ThirstForLife

I give myself rewards when I dont drink. I think of the money I spend per day on average on alcohol(adding bar time also) which is around 140 dollars/week...so roughly 20 a day. And I say to myself that I am going to spend that money and treat myself to a nice steak or a nice meal ordering out....instead of just saving it. I look at it as money I would have spent on drinking and think by rewarding myself I will beat the addiction. While it seems to work because when I would get hammered and I would make a dinner that consisted of....say... mixing mac and cheese with tunafish and couldnt careless...I was drunk and anything would do...I find buying or cooking a nice meal makes me feel better about quitting. Problem is...I would like to save that money...it averages out to almost 5500 a year and 20 bucks every night for dinner or whatever meal is not the way to go. I feel like the rat in the maze that needs the piece of cheese at the end to be happy.

Dee74

I gave myself rewards for a little while - then I realised I didn't really need them...being sober and living life became more and more it's own reward.

What about trying to limit yourself to one $20 reward - be it dinner a movie, a CD or whatever - a week?

D

trachemys

Go start a new savings account. Put that money away and make plans for it.

Oroszlan

I am rewarding myself one day a week. If I want to eat out or buy something for $20 I think it will keep me motivated during this beginning of sober living.

Pondlady

I gave myself rewards too when I first stopped.....pedicure, earrings, sandals etc. It made me feel good Nine months later I still treat myself sometimes, but feel better about paying bills or saving the money. My biggest reward is feeling good!

Anna

Yes, like others have said, I did the reward thing for awhile and it was nice.

But, it's nice to think of long-term rewards too. How about saving some money for a vacation or a special concert?

Paddler

At $10 for a good 6 pack or $15 for a good bottle of wine... Having two each night of the week... Add in drinks out... Other drinks or liquor... It added up. I am justifying (if I reach my goal by then) buying a new stand up paddle board before a trip in May. The cost of that board won't even touch two months of my drinking money...

I think life's rewards will be awesome enough; but I think quitting drinking might spark new hobbies, renew old interests, or open new talents. I think one is more than justified to splurge as a reward from time to time... Be it a new instrument, a trip, a pair of shoes,... Or a paddle board.

Zebra1275

How long have you been sober? This sounds like a great idea in early sobriety, but after a period of time the power of that reward is going to wear off. I don't know that you would want to keep this up forever, finding less materialistic ways to reinforce yourself would be good.

Natom

I agree with zebra. I rewarded myself in early recovery. I bought some new trainers at 6 months. Had some nice meals. But eventually the importance of these rewards wears off. I now out money into a savings account and now have a relatively healthy balance. I focus on the long term things now and I'm on about 10 months.

Natom

FeelingGreat

I figure I've saved $2-3K in a year and it's going towards a car. But I have felt ok about buying the occasional treat because I have more money in my purse.
Same goes for calories.

avocado

i've been eating a lot of sushi and i bought myself a new guitar effect pedal

misspond

If you can shift the feeling you get when you reward yourself with something physical to the feeling you get when you put the money into savings then you'll do better at saving maybe

I love saving money - as well as saving what I've not spent on drinking this week I've spent the last 14 months saving the money I would have been spending on smoking and every time I think about buying myself something and then decide not to I try an put that money into my savings account too. I am a freak though