Daily Consumption averages - Page 2 - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information

streetpizza · 07-10-2009, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lauraandersen4

I'm really sorry... I hope you are truthful on here because how I determined that I didn't believe this post is that it would imply that you would spend approximately $1000 PER MONTH ON ALCOHOL. You must have had one HECK of a job and maintained it while practically drunk... and should be more happy medically speaking that you haven't ended up in the hospital by now. That is the cost of our rent and then another half. I don't know many who could afford that much of a financial blow.

THAT is why I have a VERY hard time buying your story. Then again, if true good luck with maintaining your sobriety...

Well its not like I was going around drinking Crown royal and Sam adams... it was more like McCormick's rum ($6.50/fifth) and Busch Light ($20/case). It was probably more like $400/month... maybe $500 if you factor in the tobacco use. I promise, I've spent enough on alcohol in one Vegas trip to basically keep me drunk for 2-3 months before.

Plus, when your stomach is in shambles all the time, its hard to eat the same amount of food you usually do, so it caused my grocery bill to go down, too.

hopeful999 · 07-10-2009, 08:00 AM

3-4 bottles of wine per week is my low point. That is one bottle per night, 3-4 times per week. Does not sound like a lot compared to others, but I'm less than 100 pounds in weight.

Caria · 07-10-2009, 08:01 AM

i could drink a big bottle of wine every other day ... every week the same thing. when i started moving to rum or vodka (to not smell for my family) i could drink at least 5 glasses with coke but they were pretty big glasses. not good..not good at all.

exquisitered · 07-10-2009, 09:45 AM

Well, I believe you streetpizza. I spent about $150-200 dollars a week ($600 to $800/month) on alcohol the last year or so I was drinking. And drank anywhere from 15 to 30+ drinks a day. And I'm a woman who weighs 115 lbs! I'm not rich, I just put it before groceries, bills, or anything else. :-(

Boleo · 07-10-2009, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lauraandersen4

LOL... Somehow, I don't believe you.

At the height of my drinking I was consuming about 1 liter (32 ounces) of Vodka a day and going through 2 - 3 cases of Ice Beer on weekends.

By no means am I some kind of record holder. I know of some who drank 2 - 3 fifths (24 ounces each) of hard liquor daily.

CALYNN · 07-10-2009, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by exquisitered

Well, I believe you streetpizza. I spent about $150-200 dollars a week ($600 to $800/month) on alcohol the last year or so I was drinking. And drank anywhere from 15 to 30+ drinks a day. And I'm a woman who weighs 115 lbs! I'm not rich, I just put it before groceries, bills, or anything else. :-(

I also believe streetpizza. Up until April, I was spending over $1,200/month on wine. 2 or more $20+ bottles of wine a day (wine snob). I don't see why that's so unbelievable...

rhnorment · 07-10-2009, 10:27 AM

Jeesh, the attack on streetpizza is a little uncalled for. 12-14 shots a day does not mean he was at a bar paying retail.

I drank a liter of vodka every night and spent about $500 per month doing it. His story is very believable.

slimjim30 · 07-10-2009, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by exquisitered

Well, I believe you streetpizza. I spent about $150-200 dollars a week ($600 to $800/month) on alcohol the last year or so I was drinking. And drank anywhere from 15 to 30+ drinks a day. And I'm a woman who weighs 115 lbs! I'm not rich, I just put it before groceries, bills, or anything else. :-(

Same here. I was spending about $200 a week on alcohol when I quit.

I always bought beer by the 6 pack which costs more. I rationalised that if I bought two 6 packs it might cost a bit more, but then I wouldn't drink any more than 12 beers that night. I also bought a lot of imported beers.

It never seemed like much money at the time but I cringe to think about it. Since I quit I've bought a piece of new furniture and a new laptop with the spare money!

lauraandersen4 · 07-10-2009, 10:56 AM

I'm just failing to understand what kind of jobs you people must have had to support this? Maybe I'm lucky that I'm a student. I mean really? Who has 12,000/yr to just throw away? I could see how someone would maybe spend $200... maybe $300/month and get away with it... but over $10K over a year?

