zjw

yep managed to rack up over 30k myself as well. so dont feel bad. and in my case other factors involved as well too. But a funny thing since i sobered up and paid it off i have not racked it up yet since ::scratches head:: and now I racked up debt a couple times while dirnking and paid it off to rack it up agian this time however I have yet to rack it back up.

and i wont lie these days I think about getting into debt again but keep reminding msyelf that I cant deal with that stress.

endgameNY I know an alcoholic will drink regardless. I have my sobriety date tattooed on my wrist and I kno wi'm sick enough to go out and drink. I recognize the nature of this insane disease/problem.

I just had a very rational thought when i saw the price sign haning out front of the beer store the other day thought geeze ya know i could never afford this then or now!!.

endlesspatience

Thanks for getting honest guys. It's useful to be reminded of the link between drink and stress and the role alcohol plays in that.

scintillady

I remember one time going through the couch cushions and looking out on the sidewalk and street in order to get enough nickels, dimes, and even pennies to get the $3.31 it would take to get my bottle of cheap wine (2 buck chuck, Charles Shaw, at $2.99 a bottle!)I went to the store with a pocket full of change and made up some story about trying to get rid of the change I had been carrying around but I doubt I was fooling anyone. I was always too cheap to go out and drink, preferred to buy 2 whole bottles for what one glass of wine would cost if I went out. I now have a lot more money which I like to try to put to more useful things. I even have the luxury of a manicure and pedicure once in awhile, and it costs me less than I used to spend every week on wine.

gaffo

As the shopper in my household I notice the prices of things and the ever escalating cost of drinking does not escape my eye, especially now that I am strong enough to wheel through the beer section. Sometimes I get gas for my car in the morning and see the people buying cans of cheap malt liquor with crumpled up small bills. Breakfast of champions--"you can't drink all day if you don't start in the morning..." used to be a running "joke" with my crew.

I clearly remember when I quit smoking cigs twenty something years ago I suddenly had "change jars" again. As a poor person smoking was like an evil tax man taking every penny. With drinking I just figured out how to earn more money. It depresses me a little bit to think about all the money I wasted on drinking. Sure I could more or less "afford" it but the amount of money I spent could have paid off my mortgage and more! I don't even like to think about what investing that money could have brought me. The fact is I drank a decent retirement in my twenties and thirties!

Now I notice that I don't seem to have much money but I can scrape by because I am sober. Also, my credit card bills seem to be going down. I guess I really couldn't afford to drink.

zjw

oh yeah gaffo the cigarettes where a tough one. geeze always checking that i had enough and that panicy feeling i'd get if i new i had to get more so i could make it through the night. i mean geeze could you imagine running out of smokes at 6pm and not being able to get more till the morning Oh man the horror.

and ya know booze it was not much diff. each day i did a head count the thought of running out of beer in the middle of my binge was horrifying and very scary. Like what if i ran out 4 or 5 beers in and coiuldnt get more till morning good god what a horrifying thought that was.

::facepalm::

change jars yeah speaking of change jars. I fill one up each year then i cash it out and do something fun with the kids. this year i just cashed the jar out 106 dollars i had in there!!! so today we are off to the amusement park. back when i smoked and such i absolutly woulda rolled that up to buy smokes or beer etc...