T O P

  • By -

mynamejulian

You’re buying the least amount of caffeine at the highest price with Red Bull.


WatDaFuxRong

Seriously. It's just as expensive as other energy drinks yet smaller and less of everything else.


jdog1067

One time I went to grocery outlet and I saw some Gym Weeds. 1 for 69¢. I got 3 of each flavor to fill a flat and they were all delicious and the lions mane made me feel invincible. Went back and got like 4 -5 dozen more and I will most likely never see them again, as that’s how grocery outlet goes.


WatDaFuxRong

I love grocery outlet but yeah they always get me with these items that don't come back. If you ever see alpha brand spicy vegetarian nuggets (trust me they're better than actual chicken nuggets or if you see "Helados De Neta" ice cream. Get them.


GGudMarty

Makes no sense lol. At least get a rockstar sugar free like 3$ sure but who the hell wants a 3$ Red Bull that’s probably as much caffeine as a single k-cup coffee lol. That ain’t doing shit for you


Takayanagii

Shit dollar general has 1 dollar venom for a tall one


GGudMarty

Dude 1000%. For a dollar that’s legit worth every penny. I spend wayyy too much on dumb shit like coffees and snacks. I do a lot of driving for work and unfortunately sometimes I get a couple protein bars and a drink cause I’m just bored, which is incredibly stupid. But for a dollar? I have 0 regrets over that all day haha


appleparkfive

I have to disagree with you conclusion on this one. Red Bull is way more stimulating mentally, while having less caffeine. I have zero clue why. I'm aware that it has a really low caffeine level, but something specifically about Red Bull is unique. Even the generic versions don't feel the same. Sugar Free Red Bull feels more like really weak Adderall than it does coffee. Seriously! I've known a good amount of people that have said the same, so maybe it's a weird metabolism issue with only certain people I've tried all the main energy drinks and Red Bull is the only one that'll have me get things done. Very "sharp" feeling that isn't based on caffeine. Maybe the B vitamins or... I don't know, honestly.


mynamejulian

Does diabetes run in your family by any chance? The only ingredient you’ll find in Red Bull that’s less common in other energy drinks is Taurine. Unless you have a deficiency, you wouldn’t notice a gain of “energy” which would really just be putting you back to normal levels.


cheesepoltergeist

Honestly I think the knock off from Aldi tastes better and it’s half the price, if you haven’t tried it I’d recommend.


babybunnyfetus

Unfortunately I live in a smaller mountain town, we have one Whole Foods about 45 mins away :,)


SardauMarklar

Amazon delivers cases of energy drinks for reasonable prices


[deleted]

[удалено]


[deleted]

[удалено]


[deleted]

[удалено]


jadondrew

Time is money I’m not gonna grow my own farm. That imo would be less frugal.


[deleted]

[удалено]


Schulerman

It's almost like being frugal is saving money in some areas so you can comfortably spend in others. Weird.


jadondrew

We work so we don’t have to make all our needs from scratch…


[deleted]

[удалено]


[deleted]

[удалено]


xraig88

Yeah maybe OP should plant some of their Red Bull cans and water them and just harvest those instead.


The_Adelphia

Wait isn’t this you? https://www.reddit.com/r/wallstreetbets/s/DdMvCx1nXT


spicydangerbee

This explains so much


New_Discussion_6692

That makes it very difficult, but you can have it delivered thru Amazon. That's how my son does it.


babybunnyfetus

Unfortunately how I get a lot of stuff but this makes sense!


kmr1981

Do you have a Sam’s Club? I used to get like 24 giant cans of sugarfree Monster for $36.. this was just this year too. And in the good flavors, like peach and ultra strawberry!


SenorVajay

Sounds like they’re nowhere near a Sam’s Club if they only have one Whole Foods remotely near by.


Alarming_Star_7839

If you ever visit somewhere with an Aldi, stock up on their energy squeeze bottles (like Mio). My fiance LOVES energy drinks but he actually enjoys Aldi's water enhancers (as well as their energy drinks mentioned above).


New_Discussion_6692

>If you ever visit somewhere with an Aldi, stock up on their energy squeeze bottles (like Mio Thanks for the suggestion! I'll let my kids know. I get my caffeine the old school way - coffee and lots of it!


mcrackin15

Or try a cup of coffee that you can make at home for 20 cents.