I wouldn't even know how to come up with that much extra money... unless I let them cut off my electricity and evict me.

Then again... as a previous poster said... I'm not into stealing either.

freeflyin · 07-10-2009, 11:00 AM

the last time I drank I had 2 large melomn martini's then went too the liquor store and bough a pint of 101 proof wild turkey and a tall can. I drank all that within about 2 hours.

should have died

BUT-0- blacked out and survived to suffer another day.

it's got to stop!

FF

exquisitered · 07-10-2009, 11:03 AM

Well I am only a high school graduate, so not a very good job. LOL

But really, when it's your #1 priority it isn't a stretch at all to say the majority of your $ goes to alcohol.

Plus I am married with no kids so that helped, but honestly when you HAVE to have it you find a way, I guess.

I'm so thankful I don't feel like I HAVE to have it today!

**Astro** · 07-10-2009, 11:04 AM

Laura, I put my alcohol purchases before everything else too. If it meant my kids ate ramen noodles instead of a decent meal, then so be it. I always factored the alcohol figure into my shopping trips, whatever was left over after I hit the liquor aisle was used for food and necessities.

I used to be a micro-brew and single malt scotch snob. The last few months before I quit, quantity was more important than quality. Instead of Samuel Adams I drank Schlitz, dropped the scotch and drank the cheapest vodka I could find. The last day I drank, the only thing left in the house was dry vermouth and lemonade. So that was my last drunk. Blech!

lauraandersen4 · 07-10-2009, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boleo

At the height of my drinking I was consuming about 1 liter (32 ounces) of Vodka a day and going through 2 - 3 cases of Ice Beer on weekends.

By no means am I some kind of record holder. I know of some who drank 2 - 3 fifths (24 ounces each) of hard liquor daily.

It's not the quantity I'm not believing... it is the EXPENSE! HS!

CALYNN · 07-10-2009, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lauraandersen4

I'm just failing to understand what kind of jobs you people must have had to support this? Maybe I'm lucky that I'm a student. I mean really? Who has 12,000/yr to just throw away? I could see how someone would maybe spend $200... maybe $300/month and get away with it... but over $10K over a year?

I wouldn't even know how to come up with that much extra money... unless I let them cut off my electricity and evict me.

Then again... as a previous poster said... I'm not into stealing either.

Not all alcoholics are homeless & poor! My ex-boss was a "functioning" alcoholic (also a wine snob) making over $1M/year. I guarantee you he "threw away" well over $40k/year on wine.

Just because you don't know anyone who could do that, doesn't mean there aren't any (a lot) out there...

lauraandersen4 · 07-10-2009, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by exquisitered

Well I am only a high school graduate, so not a very good job. LOL

But really, when it's your #1 priority it isn't a stretch at all to say the majority of your $ goes to alcohol.

Plus I am married with no kids so that helped, but honestly when you HAVE to have it you find a way, I guess.

I'm so thankful I don't feel like I HAVE to have it today!

I'm glad too... I mean for your sake. I know of 3 medically diagnosed alcoholics close to me... and NONE of them went so far overboard. As addicted as they were to alcohol... they were more addicted to the thought of keeping a roof over their head. Granted there are different stages etc.

lauraandersen4 · 07-10-2009, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CALYNN

Not all alcoholics are homeless & poor! My ex-boss was a "functioning" alcoholic (also a wine snob) making over $1M/year. I guarantee you he "threw away" well over $40k/year on wine.

Just because you don't know anyone who could do that, doesn't mean there aren't any (a lot) out there...

...and that is why I asked streetpizza what he did. He doesnt seem like a millionaire. Maybe he is.

CALYNN · 07-10-2009, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lauraandersen4

...and that is why I asked streetpizza what he did. He doesnt seem like a millionaire. Maybe he is.

