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Determined to quit.......Diet Coke and save along the way

cherrylips30
cherrylips30 Posts: 82 Forumite
edited 25 June 2009 at 2:18PM in Debt-free wannabe
Okay, so not a good start, i've just lost the original post:mad:

I am starting to save money for the first time in my life. So, looking at my spending diary, believe it or not I am spending £480 per year on Diet Coke:eek:.

And so, i'm here to ask for your support in giving it (Diet Coke) up. I drink 2-3 (500ml) bottles eack weekday. Apart from it not doing my insides or my teeth any good, I'd rather see that money going into my savings account, do you want to join me? Have you got one thing you need to give up that will save you a small fortune over 12 months? I'd love to hear from you - I need someone to keep me on the straight and narrow!!

I'm going to buy a can tomorrow - last one - I promise! Enjoy it, wash it out, and stand it on my desk at work, then use it as a piggybank - putting into it the £2 I would normally spend each day, then when it's full, bank the money.......and maybe treat myself - I know i'm supposed to be saving!!:o

See I need help, any advice gratefully received.
Thanks for reading xx
Remember how far you've come, not just how far you have to go.
You are not where you want to be, but neither are you where you used to be. {Rick Warren}
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Comments

  • I have the same addiction! :o I think it's a wee crutch - I know I need to lose weight so I don't allow myself chocolate when I'm stressed/unhappy..but Diet Coke is sweet, has no calories and so I kid myself it's ok....but each wee bottle is around £1 now so it quickly adds up...and the damage it has done over the years (I'm 31) means I need £1,000 dentistry work on my two front teeth...the Diet Coke has led to the enamel wearing away. Very painful at times and embarrassing. Having been made redundant it'll be a while before I can afford the repairs so I'll definitely join you on your quest to stop the dreaded Diet Coke!!!!! :beer:
    "I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together." Marilyn Monroe
  • Thank you AlwaysWorking and Scary! I'm 31 too - maybe it's something to do with our birth year lol

    Sorry to hear you've been made redundant, hopefully it wont be too long before you're back on your feet, with new teeth and without the habit!

    I'm not sure why it's my drink of choice - other than I like the fizz - but i've tried fizzy water, and it just doesnt hit the mark......
    Remember how far you've come, not just how far you have to go.
    You are not where you want to be, but neither are you where you used to be. {Rick Warren}
  • Ooohh best of luck to you both! I'm also a diet coke addict and have no idea why. I'm pretty sure I don't go a day without it and I don't think I could! I hope it goes well. Maybe I'll join you one day in the future!
  • Paolo_H_UK
    Paolo_H_UK Posts: 13 Forumite
    Good luck to you. We have a vending machine with all sorts of goodies/rubbish (delete as appropriate) at work. Coke, diet coke, chocolate crisps etc. Since I've started budgeting and taking my finances seriously I've completely stopped going and instead go to the water cooler five times a day. As well as doing wonders for my pocket (saving about £7 a week) I've also lost a similar amount in weight - a double-edged sword.

    And, to be honest, I've not missed them either.

    Hope you succeed in overcoming your Diet Coke addiction.
    LBM: April 2009

    DMP Start Date With CCCS: August 2009
    DMP support thread member: 325
  • If I could stop buying coffee everyday I'd save a small fortune too.....I'm not sure I could BUT I'll be prepared to try though...if i could stop I'd save around £530 a year!!
    Virtual Sealed Pot challenge #48
    Sealed Pot Challenge- #729
  • Hi Lanieloola,
    Hi Paola_H_UK,
    Hi ferriswheeljunkie

    ~waves~

    Welcome aboard if you're joining me on this journey.......maybe next time if you're not..

    As another incentive I've put a very dirty 2p coin into a cup of Diet Coke to see what happens, I suspect it will come out nice and shiny - giving an indication of what it is stripping away when I drink it!! I rememeber school doing something similar to a piece of cooked meat in a jar of cider - apparently it was supposed to discourage us from experimenting with alcohol - suffice to say it worked (well, as far as cider went anyway!)

    I've also used the demotivator tool on here today - if i drank DC everyday, throughout my working life, it would cost me (without inflation) £22,500!!!!!

    Think of the shoes I could buy with that!!! Or handbags, or holidays, or Tiffany trinkets........
    Remember how far you've come, not just how far you have to go.
    You are not where you want to be, but neither are you where you used to be. {Rick Warren}
  • Paolo_H_UK
    Paolo_H_UK Posts: 13 Forumite
    Think of the shoes I could buy with that!!! Or handbags, or holidays, or Tiffany trinkets........

    Well...there's the incentive :rolleyes: And you won't need to wear false teeth :D
    LBM: April 2009

    DMP Start Date With CCCS: August 2009
    DMP support thread member: 325
  • MellyB_2
    MellyB_2 Posts: 262 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    Okay, so not a good start, i've just lost the original post:mad:

    I am starting to save money for the first time in my life. So, looking at my spending diary, believe it or not I am spending £480 per year on Diet Coke:eek:.

    And so, i'm here to ask for your support in giving it (Diet Coke) up. I drink 2-3 (500ml) bottles eack weekday. Apart from it not doing my insides or my teeth any good, I'd rather see that money going into my savings account, do you want to join me? Have you got one thing you need to give up that will save you a small fortune over 12 months? I'd love to hear from you - I need someone to keep me on the straight and narrow!!

    I'm going to buy a can tomorrow - last one - I promise! Enjoy it, wash it out, and stand it on my desk at work, then use it as a piggybank - putting into it the £2 I would normally spend each day, then when it's full, bank the money.......and maybe treat myself - I know i'm supposed to be saving!!:o

    See I need help, any advice gratefully received.
    Thanks for reading xx

    Hello Cherrylips!

    Good luck with your diet coke challenge - maybe I should attempt that with crisps and chocolate!!

    x
  • One day at a time.

    Good luck.

    :beer:
    Living Sober.

    Some methods A.A. members have used for not drinking.

    "A simple book for complicated people"
  • Hi MellyB
    Hi RecoveringAlcoholic

    Indeed, step by step.....I just hope I dont replace one addiction with another.

    I'm also hoping that i'll lose a bit of weight through not consuming so many sweeteners, would definately be a bonus.

    Reading my last post back, I think I could find a much more worthy cause than baubles for myself....will have to think of something a little more thoughtful. :o
    Remember how far you've come, not just how far you have to go.
    You are not where you want to be, but neither are you where you used to be. {Rick Warren}
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