ejackson

I haven't drank for 8 days, and, in addition to the obvious health and mental benefits, I'm beginning to realize the financial rewards! I usually incorporated my wine purchases with the groceries, so the total spent was buried in the budget. I never realized how much money I was spending on alcohol.

Yesterday I did my monthly trip to the warehouse club, where I have a usual pattern of purchases that makes the tally at the checkout pretty predictable. Well, when I saw the total this time, my eyes blinked a few times, and I looked back at my cart to see if I had rung everything. I had... then I realized it was minus the alcohol that I usually buy. This particular store was my source for the big bottles of hard liquor that served as my emergency stash (lots of emergencies) when the wine ran out.

A quick calculation and I think I'm going to save about $600 a month. I can't believe it. And that's not counting the alcohol tabs at restaurants. I'm frugal person otherwise, so this is another level of motivation for me to stay sober. :-)

MythOfSisyphus

Congrats on the savings! I too was spending $650 or more every month on wine. Quitting drinking is giving yourself a big fat raise!

hypochondriac

That's ace. Unfortunately I replaced my spending on booze with compulsive shopping so I didn't really see the benefits. In true addict fashion I decided I deserved stuff seeing as I wasn't drinking... Well done on 8 days x

ejackson

I'm sure this is difficult for you, hypo... as readily available alcohol is, so are opportunities to shop. Take care.

Thanks for sharing your note.

liberated

I, too was amazed- and it is DEFINITELY another motivator.

GhostFace

I spent about 1k a month and now I have all that to myself. One of the benefits to sobriety.

DoubleDragons

That is such a great perk, isn't it EJ? The last time we were at a restaurant, I had to do a double-look on the bill. I though for sure that the waitress had forgotten someone's meal. he he he

least

Now that I don't drink one to three bottles of wine a night I'm saving a lot of money.

Pipping

I was a smoker as well and would power through a packet with each wine session which was roughly 5 days a week. My brain won't let me do the maths because I know I will be appalled. I too am a frugal person and will look for bargains and really think hard about the cost of things, whether or not I really need it or if I can get the same item cheaper somewhere else. Didn't seem to matter with booze or smokes though, must be saving close to 250 a week ( shudder)

4Change

I had calculated that I drank about $11-13 dollars of liquor everyday.

I'm on day 8 right now, and am now putting that money toward healthier food and finally some small house improvements.

Another great benefit, for me at least, is I have to keep myself busy when I get home from work to get my mind off of my old routines. I'm finally keeping the house clean(ish).

83mama0f2

Between hubby and I we spent around 180.00 per month on booze. Now that it's just him and he's a normal drinker... It's like maybe 50.00?? Yay! I love saving money too and right now is actually a time that we really need to be saving money.

LadyBlue0527

I didn't realize how much money I was spending until a few months after I quit and finished reconciling the checkbook. At first I thought I had made a mistake. Nope, it was the absence of all those weekend ATM withdrawals!