Financial ruin
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Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 7
Financial ruin
My credit dropped about 200 points this past year due to long drinking binges, missing work, and eventually being fired. I know I have the rest of my life to rebuild that but it's overwhelming in early recovery. I *should* be happy and grateful that I'm even alive, but the financial stress is very difficult.
Member
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Atlanta GA
Posts: 14
Ive got 155k in student loans to go. Ill take your credit score any day!! Haha
Good luck though Wizard. I began keeping track of my finances on quickbooks, and wouldnt ya know it. 80% of my money goes to drinking or food while drinking.
Good luck though Wizard. I began keeping track of my finances on quickbooks, and wouldnt ya know it. 80% of my money goes to drinking or food while drinking.
Guest
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: NC
Posts: 1,462
I've messed up my finances as well. I used to be very financially secure and drinking has definitely taken it's toll. Makes me sick to my stomach. Definitely overwhelming in early recovery. But one thing is for sure - continuing to drink will only make it worse. Sobering up is the best step towards rebuilding for me.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Midwest
Posts: 9,029
Hi wizard. I had a ton of financial stress and I know how horribly awful it is. I am nowhere near being a financial genius, I'm a financial idiot in fact, but like Lisbon, once I stopped spending money on alcohol and things I purchased while under the influence that I didn't really need, I suddenly started to see improvement in the bank balance. I drank over being broke and was broke because I drank. Bad for the bottom line.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Gulf Coast, Florida USA
Posts: 5,731
bankruptsy here in 2008, drive a car with no payments, lost my home.
Have no credit cards. Kinda freeing. I only buy what I can afford and pay cash.
I don't live beyond my means. Little apt, less things to keep up.
Have no credit cards. Kinda freeing. I only buy what I can afford and pay cash.
I don't live beyond my means. Little apt, less things to keep up.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: UK
Posts: 6,902
I know what you mean... I have not had financial control for many many years despite having a good job, and my money always ran out well before the end of the month and I was always at the top of my large overdraft.... BUT ...
as one of my habits has been to completely avoid looking at my finances at all, it was an incredibly wonderful shock to me at the end of last month when (FORCED by circumstances and my partner to look at my bank balance) I found I was in the black. AT THE END OF THE MONTH!!!! This has been unheard of for the last twenty years (or more). I was astounded at how much difference living sober has made. I suppose it all adds up (money on booze; money buying stuff off e-bay when drunk; taxis home when you can't walk; takeaways when too drunk or hungover to cook).
I promise you - things can only get better financially while you are sober and can make wise choices and keep some control on things. Maybe try reflecting on it with the serenity prayer and think about what you can't control, and the things that you can control, and only use energy on the latter.
Wishing you luck and strength x
as one of my habits has been to completely avoid looking at my finances at all, it was an incredibly wonderful shock to me at the end of last month when (FORCED by circumstances and my partner to look at my bank balance) I found I was in the black. AT THE END OF THE MONTH!!!! This has been unheard of for the last twenty years (or more). I was astounded at how much difference living sober has made. I suppose it all adds up (money on booze; money buying stuff off e-bay when drunk; taxis home when you can't walk; takeaways when too drunk or hungover to cook).
I promise you - things can only get better financially while you are sober and can make wise choices and keep some control on things. Maybe try reflecting on it with the serenity prayer and think about what you can't control, and the things that you can control, and only use energy on the latter.
Wishing you luck and strength x
Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Scotland
Posts: 396
Money is always a worry. Good luck Wizard.
Finances are a major worry for me, Luckily I am sober just now and managing to try and sort it all out. Should take about 7 years to pay off my debts. I can only do this sober. I was a wreck coming off the drink a few days back, Thinking I was losing the house and failing to keep up my mortgage payments. I worked out talking to people helped. 4 days sober here today. Must keep focused.
Finances are a major worry for me, Luckily I am sober just now and managing to try and sort it all out. Should take about 7 years to pay off my debts. I can only do this sober. I was a wreck coming off the drink a few days back, Thinking I was losing the house and failing to keep up my mortgage payments. I worked out talking to people helped. 4 days sober here today. Must keep focused.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 38
To hell with credit scores. Don't even spend a moment's time worrying about that garbage. There are much more important things worthy of your attention. I used to play that game, and had a credit score of over 800, but suffered a loss of income in 2009 (thanks to a free-falling economy) and ended up losing my house to foreclosure, and my credit got hammered. I don't even know what my score is now, but get this- I DON'T CARE! I don't want to borrow money ever again. I live on a cash basis- if I don't have the money, then I don't buy it. I feel so free now. No credit cards, no debt, and I can do whatever the heck I want.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 7
Thanks for all the positive messages, everyone. This truly is a wonderful resourse. Dee, I have, my main problem though is my monthly expenses (student loans, rent, car, etc.) could all be paid every month with a little left over based on what I was making before I lost a great job due to drinking. Once that income is suddenly gone, the hole begins to pile up and quick.
Nothing to drink to though, I've learned that nothing is worth drinking over. It will only make things 1000 times worse when the drunken fog clears the next morning. And then I'll regret drinking so what will I do to ease the regret and anxiety? Drink again! And again.... Not this time, the cycle stopped for me in March, no matter how bad things get. Thanks again folks.
Nothing to drink to though, I've learned that nothing is worth drinking over. It will only make things 1000 times worse when the drunken fog clears the next morning. And then I'll regret drinking so what will I do to ease the regret and anxiety? Drink again! And again.... Not this time, the cycle stopped for me in March, no matter how bad things get. Thanks again folks.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 8,637
very common story.... to one extent or another, pretty much all of us who have struggled with addictions have left piles of financial ruination smoldering around us.
It can seem really daunting, even totally overwhelming. But if we focus on the Next Right Thing, stay sober, work on ourselves and chip away at what we can.... we rebuild. And, one day we look up and realize we're through it and things are better than ever.
Hang in there.
It can seem really daunting, even totally overwhelming. But if we focus on the Next Right Thing, stay sober, work on ourselves and chip away at what we can.... we rebuild. And, one day we look up and realize we're through it and things are better than ever.
Hang in there.
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