JasonMarchelak

For me I am so glad now I have money, money was such an issue when I was drinking, never ever saved, just all my money was spent on booze! I have brought a new laptop, a Playstation and good food..... and now money is never an issue and I can enjoy walking down the street and knowing I have money for anything that tickles my fancy! I am opening a savings account for a little nest egg now as the penny jars are a no go area with me, the amount of times I used to go counting the coins to get a can of drink whilst shaking like a leaf before just terrible!

soberlicious

yeah, good point BTSO. If some of us were to factor in legal costs, medical bills, lost wages...yeah it would be staggering. Worse even, while one is handing over all their cash to their addiction, they are also paying with their soul. List price on that is pretty high I'd say...

paul99

It was amazing what I would give up so that I would have cash on hand for the liquor store - new clothes, repairs to the house, nice evenings out...I recall many a time scrounging through the car and in everyone's coats looking for enough change to get one or two cans of beer to get rid of the shakes.

My costs also included the amount of liquor I stole at work (and now paid back), my treatment, lawyer fees, rent after I got kicked out, etc. Let's just say that my retirement fund isn't so fat these days. I hope I like tinned tuna when I'm grayer...

jra

I spent around $7000 a year . . . And as noted above, the other costs of living a drunken life are harder to estimate. I wasted plenty of money due to drunken rage that resulted in broken and damaged possessions, like the iMac screen broken by a thrown external hard drive.

I also putted around and delayed getting on with an adult life and a career. Thankfully, I was able to get my career going after about 10 years, even though I was drinking the whole time.

I'm looking forward to the next decade sober . . . most of the money is going into savings, although I did but myself an iPad this weekend. I figure spending time reading and doing things online is a better use of my time and money.

AnotherPaul

I like this idea. I'm just starting to get sober, but I'm going to set aside the money I used to spend on vodka and beer and at the end of each month, I'm going to take half of it and do something to reward myself and give the other half to a different charity each month.

ZombieAttack

So yeah, I delivered the money on Friday.

Got a few angry messages from the recipient, along the lines of, "why did you go to my apartment when I was not there", "I am not a charity" etc.

Decided that this was just a person perhaps ashamed of the situation they had got themselves in and reacting accordingly (and hey, we can all relate to that, right!!)

In a bid to get her to accept it, and future donations, I killed two birds with one stone and told her that if she was up for it, she could join me in my small business. The money I gave her could act as an advance for any work she does with me. I was having some problems with translations and first language negotiations and it occured to me that she would be perfect for the job. Don't know why I didn't think of it before...

She accepted!!

MycoolFitz

I did spend about 100,000 on hospital and treatment although most was covered. What a shame

ZombieAttack

100,000 what? $US?

MycoolFitz

Yes

ZombieAttack

Wow. Not sure how the health care system works over there, but that is a fair bill.

I have never had anything major done in hospital, and in both countries I inhabit, I am lucky enough to have public health care.

MycoolFitz

One 3o day inpatient was 70,000 but most of it covered

ZombieAttack

That is 2333US$ per day!! What were they doing with you that cost that much?

Rose2012

I spent about $600 on wine each month. From August through to the end of October when I was sober, I got dental work done with that money. I just blew almost that much for the first 3 weeks in November, but still owe the dentist...so I maxed out my credit card, sigh.

Once that debt is paid though, I'm putting that money into some low-risk investments so that I can save enough for a down payment on a house. I hope to have enough in about a year and a half if all goes well! Then it's all about the retirement fund.

MycoolFitz

They fed me and did art therapy

soberlicious

"recovery" is big business in the US. I don't know about elsewhere. But, I'm not even going to get started on that topic.

Fandy

I was inpatient for a week, nonalcohol related, ( i have a small aneurysm in my head). The bill was 58k u.s.
My health insurance paid the tab, but sent me copies so i could stress more and made me worry my head would explode.

nigey1

Will be 6 months sober in 20 0dd days for me. I have been making a conscious effort to save money. In that time I have been putting my spare change and extra cash in the kids bank accounts. They have grown by nearly $1000 Aus dollars each.

I also have a little secret slush fund going that my wife doesnt know about where am socking away all the cash I can in little increments. She has no idea. Growing very nicely.

It has become a bit of a game and a focus to see how well I can do and keep me motivated. It shows how money just filtered through our hands as both of us worked and lived a pretty good life without keeping track of money. Feels good to have control back.

I found my major costs whilst drinking were not the associated trauma of legal medical bills etc. My money bled away on nights out, dinners, events, travel holidays all combined with the expense of drinking and a lack of care/control.

Living a champagne lifestyle on a beer budget. Now with none of either, things are lookig up.

I am taking long service leave next year and the family and I are doing an around Australia caravan trip. Everyone is super excited. My little slush fund is going to contribute to that. Will be a surprise for the wife. Maybe we can get the caravan with a shower and toilet.

soberlicious

OMG how cool is that?! What an awesome thing to look forward to!