On the rocks, hold the calories...

When it comes to "budgeting," I generally refer to 3 things: money, time, and, yes, calories. Unfortunately, as a 23 year old grad student, I have a fondness not only for frugality and name-brand items, but also yummy alcoholic beverages. However, were you aware that the average frozen margarita can have about 400-600 calories, or that a 5-ounce serving of spumante (piddly amount!) can pack around 138 calories? Well, in order to have our liquor and drink it, too, I have comprised a collection of low-calorie options for alcohol. Read on!

1) First of all, never underestimate the health benefits of a red wine. The average 5-ounce serving of a dry red wine is 83 calories, which truly isn't terrible. One glass a day of red wine packs a huge punch of antioxidants, heart disease-fighting properties, and other delicious benefits. Vella (you know, the wine that comes in a large box) has an absolutely delicious red wine, properly titled "Delicious Red." For 5 liters of wine in a box, you are also chalking over a mere $13. Can it get any better than that? (Also, boxed red wine is great for having in your fridge if you like adding a bit of wine to your favorite pot roasts and other fancy recipes.)

If you are more of a fan of fruity, girly drinks (like me), then a little ol' site called Hungry Girl will be your saving grace. A blog created by the ingenious Lisa Lillen, HungryGirl offers low-cal versions of your favorite comfort and junk foods. Thankfully for us, it also offers low-cal versions of cocktails and other delicious alcoholic drinks, complete with the alcohol. While I recommend scurrying through the website (and the two best-selling books, the first with an entire chapter devoted to alcoholic beverages), I will share their margarita recipe here, complete with my own twists:

Hungry Girl's Low-Cal Frozen Margarita

You will need:

*2-3 tablespoons of silver tequila

*To-go packs of Great Choice zero-calorie lemonade mix (an entire to-go stick, or 2 servings)

*2 tablespoons of lime juice

*3/4 cup of diet lemon-lime soda

*A few cubes of ice

Simply combine all ingredients in a blender, pour, and enjoy! It's only 100 calories :)

Want more low-calorie recipes, such as low-cal mojitos, mudslides, and daiquiris? Check out Hungry Girl's website and books for more!