This Poor Man’s Margarita is the perfect drink to fit your budget! Sweet, tart limeade paired with your tequila of choice makes this drink easy on the wallet and even easier to prepare yourself!
If you’re craving a margarita but your budget’s a little tight this month, address that craving with this poor man’s margarita recipe! You don’t need to buy that expensive margarita mix for this recipe.
That’s because Limeade replaces margarita mix in this cocktail for a less expensive substitute that doesn’t sacrifice flavor.
Make a pitcher full and serve at happy hour, along with these Cheesy Beef Taco Cups and this Super Easy Greek Yogurt Dip for dunking veggies and fruit!

This poor man’s margarita is the perfect drink for when you want to have a good time on a budget!
Why You’ll Love this Poor Man’s Margarita
You’ll love this cocktail recipe, because you’ll still get that classic margarita flavor for half the price! And half price is never a bad thing.
For another drink recipe that tastes great but isn’t too hard on your bank account, try this Sparkling Tequila Kiss!
Poor Man’s Margarita Cocktail Ingredients

With just a few simple and inexpensive ingredients, you can make this easy margarita recipe.
- Limeade – an inexpensive replacement for margarita mix that still captures the classic sweet and tart lime flavor of margaritas.
- Fresh Lime Slices – for garnish and extra lime flavor.
- Tequila – go for a tequila that works best for you in terms of your budget!
- Margarita Salt – takes your poor man’s margaritas to the next level.
- Ice Cubes – this drink is best served ice cold.
Instructions
- Wet the rim of a glass and coat in margarita salt.
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes and then pour in one shot of Tequila.
It’s so easy to make this margarita; just throw all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker!
- Pour in 1/3 cup limeade. Shake. Pour into the margarita salted glass.
FAQs
What are the different types of margaritas?
There’s a huge variety when it comes to margaritas. Use different fruits and juices to make:
- strawberry margaritas
- watermelon margaritas
- peach margaritas, and more.
Here are a few more variations you may want to try:
- throw in some mint to make a “mojitarita”
- blend all of the ingredients in a blender with ice for a classic frozen margarita
- toss in a couple slices of jalapenos to make a spicy margarita
There are even more options; margaritas are a perfect drink to customize to your preferences!

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What is the difference between a Paloma and a margarita?
Typically a margarita contains tequila and lime juice, whereas a Paloma is flavored with Italian grapefruit soda. Both use tequila as their base alcohol.
What is a good tequila for margaritas?
Check out this list for some of the best tequilas to use for margaritas, which stretch into many price ranges and give you lots of ideas for different varieties of tequilas.
Popular Variations and Substitutions
- Use agave nectar for some added sweetness.
- Dip the rim of your glass in some lime juice before rimming with the margarita salt.
- You can use a lot of different drinks to make this cocktail in various degrees of strength: tequila, sprite soda, limeade, lemonade, orange juice, and more can make for delicious combinations or different flavors of margarita.
- Blending all of the ingredients in a cocktail blender with ice is the perfect way to make easy frozen margaritas.

The next time you want a cocktail but don’t want to spend a whole lot of money, try this simple margarita recipe!
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Blue Lagoon Cocktail – A sweet and tropical drink that will whisk you away to your favorite tropical destination with just one sip!
- Vodka Raspberry Lemonade – This simple cocktail is perfect for a warm day.
- Grape Jelly Meatballs – For an easy and elegant appetizer that’s great for game day, parties, or as an appetizer before dinner, try these homemade meatballs!
Easy Homemade Margarita Recipe
Poor Man's Margarita

This Poor Man's Margarita is sweet, made with tart limeade paired with your tequila of choice.
Ingredients
- Limeade
- Fresh Lime Slices
- Tequila
- Margarita Salt
- Ice Cubes
Instructions
- Wet the rim of a glass and coat in margarita salt.
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes and then pour in one shot of Tequlia.
- Pour in 1/3 cup limeade. Shake well.
- Pour into the margarita salted glass. Garnish with lime.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
1Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 471Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1015mgCarbohydrates: 63gFiber: 2gSugar: 53gProtein: 1g