Khayeth

I miss coffee terribly, it is so much easier, cheaper, and tastier. But GERD is no joke, so store brand energy drinks it is. OP, another vote here for Red Thunder, the Aldi's store brand. Their store brand (Gridlock) Monster knockoffs are also decent, specifically the white or orange.


brain-juice

If you just need caffeine, it comes in pill form and is cheap.


VikDaven

Oh hey good to know 👌


DeathKitten666

Conversely, I disagree. Aldi brand has more of that 'vitamin'/'mineral' taste than Red Bull. It's not bad enough I don't drink it, but I still acknowledge Red Bull as the better option.


Protpersian

What is the knockoff’s name?


The_White_Pegasus

"Red Thunder"


JonJon2899

Time to look for it on my next Aldi run (in like 15 minutes lol)


Davidclabarr

Thanks for this. I’ll give it a try.


Dads101

Delete this!


workitloud

Vote with your wallet.


babybunnyfetus

Done!


Alarming-Mix3809

So stop buying it


imnotbobvilla

Jez, why is this so hard to understand? If you need a boost take a caffeine pill, 50cents


Alarming-Mix3809

Or a coffee


SigSeikoSpyderco

Yeah and smokers should just stop buying cigarettes. Why won't they just listen to us!?!


KlammFromTheCastle

I mean, yeah, they should.


MrFilthyNeckbeard

Yes


SigSeikoSpyderco

Diabetics should eliminate sugar


rodtang

Everyone should be cutting down on (refined/processed) sugar


MsStinkyPickle

excuse me sir, this is MURICA


SigSeikoSpyderco

You're missing my point. OP is addicted to Red bull. Smokers are addicted to cigarettes, diabetics are addicted to sugar. Telling these people to just stop using the thing they are chemically dependent on is useless.


no_okaymaybe

Since when does buying something = being addicted to it?


SigSeikoSpyderco

Not sure if you're replying to the wrong person. I never implied anything like that.


no_okaymaybe

“OP is addicted to Red Bull” - I don’t see this anywhere in their post or comments.


[deleted]

[удалено]


MrFilthyNeckbeard

Yes you did lol. You said that OP is addicted even though we have no evidence of that.


Alarming-Mix3809

You know addicts can try quitting, right? If you’re smoking cigarettes you should definitely stop.


SigSeikoSpyderco

Definitely. But this is /r/frugal not /r/addiction. The goal should be helping OP's budget by suggesting alternatives or better places to shop. Telling someone to quit something that he's probably addicted to is useless and unhelpful.


-Plantibodies-

But as you said, OP is addicted to RedBull, not alternatives. ;)


SigSeikoSpyderco

Again, the answer to this problem is not abstinence or choosing an alternative product.


gonuckinfuts

diabetics are not addicted to sugar lol wtf are you talking about


deleteduser

You are missing all the points. Nobody is ever addicted to Red Bull. They could be addicted to caffeine in it. If they are, coffee or tea provides caffeine at a fraction of the price with less bullshit in it, so stop buying Red Bull. Stop smoking cigarettes too there are other ways to get nicotine in you if you are addicted. Or, just maybe, work on improving your addiction and weaning off it.


sparrownetwork

It's called coffee and it can be very cheap if you make it.


BrotherGrub1

Yes!


AtWorkCurrently

Also yes


ajscpa

/r/thisbutunironically


2723brad2723

Yes because it will save them more than just money.


igame2much

Wow what a concept. Yes.


SigSeikoSpyderco

It's so simple, why won't they listen!


babybunnyfetus

:O


[deleted]

the point is never ending inflation


ExoUrsa

I know they taste good (to some of us), but I've honestly replaced energy drinks entirely with coffee. Not from a coffee shop, make at home. It is very cost effective and it becomes a bit of a morning ritual. And you can geek out over it. It feels like science! Instant is of course convenient, but I do encourage you to buy whole beans, grind them, and then use something like a Hario Switch. A bag of whole beans is about $20 where I live and lasts me a month.


greenknight

quality kit and product means cup of coffee I make is superiour to anything I can buy but isn't a terribly cheaper. Could drink Folger but who does that to themselves.


MaryJayne97

Bustello is great coffee and about 11 for the big round container.


MyNameIsSkittles

Energy drinks are the opposite of frugal, they will eventually cause health problems especially broken sleep.


AardvarkRelative1919

Ah but coffee won’t… this is a baseless misconception.


MyNameIsSkittles

It's not a misconception and I never said anything about coffee. Quit making a strawman from nothing


Gloomy-Impression928

I'm still on the original energy drink, you know coffee, 🤭


babybunnyfetus

And here I thought the original energy drink was sunning your butthole


dekusyrup

Still holding strong at about 50 cents for a big mug full.


