Money
April 18, 2010
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,117
Money
I'm posting today to tell you guys about a majorly amazing thing sobriety (and by extension, all YOU all here at SR 
) helped me accomplish.
Part of what made me accept that my life had gone to shambles because of alcohol was my financial mess, which I kept almost entirely secret during my drinking years. Finally it got to a point where it couldn't be ignored any longer. My credit cards were close to maxed out and there were no resources to tap.
When I was drinking, my mentality was absurd. I'd go to a bar and often leave having spent $60, $70 just for my own drinks (and sometimes more when I decided I wanted to buy everyone a round, naturally), a lot of money for someone with my salary. Even though I tried to be a budget drunk, I was still burning up money on drinking cheap booze at home every evening too. At the end of the month, when I would invariably be broke, I'd charge things like groceries on my credit cards. "You have to eat," I'd tell myself. "It's not a good thing to put money on your credit card, but this is for FOOD." It seems hilarious now, of course, that I could be so delusional. Add to this that there were periods where I was such a mess that I couldn't bring myself to open bills . . . and yep, you better believe it that those cards had skyrocketing interest.
Yesterday afternoon I paid off my balance on the last credit card (there were three). I have $0 in credit card debt today. Part of that has been straight off paid off, but I'm not entirely free of debt. Part of my solution was to obtain a (government, not evil bank) loan with a MUCH lower interest rate (I'm talking a third) which required the patience and paperwork skills that entirely eluded me when I was drinking. To give you the scope of things, here's how it looks now: paying even less than my old monthly payments, I'll pay off my debt within four years, and accumulate the same amount of interest over those entire four years that I would have been accumulating in just ONE year--without paying down my balance AT ALL--when I was just making my old minimum payments. If that's not something to wrap your head around, I don't know what is.
On top of this, I have accumulated NO extra debt in that past 9+ months of my sobriety. (At the rate I was going last year, I would have been several thousand more in the hole had I not quit.) I'm also working up a modest savings.
I'd be lying if I didn't admit to feeling "chuffed" as the Brits say. But I owe this to sobriety. I also want to thank all of you here for helping so much. SR is my primary form of support and it is invaluable to learn about our shared experiences. The intangible rewards of sobriety are even greater than money, but sometimes these things are intertwined. I used to wake up in a panic in the middle of the night worrying about how I was going to pay the rent. Sobriety has in a very real way made that stop, and given me peace. I'm not rich, and I likely never will be if I continue with my chosen career, but I'm able to manage what money I do have and that is worth more than any dollar amount you can put on it.
I've always been told it's crass to talk about money, but I know many people here may have had similar secrets and problems related to drinking. I hope if you read this today you will be encouraged, and I'd love to hear about other people's experiences with this.
Have a great day everyone!
) helped me accomplish. Part of what made me accept that my life had gone to shambles because of alcohol was my financial mess, which I kept almost entirely secret during my drinking years. Finally it got to a point where it couldn't be ignored any longer. My credit cards were close to maxed out and there were no resources to tap.
When I was drinking, my mentality was absurd. I'd go to a bar and often leave having spent $60, $70 just for my own drinks (and sometimes more when I decided I wanted to buy everyone a round, naturally), a lot of money for someone with my salary. Even though I tried to be a budget drunk, I was still burning up money on drinking cheap booze at home every evening too. At the end of the month, when I would invariably be broke, I'd charge things like groceries on my credit cards. "You have to eat," I'd tell myself. "It's not a good thing to put money on your credit card, but this is for FOOD." It seems hilarious now, of course, that I could be so delusional. Add to this that there were periods where I was such a mess that I couldn't bring myself to open bills . . . and yep, you better believe it that those cards had skyrocketing interest.
