The Surprising Home Feature That Saves Me $200 a Month (It’s so Fun!)
When my husband, Jordan, and I were first house hunting, we put together our (admittedly short) list of must-haves: separate office spaces, because we both work from home, and a fireplace for our senior dog, a cozy boy who grew accustomed to having one in my last place. (He even learned how to tap the wall when he wanted me to fire it up.)
But Jordan and I also had a list of “would-be-nice” features that we considered bonuses. Those were amenities like a bathtub and an outdoor space like a deck or a rooftop. (By the way, real estate pros are fans of the 85% rule to help you decide when to put an offer in on a home).
But as we were scrolling through Zillow every day (multiple times a day!) and keeping tabs on every new home that popped on the market, Jordan confidently announced at breakfast one morning: “I found our home, and it’s got something you’re going to love.”
The feature that Jordan was super excited about was one I was not expecting, but which made perfect sense. The backyard in question had a full bar, a feature I never even thought of wanting in my next home. But as soon as we saw it, we called our real estate agent to set up the first showing available. After touring the house, discovering that it was a new-build home with a huge amount of green flags, and liking everything else we saw, we put in an offer that same evening.
While it may seem like a kitschy perk to some, the bar remains one of my favorite home features that’s actually saved us a ton of money, and it aligns with our home priorities (having a space to work and host).
It’s a fun plus, sure, but it’s more than that: It actually aligns with our lifestyle and has become a romantic nod to our early dating days. I’m a former bartender and, as a freelance lifestyle writer, I enjoy writing about cocktails and spirits. I’m also enrolled in tequila education courses, working on the equivalent of a sommelier but for agave spirits. Suffice it to say, the bar is my dream entertaining space.
We were able to tie our relationship history into our new space, too. A couple of years ago, when Jordan and I first started dating, I was in Scotland and took a gin-making class. I made my own special gin blend and put a label on it, naming it Friday Afternoon — which is my favorite time of the week because there’s so much excitement that’s building for the weekend ahead. Our early dates had given me that same kind of “Friday afternoon” feeling. When I returned from my vacation, I gave him the bottle of Friday Afternoon gin I had crafted. When we moved in, we decided to name the bar Friday Afternoon, and one of our friends even had a custom sign made for the space.
Since moving in, we’ve saved about $200 a month by going out for drinks and happy hours much less frequently — and by hosting friends at our home for drinks before dinner and for parties. In recent years, Denver has become a $20 cocktail city, and going out for a couple of drinks can quickly turn into more than $100 when you factor in tax, tips, and rideshare.
Our house was built on a large lot, and the design-build team retained the original 1930s house that’s been converted into a cute guesthouse. Next to it was the original garage, which was reimagined as the bar, complete with a deck seating area, flip-out windows with a bar rail, a wine fridge, plus plenty of room for me to work my cocktail magic and a back room where we have a TV for watching sports.
Since moving in, we’ve hosted Jordan’s birthday party at the house, sabered champagne bottles, and hosted a Labor Day Bloody Mary bar with all the accouterments. Before going out for sushi with friends, we started the night at our bar sipping shōchū. We also cracked open beers and watched television and celebrated Halloween by throwing a party with spooky, batched cocktails and hot apple cider.
At first thought, it probably seems like throwing parties and providing the booze would be an expense. But before we had a bar, we were mostly filling up coolers with canned cocktails (which get pretty pricey), so the batched cocktails majorly cut down on entertaining costs.
We also love having our own at-home happy hours, which give me a chance to sample new tequilas and try out spicy margarita and paloma recipes. I’ve even hosted a business meeting at the bar. Next summer, I’m hoping to have my garden and herbs growing so I can experiment with lavender-infused simple syrups and get enough mint for mojitos.
Just like it’s always 5 o’clock somewhere, it’s always Friday Afternoon in our backyard.
Further Reading
We Tested (and Rated!) All the Sofas at Ashley — Here Are the Best to Suit Your Style and Space
I Just Discovered the Smartest Way to Store Paper Towels in Your Kitchen (It’s a Game-Changer!)
We Asked 8 Pro Travelers What They Never Pack in Their Carry-On, and Here’s What They Said
