The Giving Up/ Cutting Down alcohol support thread - number 13

debjay

9/29 for tonight please.

AlexLK

+1 for this evening.

satchmo1

9/29 AFDs tonight. Lent starts tomorrow, and I always find that it's never as hard for me to give things up for Lent because I'm not doing it purely for myself.


I do subscribe to the view that alongside "giving something up" it is important to "give service" i.e. do something positive, like donate suspended coffees or pass useful items to relevant charities (food for Foodbanks, duvets to homeless refuges, fill a handbag with ladies' personal items for Helping Handbags (look for it on Facebook, it's a fab idea). The money not spent on booze can offset costs.

cathybird

maggiesoup1 wrote: »

Back on safer territory today now that I've not drank for 3 nights. Although Wednesday is looming, and that's where I seem to fall down if I give myself a good enough excuse. I'll be AF tonight so 5/15 please Shaggy

Would be interesting to hear people's comments on the following. I went shopping today and bought my (once weekly - now fortnightly) litre of Bicardi from a well known supermarket who usually always have spirits (and lots of wine) on some sort of discount deal. I paid £18.

I'm fortunate enough to be able to afford to pay this (even the full price of £23 if they ever charged that) but it would really make me think long and hard about buying it if the Government increased the price substantially (like they did with cigarettes, which thankfully I gave up 25 years ago. I'm sure, especially here in Scotland, where we have a seriously bad relationship with the demon drink, it might work. It would hack people off initially but then if it stopped the likes of me buying it because "its so cheap" then hopefully the end result is a success? I know the argument is that it's not fair to people who drink in moderation, and I shouldn't compare cigarettes with alcohol as no cigarette is ever good for you.

Sorry for wittering on but I really would like to hear your thoughts.

Hope you are OK Poppety, we haven't heard from you for a while?

In Norway alcohol was made incredibly expensive in an effort to stop people drinking so much but not sure it has worked completely - still a lot of alcoholism there, if I recall rightly. I'll look it up. I'm sure the fact that some alcohol is ultra-cheap here in the UK does not help at all though.

cathybird

Honey_Bear wrote: »

Lucky, lucky you! Swapping drinks worked short term for me but after a while even that stopped being effective, although wine always seemed by far the most tempting.

Honey Bear, I used to find wine incredibly tempting and in fact in one job I left over a decade ago my leaving card was adorned with a pic of me downing a glass of chardonnay and lots of references to how much I liked the stuff!! :eek: Maybe should have taken this as a hint??? ... But over the years I've grown to prefer spirits and in fact I cannot remember when I last drank a glass of white! I don't find spirits make me quite as sluggish in general and can control myself with them better, but that's not to say I haven't overdone it on spirits many a time (whisky especially).

Now on my 3rd AFD in a row and feeling good

Honey_Bear

shaggydoo wrote: »

button

My artisitic abilities aren't up to it, but if anyone could hang an 'Out of Order' notice on that button, it would sum up my situation perfectly!

Sandypan wrote: »

7/21 for tonight please.

Had a few drinks Saturday and Sunday but slept really badly and regretted it in the morning. As today is shrove Tuesday I am considering giving up alcohol completely for Lent!!

Ooooh, let us know how it goes, Sandypan!

I just don't know enough about alcohol pricing, Maggie's Soup, other than to say if all of the extra taxation were collected and funnelled straight into the health service and the police to clear up the excesses, I can't say I'd be 100% against it.

However, when the price of cigarettes started going stupid I just hopped on to a ferry to France and bought them on board, then had a lovely time over there for a day and came back. The saved duty paid for the day trip for the two of us and included the car. When I eventually stopped I can honestly say price had absolutely nothing to do with it. I'd have paid whatever it cost to keep smoking, at the expense of everything else in those days. The fags came first, basically.

10/29 please, Shaggy.

smiley_77

maggiesoup1 wrote: »

Would be interesting to hear people's comments on the following. I went shopping today and bought my (once weekly - now fortnightly) litre of Bicardi from a well known supermarket who usually always have spirits (and lots of wine) on some sort of discount deal. I paid £18.

I'm fortunate enough to be able to afford to pay this (even the full price of £23 if they ever charged that) but it would really make me think long and hard about buying it if the Government increased the price substantially (like they did with cigarettes, which thankfully I gave up 25 years ago. I'm sure, especially here in Scotland, where we have a seriously bad relationship with the demon drink, it might work. It would hack people off initially but then if it stopped the likes of me buying it because "its so cheap" then hopefully the end result is a success? I know the argument is that it's not fair to people who drink in moderation, and I shouldn't compare cigarettes with alcohol as no cigarette is ever good for you.

Sorry for wittering on but I really would like to hear your thoughts.

MaggieSoup I think that people will drink whatever price it is. Some of my friends forrage for fruit and make homebrew. Other people might just take to stealing it whilst others will just drink whatever is cheapest. I can see why the government are doing it and teenage drinkers wont be able to afford it. But they can always spare 3 quid for White Lightening or equivalent. Maybe the government should look at why people drink in the first place rather than hoiking up the price.

From a personal point of view I stopped going out and just drank at home when I couldn't go out. I was still drinking too much but without a long wait in a taxi queue with a cold pizza.

Barny1979

8 and 9 out of 24 for yesterday and today

maman

maggiesoup1 wrote: »

Would be interesting to hear people's comments on the following. I went shopping today and bought my (once weekly - now fortnightly) litre of Bicardi from a well known supermarket who usually always have spirits (and lots of wine) on some sort of discount deal. I paid £18.

I'm fortunate enough to be able to afford to pay this (even the full price of £23 if they ever charged that) but it would really make me think long and hard about buying it if the Government increased the price substantially (like they did with cigarettes, which thankfully I gave up 25 years ago. I'm sure, especially here in Scotland, where we have a seriously bad relationship with the demon drink, it might work. It would hack people off initially but then if it stopped the likes of me buying it because "its so cheap" then hopefully the end result is a success? I know the argument is that it's not fair to people who drink in moderation, and I shouldn't compare cigarettes with alcohol as no cigarette is ever good for you.

Sorry for wittering on but I really would like to hear your thoughts.

Hope you are OK Poppety, we haven't heard from you for a while?

Like you Maggie, I'm in a position to be able to afford what I drink but I believe that if alcohol prices go up it will be a tax on the poor.


I watched a programme last night about families on benefits who were given £26 000 each to try to sort their lives out. The idea is that they will come off benefits, start up businesses and become independent. Sadly I suspect that the programme makers think there may be entertainment in being judgemental and watching them fail.


Inevitably some started off by having a few treats which for one family was a roast for Sunday lunch at home and a few drinks to go with it. I watched with some amusement as they had a bottle of Bacardi, a few cans and a bottle of wine on the table. The 'dad' had two glasses (one Bacardi and one beer) on the go at the same time:D. They were having a great time and it made me sad that something I take for granted was such an enormous treat for them.


So I think it would be unfair to penalise the poor who maybe have a drink once a week when those making the rules can probably afford whatever they want. I'd rather efforts were put into why people drink so tackling the disease not tinkering with the symptoms.


jumps off soapbox:o.


Not sure what I'm doing tonight. I'll report back later.:)

shaggydoo

Afternoon :hello:

1 more AFD for yesterday.



Shaggyx