FIVE THINGS YOU CAN DO WITH MONEY SAVED BY PARTICIPATING IN DRY JANUARY

Non-alcoholic distilled spirit brand, Amplify, shares the top five things Brits can do with money saved from participating in Dry January

On average, those that participate in Dry January – 86% of UK adults save money. That’s why Amplify is giving its top alternatives on how to make the most of your saved money from simply ditching the booze for one month!

The year 2021 was the biggest Dry January yet, with a whopping 130,000 Brits signing up to the official website – and thousands more participating from their own accord.

It’s believed around four million adults give their hand at Dry January each year, and it’s only growing, as data found by Amplify showed the Google search term ‘Dry January’ increased by 16.7% in 2021 vs 2020.*

A typical couple who’ve opted to cut out the drink for a five week period in January could stand to save over £200 – money that would have otherwise been thrown away on a hangover. Even single moderate drinkers will reportedly save £65.

Over a prolonged period of time, some pension savers, for example, could find themselves up to £20,000 better off as a result of drying out their Januaries – resulting in a huge £1000 extra throughout the retirement years.

That’s why Amplify is giving its top five ways to utilise your “hard earned” savings:

  1. BOOK A WEEKEND AWAY

Why not treat yourself and your partner to a weekend or evening away in the UK? Or, even a budget-weekend break abroad!

  1. ADD TO YOUR RETIREMENT POT

If you’re thinking of your future, add your savings to your retirement pot – you’ll thank yourself later. Doing Dry January over a course of a few years could have you racking up thousands extra.

  1. PAY OFF SOME BILLS

Feeling the pinch after Christmas? Even more of an incentive to try Dry January by paying off some of those festive finances!

  1. TREAT YOURSELF

If you’ve managed not to overstretch at Christmas and are feeling pretty financially sound in January – treat yourself! Whether it be a new outfit, a fancy meal, put it towards a new car, something for your January health kick (a smoothie maker, maybe?), the opportunities are endless! You could even kick off the new year with a wellness spa break – start as you mean to go on, and all that.

  1. PUT IT IN SAVINGS

Put your savings aside – whether it’s for something major (a house), or something you’ve had your eye on for a while, or even if it’s for a family or friend’s big birthday, save it for something worthwhile.

The leading non-alcoholic spirit brand also has a range of delectable alcohol-free cocktails to save you from having to reach for an orange squash when you’re really craving a classic cocktail.

Lavender Field

  • 75ml Amplify
  • 20ml Lavender syrup
  • 2 pipettes butterfly pea extract
  • 5ml citric acid solution
  • 1 dash saline solution

Shake all ingredients hard with ice, double strain into Nick and Nora glass (or coupe) and garnish with orange twist.

To make lavender syrup, add 3g lavender to 150ml boiling water, remove from heat and allow to cool. Once tepid, strain off lavender, add 150g sugar and stir until dissolved.

Amplified Cosmo

A low-alcohol twist on the classic Cosmopolitan

  • 70ml Amplify
  • 30ml Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice
  • 20ml Belvoir Lime & Lemongrass Cordial
  • 5ml Lime Juice
  • 3 Dashes Peach Bitters (optional)

Shake all ingredients hard with 4 cubes of ice, double strain into Nick & Nora glass (or coupe) and float a mint sprig. If you’re after a zero-alcohol cocktail, simply omit Peach Bitters!

Turmeric Rocks

  • 70ml Amplify
  • 1ml Fresh Pressed Turmeric Juice
  • 3ml Cucumber Juice
  • 15ml Sugar Syrup
  • Half a passionfruit
  • 1 dash Cardamom bitters (optional)

Shake all ingredients hard with ice, strain into a rocks glass filled with ice and garnish with mint sprig and passionfruit wedge. To make your turmeric juice, place turmeric root or whole cucumber through a juicer and refrigerate.

Rock the Kasbah

  • 50ml Amplify
  • 50ml Pineapple juice
  • 40ml Blood orange, grapefruit & cardamom sherbet
  • 10ml Belvoir ginger cordial
  • 2 dashes of rose water

Shake all ingredients hard with ice, double strain into a couple glass and enjoy. To make the blood orange, grapefruit & cardamon sherbet:

  • 3 blood oranges; peeled
  • 2 pink grapefruits; peeled
  • 50g Caster sugar
  • 5 cardamom, lightly crushed

In a bowl combine citrus peels, with pith removed, with the caster sugar. Rub the sugar into peels and leave covered overnight in the fridge. Juice the peeled citrus fruit, strain off bits and add to the bowl of sugar and peel. Stir ingredients together until all the sugar is dissolved, strain, bottle and refrigerate.

Jasmine Cooler

Amplify’s take on a refreshing iced tea!

  • 70ml Amplify
  • 40ml jasmine green tea syrup
  • 15ml lemon juice
  • 75ml soda

Method: Build all ingredients into a highball glass with cubed ice. Stir and garnish with a mint sprig and passion fruit wedge.

To make the tea syrup, brew jasmine green tea with 100ml of water. Add 40g sugar and stir until dissolved. Allow to cool and stick in the fridge before use.

To switch up the recipe, swap jasmine green tea for any other tea of your choice.