You don't have to be a millionaire. I only made $65k last year and still managed to pay my mortgage and other bills while supporting my habit.

rhnorment · 07-10-2009, 11:16 AM

A lot of us are wealthy and successful in business. Bill W was a very successful businessman when he started AA.

lauraandersen4 · 07-10-2009, 11:24 AM

No offense but you guys are missing my point, so I'm not going to respond in this thread anymore.

I'm fully aware there are successful people out there... when I get out of dental school, I hope to be one... but it is just streetpizza's situation that didn't make much sense to me (first I have found on the board that didn't). I'm not saying it isn't true... I just kind of think it is odd that someone would play a numbers game with alcohol rather than a feelings game.

I'm not saying that it can't be true... maybe streetpizza makes a lot of $. I just didn't get that impression. I have been wrong before. I'm ok with that.

Face it. From personal experience I can tell you this much...unfortunately... if I had a blood alcohol level of .13 but wasn't feeling the effects of the alcohol... no way in heck would I stop once I started. I would have never calculated that to begin with. I wouldn't drink for the number... I'd drink for the buzz and for some reason, can't/won't stop until I get there and then some.

Then again... I'm in a better place re: drinking than quite a few in this forum are... IMHO

streetpizza · 07-10-2009, 11:27 AM

1) I don't feel like anyone has attacked me or anything

2) I am lucky to be in good condition after that level of consumption... but by no means was I setting any records. At least most days of the week I'd sober up completely and let my liver metabolize something besides alcohol... I know people who would drink a fifth in the morning and beers all night, effectively NEVER sobering up. It gets worse than what I was doing.

3) To answer laura's question in a semi-vague way: I got an entry-level business job out of college at a respected company in a city where the cost of living is low, got a nice raise year 1, have no kids or dependents, no car payment and low rent. I have a good job and I'm very happy to be there, but by no means am I pulling in a 7 figure salary.

streetpizza · 07-10-2009, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lauraandersen4

No offense but you guys are missing my point, so I'm not going to respond in this thread anymore.

I'm fully aware there are successful people out there... when I get out of dental school, I hope to be one... but it is just streetpizza's situation that didn't make much sense to me (first I have found on the board that didn't). I'm not saying it isn't true... I just kind of think it is odd that someone would play a numbers game with alcohol rather than a feelings game.

I'm not saying that it can't be true... maybe streetpizza makes a lot of $. I just didn't get that impression. I have been wrong before. I'm ok with that.

Face it. From personal experience I can tell you this much...unfortunately... if I had a blood alcohol level of .13 but wasn't feeling the effects of the alcohol... no way in heck would I stop once I started. I would have never calculated that to begin with. I wouldn't drink for the number... I'd drink for the buzz and for some reason, can't/won't stop until I get there.

Then again... I'm in a better place re: drinking than quite a few in this forum are... IMHO

When you've been caught with a BAC over the legal limit, you take steps to ensure that you never do again. Obviously saying that is hypocritical because I'm admitting to have blown way over the legal limit getting back home from work... but even in those situations, it is nice to know what sort of animal your breath is at that point in time.

I wasn't playing a "numbers game" so to speak, I was trying to use technology and discretion to limit the amount of situations where I could get legally screwed. If I never had to drive anywhere I would pay 0 attention to my BAC.

Before anyone gets up in a huff about any of that... I am ashamed of pretty much all of that.

CALYNN · 07-10-2009, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lauraandersen4

Face it. From personal experience I can tell you this much...unfortunately... if I had a blood alcohol level of .13 but wasn't feeling the effects of the alcohol... no way in heck would I stop once I started. I would have never calculated that to begin with. I wouldn't drink for the number... I'd drink for the buzz and for some reason, can't/won't stop until I get there and then some.

Then again... I'm in a better place re: drinking than quite a few in this forum are... IMHO

From what you just wrote, it doesn't sound to me like you're in a better "drinking" place than the rest of us. IMHO

Overman · 07-10-2009, 05:58 PM

@ Calynn
"You don't have to be a millionaire."

