How Much Can You Really Save By Giving Up Alcohol ?
Sometimes there’s no better feeling than reaching for a large glass of red after a hard days graft. But what if I told you that cutting out booze for just one month could save you around £80! Now I know you all love a good saving, but is this a sacrifice you’re willing to make?
Well I’ve been doing some research of my own and think I can help you out with that decision. Alcohol consumption can cost the average person £1,000s a year! And thats before all of the added extras that go alongside your weekly booze binge. Add on to that your taxi money, the new outfit you have to go out and buy every week since you can’t be pictured in the same thing twice, and the greasy food you go mad for that you think’s a great idea at the time. Yes, we’ve all been there and it all adds up!
One of my followers Sophie Young, a 24 year old mother of one who decided to take part in dry January earlier this year, says she’s now considering making it a full time lifestyle choice.
She says: ‘I was pretty against giving up alcohol for a month when my friend first approached me about dry January I’m not going to lie. I used to crave my large glass of wine after a long hard day, and my Saturday night out at the end of the week. Now after three weeks completely sober I’m already seeing the benefits to my bank balance! With a holiday coming up in the summer I need all the extra savings I can get and I’d definitely recommend giving it a go.’
Sophie’s not the only one, on New Years Day tens of thousands of others pledged to quit alcohol, some of us even raising money for charity at the same time!
Sophie says: ‘I’ve decided to start saving for a new television with the money I’d otherwise be spending on my nights out and bottles of wine. After seeing the benefits to my bank balance, and of course to my health, I feel like giving up ‘hangover Sundays’ forever now!’
Think of all the things we can achieve without a hangover! The possibilities are endless. But on a more serious note if you gave up drink for a year, you could save enough for a six- island Caribbean cruise (£749) or a 48-inch HD TV (£700)!
Now I know we all have different drinking habits. So heres some tools to help you work out what you can save:
AlcoDroid Alcohol Tracker Android App
For those of you who’ve ‘accidently’ missed out on Dry January, then don’t worry you’ve got plenty of time to prepare yourselves for Sober October! Every day that you don’t buy alcohol, put the money you would have spent into a savings jar. At the end of the month, put the cash into a special savings account that is for holidays or a car or something you really want. Seeing the money mount up will help keep you off the booze!
I hope this has helped some of you who might of been considering doing dry January next year, or motivated the ones who actually took the plunge! Let me know how you get on.
