3 pieces of drink advice for the perfect party

Looking to host a cocktail party? Look no further! We'll share a few pieces of advice to keep your guests happy and your expenses reasonable.

Most people think that wine is cheaper than liquor, but the truth is that serving mixed drinks instead of wine will actually save you money on your booze tab. A bottle of wine yields only five glasses, which will serve three to five guests at best. And at 15 dollars or more for a decent bottle, wine can add up quickly if you're having a lot of guests.

Here are a few less expensive (and perhaps more festive) options:

• For easy, frothy daiquiris, mix a litre/quart of rum with frozen limeade.
• For a new twist on the classic Cape Codder, combine sparkling cranberry juice with a litre/quart of vodka.

Use one part liquor to three parts juice for both cocktails.You'll get about 30 cocktails out of a litre of liquor, which costs roughly the same as a bottle of wine.

If you don't want to spend the night with a cocktail shaker in your hand, opt for a champagne punch so that guests can serve themselves. A punch made of inexpensive sparkling wine, fruit juice, and soda is cheap, easy, and a real crowd pleaser. Here's how you do it:

In a punch bowl, combine a bottle of sparkling wine or champagne with a 355-millilitre (12-ounce) can of frozen juice and two 355-millilitre (12-ounce) cans of a light-coloured soda such as ginger ale or Sprite. Stir and serve!

Keeping your guests happy and being a social butterfly can be a challenge, especially if you're tipsy. Feel free to fake it. As a bonus, these tips also apply if you're a guest at someone else's event and just don't feel like drinking.

• You can always ask the bartender for a virgin drink that looks alcoholic. Order a soda and ask the bartender to put some fruit and a stirrer in it. If someone asks, just say it's soda with gin or rum.
• If you are at a barbecue and people are drinking beer out of bottles or cans, dump the beer out in the bathroom and fill it with water.
• Not comfortable with the drinking façade? It's perfectly acceptable to be firm about refusing liquor.

Though simple, these tips will save you money and help the night run more smoothly. That way, you can focus on what really matters: all of the lovely people around you.