by drinking more at home than at bars/restaurants.


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## Mookie (Feb 29, 2012)

Ag Driver said:


> You're right. I am clueless about the benefits of cutting costs and compound interest. Why did I even make this thread to point out reckless spending? Why did I even mention cutting these costs?*
> 
> *note sarcasm
> 
> To be clear: My personal finances are in line. My budget is in line. I allocate a certain percentage of my income to various bills, investments, personal goals, and entertainment. I do not spend over my means. Drinks and restaurants are a part of my allocation for play money. I do not need moral advice, nor do I need your personal opinion on how I spend my money.


Whoa, just trying to help you out. You didn't mention that you had all your finances in order. Not many young folks do. If you can really afford to blow $350 a month on this stuff then fill your boots.


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## peterk (May 16, 2010)

Mookie said:


> I suggest you take 10 minutes and do the math to see how much money you would have at age 65 if you cut your reckless spending in half and instead invested it at a conservative 4% rate of return. You might find the answer to be outrageous as well.





Ag Driver said:


> You're right. I am clueless about the benefits of cutting costs and compound interest. Why did I even make this thread to point out reckless spending? Why did I even mention cutting these costs?*
> 
> *note sarcasm


The answer is 450k btw... :biggrin: (assuming you're 25 now)

I don't think the spending is that big a deal. The bigger issue is that drinking just plain ain't healthy.


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## Ag Driver (Dec 13, 2012)

peterk said:


> The answer is 450k btw... :biggrin: (assuming you're 25 now)
> 
> I don't think the spending is that big a deal. The bigger issue is that drinking just plain ain't healthy.


Cutting my cost in half and putting it towards investing at 4% over a 40yr time frame is not 450k .... try closer to 250k. You were close though!


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## oob (Apr 4, 2011)

This brutal winter is definitely saving me some bar money! That being said, I probably surpassed your monthly spend in a weekend 4-5 times last year


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## peterk (May 16, 2010)

Oops I assumed the full amount, not half. Much more realistic of you though


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

Ag Driver said:


> Cutting my cost in half and putting it towards investing at 4% over a 40yr time frame is not 450k .... try closer to 250k. You were close though!


But if you took that amount and only put it in the S&P500 for 40 years (based on past returns) it's close to 1.8 million.


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## Ag Driver (Dec 13, 2012)

cainvest said:


> But if you took that amount and only put it in the S&P500 for 40 years (based on past returns) it's close to 1.8 million.


What ever poison you are drinking, pour me a glass. Either that or tell me where you keep your Crystal Ball of Guaranteed ROR and nobody will get hurt


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

Ag Driver said:


> What ever poison you are drinking, pour me a glass. Either that or tell me where you keep your Crystal Ball of Guaranteed ROR and nobody will get hurt


Sorry, no guarantee on the return but if you would have been able to do this 40 years in the past, that's how it would have played out.
But you can look at it this way, spend the money and get 0% back (financially speaking only, others factors such having "fun" excluded for this example) OR drop the cash into an S&P500 ETF and let it ride for a "possible" early retirement. Its the old live now vs the future compromise, everyone needs to find their own balance as there is no one correct answer.


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## Mookie (Feb 29, 2012)

My crystal ball says you're guaranteed to have a better rate of return by investing it instead of drinking it, but to each his own.


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## peterk (May 16, 2010)

^ True enough Mookie

Getting back to the original question though:

I probably go out twice a month for food, and spend about $30-50/month on restaurant booze. I rarely go out just to drink at the bar. A few times per year.
From the liquor store I spend around $20-30/month. Probably 1 or maybe 2 bottles of wine in the month (usually not 2) and maybe a 12 pack of beer every other month.

Of course, I have only one girlfriend, whom I live with, so my drinking has been very much tamed... but this way of life brings other health hazards to consider. :stupid:

In 4th year university I would drink 1-3 drinks per day during the week, and 4-6/day on Friday and Saturday, so about $200-300/month.


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## Toronto.gal (Jan 8, 2010)

Ag Driver said:


> 1. I don't buy fancy clothes or the latest and greatest electronics. Heck, I don't even own a TV.
> 2. the goal for 2015 should be to reduce the reckless liquor spending/to at least: $50/month


1. If you can retire without cable, that's about another $60K in savings, so you seem a semi-outrageous spender. 
2. Good luck achieving your 2015 goals, but perhaps the LCBO expenses may be a bit unrealistic at nearly -70% reduction, though you might gradually get there.


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## sags (May 15, 2010)

As a friend in the Salvation Army used to say...........

I used to drink, carouse and chase wild women.............and now I stand here every Saturday night beating this #$#%# drum.............


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## Eder (Feb 16, 2011)

The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like, and do what you'd rather not. 

Mark Twain (but I wish I said it)


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## Beaver101 (Nov 14, 2011)

Letran said:


> You are asking the wrong questions.


 here ... I drink to that. :biggrin: :topsy_turvy:


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## lightcycle (Mar 24, 2012)

"I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered." - George Best


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## Compounding1 (May 13, 2012)

I'm 26 and my spending used to be close to yours, however now it is a lot less at bars. All of my friends (myself included) either have our own houses or apartments now so we're more apt to go to someone's house and have everyone over rather than go to a bar. Much cheaper this way. And when we do go out on a Saturday night you can be sure we pre-drink so we don't spend much on overpriced drinks at the bar


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## KaeJS (Sep 28, 2010)

This whole thread is flawed because everyone has different ages, worth and income and not a single person has brought any clarity to the thread.

