Sara23

It really is amazing how much money you save when you arent drinking. I never really took the time to do the math and add it all up but oh my gosh it is a lot! I choose not to drink this weekend. Made it a personal goal to see if I could do it and how I would react. Not only was I able to do it, it wasnt that hard at all! Having a reason to not drink over not having a reason to not drink makes a huge difference in the way I look at my drinking habits! I choose to have a completely sober weekend this weekend and it was great! I got so much done, slept great, woke up early, and generally felt better! And on top of that I really realized how much money is thrown down the drain drinking! I mean honestly if every one wrote down how much booze they buy a week and calculated the costs, that would be enough to make a person quit right there! I hope everyone had a great week, especially to those first weekers like me who just started gaining controll of their life again! Heres to the second week being just as successfull, if not so even more!

mwstylee

Day 6 here, and I agree. I haven't spent money on alcohol in 6 days and it feels great. Also, it makes me just feel amazing looking back at today and seeing how much I've accomplished. Usually at this time on Sunday nights, I'm coming off a 72 hour bender, puking and/or lying in bed trying not to puke on myself, and just completely ashamed at wasting 3 whole days not doing a single productive thing.

Spinster

how were your first couple of days? were you guys sick at all? ill be so happy when i can say im on day 6 or 7 lol congrats

mwstylee

First couple days, my hands were visibly shaking, felt so anxious all day, and just a very nervous feeling overall. My first night, I spent laying in bed til 5am clutching my head with both hands because it felt like my brains were trying to explode out of my skull, my head hurt so much! Eyeballs shaking like crazy, nausea, and for some reason I had some crazy closed eye visuals for hours trying to fall asleep. It was so distracting that I barely got 5 hours of sleep total the first 2 days.

Good luck!

CarolD

Sara...good for you...

CamilleBelle

Good Job Sara23!! I did not do quite as well this weekend... but plan to get back on track... there was a fatal accident in my husbands life on his bday so things went a bit offtrack. I am very proud of you! I hope you keep it up! In my arena, I have decided to make some goals... realistic goals... and try to stick to them. I feel If I say ill never going to drink again EVER it'll backfire and thats not what I want. I will quit. but it will take time. For now, I will take it one day at a time. Again, congrats on your weekend! Keep me posted!

CarolD

Spinste...Welcome to our recovery community...

Please take the time to read the link below..it has info you might find helpful

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...at-we-did.html

least

It is amazing how much money I was spending on wine and didn't think about it. Ten to thirty dollars a day! Wow! No wonder I was always broke.

Scolova

If I rounded off how much I drank daily to about a 12-pack @ $12, then I've already saved (and not borrowed ) around $300. I don't get angry about it it's all in the past, just something to be thankful for on top of the health benefits of quitting. Being able to replace my worn-out 19" computer monitor for Christmas is beginning to sound like a reality.

I've always been a stay at home drinker and doing just about anything around the house felt like a "trigger" to drink. I am slowly but surely breaking those tendencies and am having fewer bouts of craving each week.

Congrats and Good Luck.

TallWater

Sobriety makes so much economic sense that it should be a federal mandate. lol

Sara23

Im so sorry to hear about the death in your husbands family. Stress and loss are definitely a trigger for me. But I love that you are making goals for your self. Realistic goals in my opinion are the way to go, because like you said if you try to just quit cold turkey and it backfires, it will only leave you feeling more depressed and more inclined to drink even more. I know some people can do that and that is wonderful! However, in my experience, making smaller goals especially these first few weeks will be much more effective. Good luck on your journey!

horsekisses

Congrats Sara! This is day 7 for me also and I feel the same way. Had a good productive weekend, feel good, and saved lots of money.

Sara23

So I was doing the math and I would usually buy 3-4 bottles of wine a week at $10. That is $40 a week, $160 a month, and $1,920 a year...just on wine!! Thank doesnt even include the money spent on drinking at bars and restaurants!!!! It really makes you stop and think....

stillhopingjean

I definitely notice I make nowhere near the same # of visits to the bank machine when not drinking. I have $$ to spend on lunch instead.
Day 7 here.. who hoo!

jeannie

YVRguy

It does add up money wise for sure and wow , the taxation where I live ...if you want to show you're unhappy with taxation here , stop drinking alcohol...

I would mainly use cash to buy , the old hide a paper trail stuff , geez like the ATM shows the trail anyways ...foolish thinking on my part

Great to here a sober weekend for you Sara , same here and was not really tempted.

Stress and life events are tough Camille but coming back to sobriety will make it less painful from what I am experiencing this year ( mom died , 2 friends gone, another on the way out ).

Hope everyone has a great 24

MsJax

And it's not just the cost of the alcohol itself, but the corresponding expenses. Not being able to work as hard & as effectively. Wrecked cars. Dinners out. Thank God that is over. I am so thankful to be a recovering alcoholic.

Hanker

This is a great thread. I try to put $15 into my savings account on each day I don't drink. I am going to start putting the money in my account before the day is over so I don't have to take it out. I will use the money for a family vacation.

Thanks again for the thread. I really need to stop drinking. It's been 35 years.

Mark80

New member, just signed up now. 56 days now and starting to notice the difference in the bank balance now Not just from money saved on booze but on the expenses that came from being drunk all the time; buying junk food, taxi fares when taking the bus seemed too much effort, phone bills for calls I can't remember making. I'm not rich yet, as I'm still spending the cash (another weakness!) but at least on more beneficial things now; new clothes, gym membership!

Spinster

good for you guys! ive been layed off work for a month, and since then ive been drinking a bottle of wine a night, sometimes i would only have half. lastnight i only had a glass and was having lots of anxiety, and today im feeling really queasy and anxious. i think its mainly anxiety about quiting completely today, and after the anxiety lastnight, im not looking forward to tonight. ugh. wish me luck!

Sara23

This is great! It is so true I mean think of all the money we could all save and use towards far more rewarding things like vacations, clothes, electronics, etc...And the comment made about also saving us our sick days at work wasted on being hungover, and doctors visits, I mean it just really adds up! I like the idea of putting money aside for each day you dont drink. What an awesome goal and motivator!!! Im sure we all have things we really want but havent been able to afford, and our nasty habit does not help! Before you know it we can be laying on the beaches of Costa Rica (my goal) or strutting around town in a new wardrobe and new and improved body!