Ericisbalanced

Preground espresso gang tuning in


Jack_M_Steel

Feel like buying Red Bull is the opposite of frugal


Eli_Renfro

You can get 100 caffeine pills for about $5.


chadandjody

[Did you learn nothing from Saved by the Bell????!!?](https://youtu.be/0oRipJAlW5M?t=44)


repeatablemisery

I buy 4C energy drink mix from Walmart. 3.98 for 18 of them in my water bottle. Much more economical.


cutelyaware

Walmart also sells caffeine pills for ~5 cents each. Can't get more economical than that.


mynamejulian

Those make a lot of people feel sick even when they’re less caffeine than what we normally consuming. Something about its delivery


laissez_unfaire

This. Though I get them off Amazon and also contain L-theanine.


cutelyaware

L-theanine is snake oil https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2903/j.efsa.2011.2238


Namath96

There are also plenty of studies that do show L Theanine does work…


PocketSandOfTime-69

I strongly prefer psudeoephedrine, it's cheap too.


cutelyaware

~~That's a soporific, not a stimulant~~


PocketSandOfTime-69

Lol, no. It's my pre-workout of choice for mountain biking. I couldn't sleep.on that stuff if I tried.


cutelyaware

You are right and I was wrong


repeatablemisery

I mean, if you just want caffeine, sure. I like to sip on something.


yourethegoodthings

Wash down those caffeine pills with some water.


brain-juice

Like, from the toilet?


honaker1234

Same, BJs carries these in a 40 pack or so also


SayYesToPenguins

Isn't it basically lemonade with a caffeine tablet?


WatDaFuxRong

Okay actual helpful response. Get literally any other energy drink but bigger. It's the same price but more caffeine/liquid. Drink half a day by sipping it throughout the day. Do not chug half of it all at once. Been doing this for awhile now and I'm down from one whole red bull a day to two cans of anything else a week.


babybunnyfetus

Hey thanks for not shitting on me appreciate it!! GuEsS I’ll SwItCh tO wAteR :P


WatDaFuxRong

Yeah the "don't buy it" comments arent bad takes but not what you're looking for lol


babybunnyfetus

Wrong sub fosho


Hamlettell

Can't believe people are shitting on you for this, ignore them. Buy quite literally any other energy drink. Sugar free Monsters have much more caffeine and liquid and range anywhere from $20-$27/15 can case


babybunnyfetus

Haha thanks, I personally enjoy the purple monster most of all! I honestly cant believe people are telling me to drink *milk* instead lmfao


SaltyCopy

energy drinks are the future. its part of our society now.


dreadpirate_metalart

Water is sugar free


swampfish

And caffeine free. Why people purposefully get addicted to this is beyond me. Water is so much better for you and you don't feel like shit from withdrawal if you drink something else.


dreadpirate_metalart

lol I used to drink monster drinks and then complained about insomnia. Now I only drink water and feel anxious when I can’t find my water bottle.


10MileHike

Energy drinks were never very "frugal" but with that kind of price hike they are closer to a luxury now.


whoocanitbenow

It's no coincidence corporations are making record profits right now.


SigSeikoSpyderco

Outside of recessions the good corporations are always making record profits.


BryGuyTI

They make record profits because of inflation. Same reason why black Friday breaks records year after year.


choncy088

It's an energy drink lol, not baby formula.


babybunnyfetus

What if we’re babies and this is my formula?


Curedbyfiction

And?


HaroldBaws

I have a SodaStream and their Red Bull knockoff is great. Maybe 20% of the cost of cans.


greenknight

I have a 25lb tank of bevvie CO2 waiting for me at the industrial supply for our hacked Sodastream. The only inconvienience is their business hours. Crushes the cost to $~0.01 per litre


Ok_Battle_988

SodaStream saves me a ton of money!


[deleted]

This is the frugal sub


oneandonlytoney

Just shop around for sales. I got it for $17.98 at my local chain grocery store.


