January's Big Financial Freeze!!!

poodlegal

Yes, i've decided to stop drinking. New Years eve was my last drink and i'm determined to only drink very occassionally if at all. My husband and I are the type who tend to crack open a bottle of red (or 2) about 3/4 times a week when the kids are in bed. Doesnt seem much but sure adds up. DH is away working for a few months so its a good opportunity to crack the habit. We are going away in May with a group though that will be hard, BUT its been bugging me for a while for a few reasons not just £ and I have been surprised how people dont like it...? I assumed most would be supportive but i'm getting mixed responses.

mayfair1985

citizenkitten wrote: »

how many meals do you eat a day? You say you eat a lot, we dont. on weekdays i generally only eat supper. (no i am not a stick insect, i have a very time consuming job) but we dont do anything really exciting on weekends either and center most things around eating food

I eat 3, well porridge for brekkie, something ricey and hm for lunch and then dinner. OH does sandwiches for lunch and then dinner. and 3 at the weekends, sometimes 4 depending on how long I run for on a sunday :eek:

And JBFF'ers forgive me for I will sin.... We do blow out on one takeaway a month. Usually between £20-25. I know but some things i just miss too much if they are not there at all... we used to do it every sunday so it is an improvement!

Regarding the boozing comment as well, I'm so glad it's not just my 'friends' that give me a hard time if i'm not drinking...... I've always found it hard to understand.... I mean how, exactly does it affect you if I'm not having a drink tonight?

abundant1972

Hi Everyone!!!

Wow - gym... food... looks like people are off to a very health conscious start to the New Year <discreetly kicks HUGE tin of Heroes under the desk> Me too <blatant lie!>... soon...

Hope everyone is feeling better soon too. Am all recovered from my man flu now and feeling much better!!! I used steam inhalation of essential oils and that seemed to help loads (+ cough mixture + flu capsules + fruit + pizza + ice cream ha ha!!!>

Had a planned spend day today for lunch and one tomorrow for a night out - but forgot my wallet so a colleague had to pay... so am counting as a NSD - and bonus - will see her tomorrow so will pay her back then and only use up one day as a spend day (I didn't plan it like that - honest!!!).

Today = NSD number 3

Managed to get in a few hours overtime as we've been really busy too... could have done more but my brain was in danger of melting!!!

Feeling very positive and upbeat!!! Have the weekend off - but am going to route out some paperwork to fill in that will clear me to do extra shifts later on in the year. Been putting it off for months - as secretly would rather lounge around at home doing sweet F.A - but - New Year - and I have a mission that isn't going to clear itself through me being a lazy git!!!...

Catch you soon peeps!!!

:cool:

searching_me

kitten ninja style non drinking tips???? im very intrigued ...

i notice i just dont bother going out to my friends a lot if im on a health kick ive given up smoking and pretty much all my friends smoke (day number 4 woo) and most my friend socialise by drinking and i can neither afford it or want to have it if im on a diet ...

OH does smoke so it makes it harder but i cant force him to quit and i dont have smoking in the house ... so its the best i can do ...

not knowing whats in takeaways really helps not getting them as they can upset me the only thing i can have is fish and chips and admitly i had one on NYE ...

i have my NYRs so im sticking to stuff until i meet them ... my problems always never been reaching its been maintaining them ..

sorry went off on a ramble ...

tomorrow is a work day ... so work then home to to leftover meatballs x

mumsiemum

Hiya

A planned spend day for me today, food, fuel (Sig updated) and a printer! (budgeted spend)

Hope all the poorlies start to feel better soon x

p0lly

Good evening all just checking in with NSD 4 all is going well. Everyone at work seems to have spent up and has no money left for sales thank goodness we can talk about something else now and I wont be tempted.
On the no drinking I gave up a couple of years ago and my friends really did get upset about it and took it personally I dont know why. However, I just quietly stuck to it I still go on nights out but often drive now so they dont mind so much Saves us all money.
I also discovered I can have a really great time without drinking. So much so I have been accused of being absolutely sloshed when I had not had a drop. love p0lly x

citizenkitten

purplejay- hope you dont mind me asking, but i thought vegetarians dont normally eat eggs? i have only known a few people who are veggies and never cooked them anything with eggs.

abundant - glad to hear you are much better, hey when we are ill, we need ill food and that means ice creams and other such goodies.

mayfair - then i would say your budget is good if you eat 2.5 meals a day on average! plus obviously you excersize a lot.

poodlegal, mayfair, searching, p0lly & others who are thinking of giving up the booze or detoxing for longer than a month.

GREAT
at this time of year, next time you go out with friends make a massive announcement, I am planning to not to drink or reduce my drink intake to X as my resolution not for just this year but for my life, i thank you for your support right now for the future because i know you will help me do it.

buy the drinks - that way you dont have to tell anyone your order

skip rounds and buy your own drink, if people ask what you are drinking just say, got a headache so lemonade for me.
OR when you go the bathroom get your drink on the way back and just pretend, etc.

