Cutting out Champagne to economise?

[Minuet2023]

Went out with a small group for lunch, to a nice hotel. Meal was a set price, drinks extra. One lady declined to order a glass of champage and had a small coke instead, because she was economising, to pay for a flight upgrade on an expensive holiday abroad next year.

Is this unreasonable?

What’s it to you? Strange thing to be mulling over (unless it’s a reverse and someone made a snarky comment to you about it).

Which bit do you have a problem with...she didn't have champagne, she wants a flight upgrade or that she has chosen an "expensive holiday"? You sound a bit jealous about the latter 2 IMO.

Assume this is a reverse.

nobody should ever have to justify why they’re not drinking.

If I were trying to save money for a fancy holiday by cutting out champagne, I think I’d be a bit discreet about it because I recognise that it sounds incredibly privileged - even writing it down felt ridiculous. Also how much champagne are you drinking that it would pay for a flight upgrade?? Presumably you’re economising in other areas too so I’d probably just say that.

Not dwelling on the “of course you can decline alcohol for any reason” bit - I agree but its been covered. Plus I’ve just assumed it’s a reverse and you got stick for saying it.

I had high hopes for this thread. I thought it would be for tops for cutting down on champagne expenditure...

Coke is pricey. You should have gone all the way and had tap water with ice and a slice instead. That at least would make sense.

No

Well Done her. I rarely drink these days especially not out as it's so expensive. But the social pressure is enormous. Takes some balls not to give in.

Why was it specifically a ‘decline’ champagne situation? Did anyone actually suggest or offer champagne?

Surely if you have a set menu and then drinks are on top, you are just choosing a drink and wouldn’t need to decline anything!

Of were you out with a group of people all of whom were sharing a bottle of champagne?

More details needed, but people can obviously drink what they want without needing a reason.

What is it with everyone ordering bloody champagne nowadays. It’s like they need to be seen to flash the cash. Perhaps she actually needed to be able to afford the food shop that week but thought she needed to say it was for something equally wanky that would sound socially acceptable in the group

Peak Mumsnet. No it's not fucking unreasonable.

Unreasonable to expect anyone to order such a pricey drink if bill being split. Likely others who joined in who thought it was ott.

What's unreasonable. She didn't want an expensive drink. So didn't order one..

Did you split the bill evenly?

Or did you each pay for what you had ?

I would never question why someone isn’t drinking. When I was doing IVF I made up every lie going as to why I wasn’t drinking. She could be ill and on other medication that she can’t drink with. She could be pregnant. She could have had miscarriage last week. She could be trying to conceive. She could be struggling with booze / mental health. She could be piss poor and trying to save money but didn’t want to miss out on seeing her friends. And she could just be trying to save money for her flights. No she’s not being unreasonable.

The cost of alcohol out and about is extortionate these days and we have taken to having a couple of drinks out then sharing a bottle of wine over dinner at home.

I think this is a great idea, you can save a fortune, especially daytime drinks over lunch.

This isn’t something I could get wound up about

Of course it's not unreasonable...assume this is a reverse as can see no other reason for posting about this on MN!

Is this real? It is so ridiculous, elitist and deaf to the real world, I assumed it was a joke.

Is this about social pressures to be "fun" by drinking or is it a financial concern that the shared bottle of champagne will cost proportionately more to each person if one isn't sharing it?

As adults we shouldn't feel coerced or judged by not going along with the group. Moaning about costs is traditionally seen as antisocial but that's an unreasonable stance. You shouldn't need to justify a choice anyway - nothing wrong with saying I don't want to have champagne / drink alcohol today. It's no one's business why. By justifying in this case, the response could well be 'why are you out for a meal at all if you don't want to spend the money?'

What a weird thing to ask

I've swopped Ocado for Lidl, haven't ordered a premium beauty advent calendar and I've cut back on alcohol and restaurants because I don't want to limit anything on my holiday in February. It's what many people do so they don't end up in debt trying to do it all on a budget that doesn't allow it. Surely most people prioritise spending to one extent or another.

They are coming thick and fast today

Absolutely this. Someone might not be drinking for any number of reasons.

To go a step further, I often order tap water at restaurants because that’s what I mostly drink anyway and I don’t want to spend £3 on a coke.

A flight upgrade is a lot of glasses of champagne….