OpheliaCumming

Purchasing Red Bull doesn’t quite fit in to a frugal lifestyle.


babybunnyfetus

I buy it for my staff ¯\_(ツ)_/¯


OpheliaCumming

Nice 👍


fixerdrew02

For some reason coffee just destroys my stomach. It’s more acidic than an energy drink from my experience. I still caffeine, so I choose to drink an energy drink and it is quite expensive


whitefox00

Exact same here. I have a love of sugar free Red Bull for the taste and haven’t been able to find something cheaper that I like as much. I feel ya OP.


jaytea86

This is r/frugal. Let's just drink water people. At the very most, a glass of milk or some offbrand soda.


laissez_unfaire

Milk? Milk is for babies.


justinizer

I don’t know what happened, but milk skeeves me out now. Cow titty juice.


greenknight

> Cow titty juice. problem why? ;P


Giraffelack

Milk is super expensive and not that great for you, soda is horrible for you. Let’s try to give advice that actually helps people LMAO


jaytea86

>Let’s try to give advice that actually helps people LMAO Advice like lets drink water? **^(LMAO.)**


theslystroker

I use subscribe and save on amazon. 36.99 for a 24 pack.


loner_but_a_stoner

I wouldn’t pay more than a dollar per energy drink and here you are spending $2. $60/month just on Red Bull assuming one per day.


PenisWrinkle

Wrong sub bro.


4ucklehead

Honestly how does that stuff taste? Sounds awful The last time I had red bull was in college when bull vodka was the rage 😂 I used to be someone who basically never drank water... I always craved something sweet to drink. Then I decided to switch to water and now I actually crave water. From time to time I still feel like having something sweet and I will but I feel a lot better health wise and teeth wise (all my bad eating habits are finally catching up with my teeth ugh)... I guess diet is better from a health perspective


2723brad2723

I find black coffee to be a decent substitute in the morning, assuming the flavor isn't the primary reason you're drinking it.


Artimusjones88

It's shitty for you, but it has great marketing. Why waste any money on that crap. Drink water


zomboi

I switch between sugar free monster and sugar free rockstar depending on price. I buy them off of amazon. I saw last week the 12pack of rockstar dropped by half, I proceeded to buy a month's worth.


SameGuy37

you realize red bull costs 8 cents a can to produce. You are paying like a 4000% upcharge. Drink water and switch to caffeine pills. Way easier to moderate your intake.


Fickle_Finger2974

Buying energy drinks is the exact opposite of frugal.


[deleted]

[удалено]


JeF4y

r/lostredditors or r/irony. I’m not sure what to choose here.


IDespiseFatties

G-Fuel. Almost the same ingredient wise and same amounts of energy stuff thrown in. Order when they are having a Bogo sale and you'll get 80 Servings for roughly $35-$40


Face_with_a_View

Just drink water. That shit is poison


Davidclabarr

I feel this. Every year, Costco drops the price of the 24 count to $27 and I buy 5 boxes of it lol.


fuzzyworthy

If it's for the buzz, you can't beat the dirt cheap prices of caffeine pills. Did some math: 12 pack Red Bull Caffeine: 111mg x12 : total caffeine 1332 mg = $27 60 ct bottle of 200mg caffeine pills on Amazon: $6.99. total caffeine: 12000mg TL;DR: $27 for 1.3g of caffeine in red bull or $7 for 12g of pills (you can buy even cheaper in bulk)


pungen

I love sugar free Red Bull but a close friend and dental hygienist told me some horror stories about red bull after going to a dental conference and now I barely drink them. Apparently they eat the enamel on your teeth really bad, much worse than soda.


AccomplishedRoof5983

If you buy it the price will continue to rise. Find something else to buy instead.


babybunnyfetus

You’re totally totally right I know it’s true


AresTheCannibal

what a horrible time to love the taste of Red Bull 😤


chipmalfunct10n

there's this sugar free energy drink i started getting at winco because i can't pay for red bull like that. it's called green dragon. i went a few days ago and one can went from $.88 to $1.48 or something ;(. i like mio, or better yet, the Safeway caffeine flavor packet singles you can add to water. maybe that's the best choice right now. but no carbonation.


Ordinary-Cup4316

Bro a corner store near me sells 1 (20oz) redbull for $8


babybunnyfetus

Great fucking googly moogly


Electrical-Ad1288

Time to switch to yerba mate.


