Are you asking about the frugality, or the affect on the body?
One can make their own cocktails, so the cost comes down.
One can attend events that offer free cocktails.
Do bars still offer free drinks for women at certain times? That I
suppose could be frugal.
Mooching is frugal (unless they come around expecting cocktails in
return), so you can make a point of visiting people around cocktail hour,
when they are likely to offer you one.
By off-brand liquor?
Buy in bulk?
But the results after consumption may not be frugal, it depends on the
quantity consumed I guess. Though low consumption will cost less than
greater consuption, even before adding in the cost of the hangover etc.
If one is looking for the "buzz", maybe they should be looking at
alternatives. Maybe some of those drugs give more bang for the buck,
which is frugal, side effects aside. Maybe as liquor goes, cocktails
aren't frugal, but some other liquor is cheap and gives the same results.
Michael