Yesterday afternoon I paid off my balance on the last credit card (there were three). I have $0 in credit card debt today. Part of that has been straight off paid off, but I'm not entirely free of debt. Part of my solution was to obtain a (government, not evil bank) loan with a MUCH lower interest rate (I'm talking a third) which required the patience and paperwork skills that entirely eluded me when I was drinking. To give you the scope of things, here's how it looks now: paying even less than my old monthly payments, I'll pay off my debt within four years, and accumulate the same amount of interest over those entire four years that I would have been accumulating in just ONE year--without paying down my balance AT ALL--when I was just making my old minimum payments. If that's not something to wrap your head around, I don't know what is.
On top of this, I have accumulated NO extra debt in that past 9+ months of my sobriety. (At the rate I was going last year, I would have been several thousand more in the hole had I not quit.) I'm also working up a modest savings.
I'd be lying if I didn't admit to feeling "chuffed" as the Brits say. But I owe this to sobriety. I also want to thank all of you here for helping so much. SR is my primary form of support and it is invaluable to learn about our shared experiences. The intangible rewards of sobriety are even greater than money, but sometimes these things are intertwined. I used to wake up in a panic in the middle of the night worrying about how I was going to pay the rent. Sobriety has in a very real way made that stop, and given me peace. I'm not rich, and I likely never will be if I continue with my chosen career, but I'm able to manage what money I do have and that is worth more than any dollar amount you can put on it.
I've always been told it's crass to talk about money, but I know many people here may have had similar secrets and problems related to drinking. I hope if you read this today you will be encouraged, and I'd love to hear about other people's experiences with this.
Have a great day everyone!
Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: NJ
Posts: 20,458
when i first joined SR, I started a thread called "alcohol and your finances"...and there has been a lot of discussion about how much $$ is saved in sobriety.
You took it a step further in discussing the loan. CONGRATS on a great accomplishment and being able to process govt. paperwork.
I feel a great peace of mind and so much less anxiety when I pay my bills on time, save $$ and i've been making double principal payments on my mortgage since May, 2010. (sorry for the repeat news, but it still tickles me that i can do this).
i was the same when drinking, i never opened the bills..
You took it a step further in discussing the loan. CONGRATS on a great accomplishment and being able to process govt. paperwork.
I feel a great peace of mind and so much less anxiety when I pay my bills on time, save $$ and i've been making double principal payments on my mortgage since May, 2010. (sorry for the repeat news, but it still tickles me that i can do this).
i was the same when drinking, i never opened the bills..
Not waving, but drowning
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 423
I think it is very helpful to share the concrete details of your situation. For many of us newcomers there are a lot of inspirational stories about spirituality and feeling better, but sometimes those seem out of reach when you are newly sober and struggling.
Not to say that finances should be the deciding factor, but it doesn't hurt!
Thanks for writing.
D
Not to say that finances should be the deciding factor, but it doesn't hurt!
Thanks for writing.
D
April 18, 2010
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,117
Originally Posted by Danae 
I think it is very helpful to share the concrete details of your situation. For many of us newcomers there are a lot of inspirational stories about spirituality and feeling better, but sometimes those seem out of reach when you are newly sober and struggling.
Not to say that finances should be the deciding factor, but it doesn't hurt!
Thanks for writing.
D
Not to say that finances should be the deciding factor, but it doesn't hurt!
Thanks for writing.
D
Thanks guys!
bona fido dog-lover
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SF Bay area, CA
Posts: 99,759
I find it lovely and exciting to not be spending ten to thirty dollars a day on wine anymore. I can actually pay bills now. So my money goes further and I don't feel like sh!t every day!
I can actually pay bills now. So my money goes further and I don't feel like sh!t every day! 
Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Germany
Posts: 2,058
Thx for sharing AG....I definitely hear ya on the finance piece. Wow....it really is something to see just how amazing our lives are now - all around. Yeah the little things matter and not dropping endless bucks to get trashed - out or at home is a darn good feeling.
Heck I have aside from my student loans.....I have one credit card and I am debt free. May not have the greatest vehicle but it is runs, it is safe and it is PAID OFF.
Good stuff AG!!
Heck I have aside from my student loans.....I have one credit card and I am debt free. May not have the greatest vehicle but it is runs, it is safe and it is PAID OFF.