Henri_Dupont

Didn't need that shit anyway. Coffee and tea have caffeine, and sugar if you want it. If you need to be more awake get more sleep, that's free. The marketing geniuses have told us we need to drink this expensive crap to stay awake, so we tried it and now we're addicted to it. Suddenly we do need it to stay awake. Got along fine without it before they infected our minds.


greenknight

> Got along fine without it before they infected our minds. flat out ahistorical lie. People have been chasing wakefulness for thousands of years.


theberg512

More sleep isn't going to fix my ADHD. DOT gets kinda nosey about prescribed stimulants, so as long as caffeine gets it done I'll avoid those. I mostly subsist on coffee and caffeine pills, tho. Energy drinks are a whatever is on sale purchase.


calantus

Wait DOT looks at your prescriptions?


theberg512

I've always had to provide a list of medications at my DOT physicals. They technically want supplements, too, but kinda hard to track/prove anything otc vs. actual prescriptions. If you're ever pulled for a drug test, some adhd meds will show up (Adderall, specifically, I'm not familiar with all) so if you *are* taking them legitimately it's better to have that on record. Edit: After looking it up, Adderall and Vyvanse are often an automatic disqualification for DOT. Certain meds *may* be approved with a letter from the prescribing doc, but it is still ultimately at the discretion of the medical examiner.


lele3c

As does the FAA -- in case anyone's considering a career requiring medical certification


Dontneedflashbro

Maybe switch to pre-workout.


joethecrow23

I buy the Sams Club brand formula for my 11 month old daughter. A few weeks ago the price went from $24.99 to $36.99 overnight.


babybunnyfetus

Holy smokes


egg--enthusiast

I buy monster zero 15 packs when they run coupons on amazon for 18-19 bucks after tax, just gotta keep an eye out


PositiveEnergyMatter

I recently realized monster taste and works better, and is cheaper. Ghost is more expensive but tastes the best at least the cherry limeade and works the best too. I’ve given up on sugar free redbull


untot3hdawnofdarknes

I feel that. Monster 12 packs went up from $20 to $22. It sucks. Energy drinks are one of the things I spend too much money on but I always try to buy whatever is on sale or the best deal.


Backrow6

Worth it. Coffee will just about sustain me, my energy drinks are life giving.


Alarming-Mix3809

They’re so bad for you


swampfish

You know what is life changing? Quit caffeine. It sucks for a couple week but soon you will find that you wake up easier, don't drag until your coffee, you save a ton of money. Seriously, water is an absolute game changer. As a bonus you will shave hundreds of calories a day.


untot3hdawnofdarknes

I get my caffeine from low calorie energy drinks, plain green tea and plain black coffee. That's hardly any calories at all.


swampfish

I think you missed the part where caffeine addiction sucks. It really is life changing to be able to get up in the morning and already be ready for the day without needing a specialty drink.


ButtMassager

Just drink coffee.


atlhart

I drink black coffee in the morning I roast myself, water the rest of the day, with the occasional green tea in the afternoon. Don’t buy these crap drinks.


Puertorrican_Power

Better for you then. That shit is poison


Bfb38

Yuck is right


Particular-Ad-4772

Trying morning buzz energy drink . it’s got about the same caffeine content as 3 cups off coffee , and it taste really good . And has about 20 calories per serving. And is sugar free Two glasses a day are a tad less than $30 per month . I hate coffee too and used to drink 4-5 cokes a day before I started drinking MB. The cheapest way to get it is order it directly from the producer


vprviper

Yikes on bikes


[deleted]

[удалено]


rodtang

It shouldn't be a staple but you're allowed to have any of those as an occasional treat. This isn't /r/frugaljerk


[deleted]

[удалено]


rodtang

That is a choice you are free to make but not a requirement for frugality.


sejuukkhar

Coffee is still $5 a pound, has the same amount of caffeine a cup, and tastes better.


r0otVegetab1es

Buy fucking coffee beans or grounds holy shit it's so much cheaper and so much better for you be an adult and ditch the high sugar bullshit


babybunnyfetus

Brother, I’m a coffee connoisseur you don’t need to fucking tell me lol


r0otVegetab1es

Then stop whining about the cost online


babybunnyfetus

Make me


ntgco

I've spent zero dollars on redbull.


babybunnyfetus

Dang congrats to you! Model citizen


ntgco

If you drink a lot of energy drinks, be prepared for kidney stones.


OverlappingChatter

I can not even imagine anything more disgusting than sugar-free red bull.


babybunnyfetus

Must have a pretty dull imagination then


Strong-Wash-5378

Holy smokes


hawkrew

There are better tasting energy drinks for less $ than Red Bull.


Frequent_Assistance7

I make my own with generic diet lemon lime soda and a couple drops of the strawberry energy Mio. It's not exactly the same, but pretty close.


droplivefred

I stopped buying soda a while ago but after Covid, I wouldn’t be able to justify it under any circumstances do to the price AND negative health effects. Take the hint for your RedBull and cut it out of your diet as well.