My fav - I have a drs appointment, if friends look concerned, just say routine but i need to lay off it. Don’t say when you have the drs appointment, just say sorry got a drs appointment.

Sorry but I have too many bad habits, this is a personal journey for me.

I have made a pact with X to do it.

I am driving

My work does or has started random breathlisers for presence of alcohol (luckily mine does )

My other fav - I dont like the taste

3rd fav - since my X birthday, i dont know why but you know it really doesnt agree with me, really gives me grieve (not technically a lie since I turned 19 I just decided drinking wasnt for me)

I am doing the sponsored dryathon for cancer research (actually exists so maybe a good thing to do anyway)

You know how many calories is in your small glass of wine ?? id rather eat chocolate.

Wine
Standard 175ml glass of wine
13%
134

Large 250ml glass of wine
13%
191 (almost a tenth of a women's calorie allowance!)

750ml bottle of wine
13%
573


at house parties, dinner soirees etc
To avoid alcohol, literally as you are greeted, say sorry I am dying for the bathroom, lovely to meet you and dash straight there. Normally no one is so rude that they would hold you up to ask you about a drink when your half running towards said bathroom. Then come out and immediately help yourself to a drink, if you cant do that, then take a glass, pour away in kitchen/bathroom, get stash out or find alternative drink.


Unfortunately unlike smoking, not drinking is a pariah social thing to do. I know it sounds all a bit SAS here, but trust me 3 years of not drinking and 7 of not really drinking, I have yet to find it not amazingly annoying/awkward when with new/old people.

NinjaSavingKat

Good Evening one and all!!

Well now doesn't this thread move along fast eh?.. a few points stood out for me....MancMan you crack me up... my ex used to come home with a couple of tub's of Ben and Jerry's and eat one while I as making dinner. Then polish off dinner as well...

Poodle - I don't drink and have always found people feel uneasy around the non-drinker. You will remember everything the next day, you make them feel guilty for drinking too much and make them look at themselves and their own rate of drinking - something people never like.

If you're friends are used to you always drinking they certainly won't appreciate you giving up.. they may accuse you of "thinking you are something special " ( I have heard this said to someone ), they might give you abuse along the lines of "you only live once what harm will it do" etc.... real friends will let you get on with it and appreciate your presence not your sobriety or lack of....

I refuse to spend my money on alcohol and won't let people buy me a drink because it might assume a drink of an alcoholic nature is returned... I hate drunk people and leave before those that get drunk are obliterated. I think people assume you are a little "high and mighty".. when you don't drink....I get that a lot and find people shut down and become a bit "sniffy" when they realise you don't drink.. worse when a bar tender puts your drink ( apple juice ) in a tumbler like your 8 years old..:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:..I have taken to asking for a wine glass..half apple / half lemonade.. looks like wine if I am not in the mood for explanations.

But yes you can see this subject gets my goat!!!:mad: Why should you do something just to make other people feel comfortable.. you want to look after your health and you bank balance. Stick to your guns girl!!!...

Searching - I do the same. I have goals so I just stay home and get things done. I am proud of you day 4 with no ciggies.. I am on no sugar month and have so far been able to resist the leftover 1.5L of ice cream in my freezer and NO TEA FOR 4 DAYS!!!!!( I can't drink it without sugar ):T:T:T

So... that is my little NSK rant for the day over. I think my little head is back to normal.... as good as it can be. Church tomorrow followed by **hopefully** food at my friends house, then cinema with a girlfriend (Skyfall) then catch up with a friend...some of you may know of Geordie Boy..ahem.....

Sunday I have overtime at 0700 ( lovely first thing on a Sunday as its quiet ).. then the cinema again (Pitch Perfect ). You'd almost think I didn't have a life.....:T:T:T:T:T

Oh the joys of actually getting out and about.. I still intend them to be NSD's...

Kittens I am very proud of your progress..keep up the good work..and remember... I am always watching! :rotfl:

Onwards and Upwards!!!

mayfair1985

Kat - take good care of yourself if you're under the weather this weekend xx

I like the ninja stealth teetotal tips. Most of my lot have got used to me not drinking as much as I used too but I'll certainly be taking a few of those on board!!

Had some eBay finish tonight bumping up my earned total. I've got a total of 11 up but they are all re lists. Honestly think I'll be lucky if any sell! I'm running out of carp to sell now! Unfortunately work have announced that all overtime stops today. I never did a massive amount but it all helps bit gutted. Got a sack of clothes that are not eBay worthy, there's one of those cash for clothes shop places near us, thinking of taking it there tomorrow. Anyone had any luck with them before?

Mancman86

I think the buying goodies - then eating all your meal is a man thing all my mates do the same too. When I go to my mums house I go straight to the fridge to see what goodies she has in there even if its 10 mins before dinner.
OH bought us a Takeaway tonight with her winnings from a work prize draw thing. It's easy to give up sugary rubbish food when not at home or work but the temptation can sometimes take over. Going for a bike ride in the morning so I can remember how to ride to prepare for my ride to work next week 12.4mile round trip.