Good stuff AG!!
Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Redefining Happy
Posts: 2,085
Awesome AG, I really get a kick out of reading posts like this. I've noticed $$ benefits too since I've become sober. Not only from the savings from not buying a big bottle of wine every day, but more importantly, I have time at night now (since I'm not loaded) to really plan ahead and think about money, how to save it and how to spend smartly. That and I have time to really commit to my home based business. The future finally is looking good
Thanks for the share.
Thanks for the share.
Living In The Now
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Kent, England
Posts: 34
Thank you for post AG and congratulations on getting your finances in order. I enjoy reading your post as having entered early recovery I have a rather large debt that I have to pay off. Luckily my dad paid off the loan companies (short term loans with high interest) and I now have to pay the remaining balance to him. I paid off my last loan with a company several weeks ago.
My dad now has control of my bank cards and I am only allowed cash for tobacco. Luckily I still have work and am paying off my debt to my dad steadily at about £2/300 a month. You're post showed that is possible to sort yourself out financially and once my debts have been payed off I am looking forward to financial freedom in my sobriety.
Tom
x
My dad now has control of my bank cards and I am only allowed cash for tobacco. Luckily I still have work and am paying off my debt to my dad steadily at about £2/300 a month. You're post showed that is possible to sort yourself out financially and once my debts have been payed off I am looking forward to financial freedom in my sobriety.
Tom
x
Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: NJ
Posts: 20,458
What i notice is that my CASH lasts a lot longer....i always have $$ in my wallet (even with gas at $3.09 a gallon here).
for any newcomers who need an additional boost, calculate honestly just how much you were spending on booze and related purchases....you will be shocked....if you can save that $$ even just for a month in a separate area....some folks have made a major purchase, many choose to apply it to bills...whatever you do it is win for you and your sobriety....
I was a cheap drunk, but $40-50.00 a week sure adds up during the month...and it is the price of cable, phone, internet service, or the gas/electric bill....(if i'm sober I have the opportunity to put in more hours at work and be paid more, which can be about $200-300 a week for me)...when i was drinking i blew off this opportunity to make more $$....in this economy, i should not turn down the opportunity to make additional income.
for any newcomers who need an additional boost, calculate honestly just how much you were spending on booze and related purchases....you will be shocked....if you can save that $$ even just for a month in a separate area....some folks have made a major purchase, many choose to apply it to bills...whatever you do it is win for you and your sobriety....
I was a cheap drunk, but $40-50.00 a week sure adds up during the month...and it is the price of cable, phone, internet service, or the gas/electric bill....(if i'm sober I have the opportunity to put in more hours at work and be paid more, which can be about $200-300 a week for me)...when i was drinking i blew off this opportunity to make more $$....in this economy, i should not turn down the opportunity to make additional income.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: New England
Posts: 5,285
Thanks for the inspirational post AG!!!
I also didn't open bills...lol...I didn't realize that was a common thread here!!! I was hemoraghing money. I've stopped the flood of money out the doors and implemented a few things to start climbing back out of the hole. As you said, I am sober enough to deal with this now...it took me a few months before I could actually confront it though.
It's going to be a long hard climb for me, but reading a post like yours gives me hope that it can be done!
Thanks and congrats...you deserve to be chuffed.
P.S. - I was also raised to believe it's crass to talk about money but this is an anonymous forum so certain rules of etiquette don't apply...lol!
I also didn't open bills...lol...I didn't realize that was a common thread here!!! I was hemoraghing money. I've stopped the flood of money out the doors and implemented a few things to start climbing back out of the hole. As you said, I am sober enough to deal with this now...it took me a few months before I could actually confront it though.
It's going to be a long hard climb for me, but reading a post like yours gives me hope that it can be done!
Thanks and congrats...you deserve to be chuffed.
P.S. - I was also raised to believe it's crass to talk about money but this is an anonymous forum so certain rules of etiquette don't apply...lol!
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