Right about that. I was a functional alcoholic drinking 2 pints of cheap vodka (1.98/each) daily...on a 28k salary.

joedris · 07-10-2009, 09:03 PM

Let's see. At 12 -14 shots per day, and consider that each shot is 1.5 oz, this would total up to about 18 - 21oz or 1.2 - 1.3 pints of liquor a day. And lets price the good stuff. A pint of good bourbon goes for about $9.00. So if we drink $10.80 - $11.70 worth a day for 30 days, we've spent at most $351.00 in a months time.

To spend $1000.00 per month, drinking 18 - 21 oz per day, we'd have to spend $33.33 per day, or about $27.00 for a pint of liquor. Must be some damn fine stuff to go through $1000.00 a month for it.

marty888 · 07-10-2009, 09:12 PM

Personally, I think its irrelevant how much we drank, its what the drink made us become !!!
BTW am not at all proud of the amount I used to drink and the money I spent, lets just say both were copious.

07-10-2009, 11:04 AM	#37 (permalink)
Astro Forum Leader Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Scottsdale, AZ, one big happy dysfunctional family! Posts: 11,833	Laura, I put my alcohol purchases before everything else too. If it meant my kids ate ramen noodles instead of a decent meal, then so be it. I always factored the alcohol figure into my shopping trips, whatever was left over after I hit the liquor aisle was used for food and necessities. I used to be a micro-brew and single malt scotch snob. The last few months before I quit, quantity was more important than quality. Instead of Samuel Adams I drank Schlitz, dropped the scotch and drank the cheapest vodka I could find. The last day I drank, the only thing left in the house was dry vermouth and lemonade. So that was my last drunk. Blech! __________________ "Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty, and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming---WOW-What a ride!"

07-10-2009, 05:58 PM	#48 (permalink)
Overman 9/15/08 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: midwest Posts: 257	@ Calynn "You don't have to be a millionaire." Right about that. I was a functional alcoholic drinking 2 pints of cheap vodka (1.98/each) daily...on a 28k salary. __________________ "If you can smile whenever anything goes wrong, you are either an idiot or a repairman." (or sober!) ~ Anon

07-10-2009, 09:03 PM	#49 (permalink)
joedris Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Virginia Posts: 818	Let's see. At 12 -14 shots per day, and consider that each shot is 1.5 oz, this would total up to about 18 - 21oz or 1.2 - 1.3 pints of liquor a day. And lets price the good stuff. A pint of good bourbon goes for about $9.00. So if we drink $10.80 - $11.70 worth a day for 30 days, we've spent at most $351.00 in a months time. To spend $1000.00 per month, drinking 18 - 21 oz per day, we'd have to spend $33.33 per day, or about $27.00 for a pint of liquor. Must be some damn fine stuff to go through $1000.00 a month for it. __________________ God, Please set aside all I think I know about myself, my disease, the Big Book, the 12 Steps, the Program, the people in the fellowship, spiritual terms, and especially about you God so I may have an open mind and a new experience with these things. Amen

07-10-2009, 09:12 PM	#50 (permalink)
marty888 Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Australia Posts: 580	Personally, I think its irrelevant how much we drank, its what the drink made us become !!! BTW am not at all proud of the amount I used to drink and the money I spent, lets just say both were copious. __________________ First the man takes a drink; Then the drink takes a drink; Then the drink takes the man.

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07-10-2009, 08:00 AM	#27 (permalink)
hopeful999 Guest Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 111 Blog Entries: 10	3-4 bottles of wine per week is my low point. That is one bottle per night, 3-4 times per week. Does not sound like a lot compared to others, but I'm less than 100 pounds in weight.

07-10-2009, 08:01 AM	#28 (permalink)
Caria Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: NJ Posts: 17	i could drink a big bottle of wine every other day ... every week the same thing. when i started moving to rum or vodka (to not smell for my family) i could drink at least 5 glasses with coke but they were pretty big glasses. not good..not good at all.