Ag, to put something into perspective for you (so you have something _real_ to work with), I am 24 years old and I spend:

~$200/month at LCBO
~$50/month at bars/pubs

I make $70k/year gross in total income.

I'm not a fan of going out to the pubs/bars simply because it does cost too much. I find I can blow $50 easily in one night. I rather spend that $50 on something else. But to each their own.

Sometimes I feel like I spend too much. Sometimes I feel I spend too little and I am missing out on my youth. I can never decide. However - What I do know is that as time passes on, I wish more and more than I had enjoyed my younger years more instead of worked so much. But I also know that the brain only cares about "now". The brain is usually nostalgic about the past, scared for the future and looking for increasing the value of "now" and if I had enjoyed my life and not made as much money as I did in the past, then I would probably be singing a different tune about how I wish I had've worked harder when I was in my younger years.

You have to pay to play, and if you're going to play now - you're going to suffer later. That's just finances 101.

At the same time, you can't go living your whole life worrying about a few hundred bucks a month at 4% yoy returns.
You might not even live long enough to enjoy that money, so make sure you at least enjoy your drink.

Oh - and pour me one, or two, or three, or four, also...

Cheers.


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## Plugging Along (Jan 3, 2011)

^. Wow KAEJS, I had to double check it was you that was postng. Reading your posts over the years, I see that it seems you have found that balance and seem to be having more fun. Super happy to see that. I do see though that you have switched your drinks from chocolate milk (that was you wasn't it)


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## KaeJS (Sep 28, 2010)

Plugging Along said:


> Super happy to see that. I do see though that you have switched your drinks from chocolate milk (that was you wasn't it)


Thank you, PA.

And no, I haven't replaced Chocolate Milk with Whiskey. They cohabitate. I have a fridge dedicated to both of them. Chocolate Milk on the Left, Whiskey on the Right.


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## Toronto.gal (Jan 8, 2010)

KaeJS said:


> This whole thread is flawed because everyone has *different ages, worth and income* and not a single person has brought any clarity to the thread.


Exactly! That's what I was going to say when I saw Eder's post. 

I think the responses would have been quite different [less critical] if the expenses in question had been for other than alcohol, like for example travel at $5,040/yr. [$420 x 12 months]. What Driver spends just at the LCBO is lower than what a lot of people spend on their daily coffees on a monthly basis.

It's not just about saving obviously, but about one's health when it comes to regular alcohol consumption, that could easily go from light to moderate to building up a high degree of tolerance [without one even realizing it].

People often refer to what actuarial data tell us regarding life expectancy & what we should be saving, but at the same time ignoring that that's a statistical average based on factors such as one's lifestyle; and that one might not be here tomorrow, regardless.

'Enough is as good as a feast.'


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## MasterCard (Aug 2, 2013)

It's best to eliminate unnecessary drinking from a financial and health perspective. 
E.g. having a drink on a Tuesday night after dinner or before bed, is a good 150-300 calories depending on what you drink and how much - if you do that every day or even once or twice a week the calories add up, along with the cost.
It's best to have 2-3 hardcore drinking sessions a year where you spend $50-$100 at the bar/club - it's more fun and cost-effective.


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## Jon_Snow (May 20, 2009)

During the last few years of my working career I was easily spending $400 monthly on booze, between my wife and I. Now in retirement, I'm very hard pressed to spend $100, and most months we are comfortably under that. What we do buy now is mostly a bit of red wine for my wife. I can pretty much take it or leave it.

Shocks me a bit now to look back and realize how much I drank in order to attempt to cope with work stress. That was my method, ill-conceived as it now seems. I am now a gym-fiend, and 55 pounds lighter than I was on the last day I walked off the job site.


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## Eder (Feb 16, 2011)

I drink more since I retired, as the rv and sailing lifestyle seems to be a never ending happy hour (I highly recommend either over a condo in TO). I also eat healthier and workout 2 hours/day so I am 40 lbs lighter than pre retirement. 

Here in Los Barilles I probably spend only 500/month on the 2 of us on booze as a decent margarita is 300 pesos etc, and I do tend to want to hang out with those that imbide a bit as they are normally more fun than teetotalers at this stage in my life. 

At any rate if you enjoy really good wine or scotch (or mezcal) it is easily possible to exceed 2k/month for two, but if you can afford it why not...its better than buying some presumptuous slop from the latest chef du jour's new digs in Vegas for $200/person or an $8 fat bomb from Starbucks each day.

just my opinion


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## Plugging Along (Jan 3, 2011)

This is one of thos questions that the answer doesn't really matter. OP has already said he has no debt and saves his money and looks at drinking and eating as entertainment. It's really a question about discretionary spending.

With two kids, we don't hardly spend anything on alcohol. We buy some to bring the the occasional dinner party, or if we are hosting. We have an ext endive liquor supply from our pre kid days. However, what we do drink is expensive. The last bottle of tequila we bought was $300. We drink expensive wine, but only do it maybe once a year. 

When I was younger in 20s I hate to say I was at the bars all the time and probably spend $1000 a month. I look back, and think, both was that a waste, I could have spent a lot less and had same enjoyment. This is all personal preference.


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## newfoundlander61 (Feb 6, 2011)

Zero, don't drink ever.


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## Jon_Snow (May 20, 2009)

Eder, those margaritas better be good up in Los Barilles. I can get great ones just an hour south of you for a mere 30 pesos.


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## Eder (Feb 16, 2011)

Arg... ya 30-35 pesos...do you like yours with Guaycura splashed on top? My new fav.

http://www.pocotequila.com/mextour/mex_licores/damiana_guaycura.html


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