steve-in-kville

I've been starting to realize the huge difference in money management between drunk Steve and sober Steve. Every year at this time, we get a tax refund (if we're due one) and my employer pays out our yearly profit sharing. Drunk Steve would pay off a few bills, stash some in savings and the rest would be gone in a week on toys and such.

This year, sober Steve went into it with a written plan as well as a budget. Paying down some debt, started a mid to long term investment plan and got an emergency fund under way. There's no way drunk Steve could have pulled that off. I would have switched from $15/bottle vodka to $40/bottle bourbon until the money ran out.

I'm convinced that for every dollar I spent on alcohol over the years, I lost twice if not three times that somewhere else. Just my experience.

Feel free to share your money management experiences.

Zebra1275

Congratulations on your new money management techniques.

Starting an investment plan is a long term commitment that really pays off as the years go by. It's the same thing with sobriety.

Zencat

I have more money being sober which allows me to spend to upgrade my living conditions and some hobby toys. My bank account has not been penalized for all the overdrawn street drug purchases. I was kinda of thrifty cheap before recovery and now I am still the same tightwad. I do have to enjoy the money as a reward for being sober.

steve-in-kville

I was able to bulk up our savings a little and put some away in CD's and Treasuries, whereas I cannot touch it until the investment matures.