07-10-2009, 09:45 AM	#29 (permalink)
exquisitered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 50	Well, I believe you streetpizza. I spent about $150-200 dollars a week ($600 to $800/month) on alcohol the last year or so I was drinking. And drank anywhere from 15 to 30+ drinks a day. And I'm a woman who weighs 115 lbs! I'm not rich, I just put it before groceries, bills, or anything else. :-(

07-10-2009, 10:27 AM	#32 (permalink)
rhnorment Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 90	Jeesh, the attack on streetpizza is a little uncalled for. 12-14 shots a day does not mean he was at a bar paying retail. I drank a liter of vodka every night and spent about $500 per month doing it. His story is very believable.

07-10-2009, 10:56 AM	#34 (permalink)
lauraandersen4 Focus Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Washington DC Posts: 206	I'm just failing to understand what kind of jobs you people must have had to support this? Maybe I'm lucky that I'm a student. I mean really? Who has 12,000/yr to just throw away? I could see how someone would maybe spend $200... maybe $300/month and get away with it... but over $10K over a year? I wouldn't even know how to come up with that much extra money... unless I let them cut off my electricity and evict me. Then again... as a previous poster said... I'm not into stealing either.

07-10-2009, 11:00 AM	#35 (permalink)
freeflyin Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: in yer head Posts: 46 Blog Entries: 3	the last time I drank I had 2 large melomn martini's then went too the liquor store and bough a pint of 101 proof wild turkey and a tall can. I drank all that within about 2 hours. should have died BUT-0- blacked out and survived to suffer another day. it's got to stop! FF

07-10-2009, 11:03 AM	#36 (permalink)
exquisitered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 50	Well I am only a high school graduate, so not a very good job. LOL But really, when it's your #1 priority it isn't a stretch at all to say the majority of your $ goes to alcohol. Plus I am married with no kids so that helped, but honestly when you HAVE to have it you find a way, I guess. I'm so thankful I don't feel like I HAVE to have it today!

07-10-2009, 11:16 AM	#43 (permalink)
rhnorment Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 90	A lot of us are wealthy and successful in business. Bill W was a very successful businessman when he started AA.

07-10-2009, 11:24 AM	#44 (permalink)
lauraandersen4 Focus Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Washington DC Posts: 206	No offense but you guys are missing my point, so I'm not going to respond in this thread anymore. I'm fully aware there are successful people out there... when I get out of dental school, I hope to be one... but it is just streetpizza's situation that didn't make much sense to me (first I have found on the board that didn't). I'm not saying it isn't true... I just kind of think it is odd that someone would play a numbers game with alcohol rather than a feelings game. I'm not saying that it can't be true... maybe streetpizza makes a lot of $. I just didn't get that impression. I have been wrong before. I'm ok with that. Face it. From personal experience I can tell you this much...unfortunately... if I had a blood alcohol level of .13 but wasn't feeling the effects of the alcohol... no way in heck would I stop once I started. I would have never calculated that to begin with. I wouldn't drink for the number... I'd drink for the buzz and for some reason, can't/won't stop until I get there and then some. Then again... I'm in a better place re: drinking than quite a few in this forum are... IMHO

07-10-2009, 11:27 AM	#45 (permalink)
streetpizza Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 29	1) I don't feel like anyone has attacked me or anything 2) I am lucky to be in good condition after that level of consumption... but by no means was I setting any records. At least most days of the week I'd sober up completely and let my liver metabolize something besides alcohol... I know people who would drink a fifth in the morning and beers all night, effectively NEVER sobering up. It gets worse than what I was doing. 3) To answer laura's question in a semi-vague way: I got an entry-level business job out of college at a respected company in a city where the cost of living is low, got a nice raise year 1, have no kids or dependents, no car payment and low rent. I have a good job and I'm very happy to be there, but by no means am I pulling in a 7 figure salary.

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