Catch 22!

MoneyWaster2007

Hi, i am a 23 yr old male and i live for the weekends. My whole wage each month is spent on going out drinking, and i am constantly borrowing money in order to go out. i hav tried to think of alternatives to going to the pub but i am not interested in anything else really. When i have to stay in for one reason or another i get really frustrated and feel as though i am missing out on a good time. i just cant find a solution its doin me head in. i would love to have a full wage to myself each month and save a bit here and there but with my current lifestyle this is virtually impossible. Can anyone help?

DIRTY_CASH

Been there done that. I would have rather have chewed my own feet off than stayed in a few years ago. Not being patronising but you will grow out of it. Get yourself the love of a good woman - that'll sort you out as I am sure you would find plenty to do!
Seriously, add up how much you spend over a month, then a year and work out what you could probably do with that kind of money. Work out what you can claw back by staying in just one day (assuming you were like me out Friday, Saturday and Sunday). I.e £40 per night out x 52 weeks - saving about £2000 per year! You must be roughly spending about £6,000 per year on the lash not including taxis and food, clothes to go out. £2000 aint bad is it!! Stay in on a Sunday or play footy with your mates etc. You could save £2000 each and go somewhere really great like Thailand, get a new car, save, pay off loans whatever etc by staying in for one night.

MoneyWaster2007

aha someone like me, ye i guess youre right i do need the love of a good woman to bring me down to earth. i cant stay out of the pub on a s unday because all of my mates are there and therefore i have noone to play footy with or do anything else but thanks for the advice ur right i should try stay in a t least one night when i would normally go out

LookingAhead

How about starting even smaller if you simply *have* to get out........when you go to the pub, how much do you normally drink?

How about you challenge yourself to drink one less pint (or whatever it is you drink) each night for a weekend, then cut it back by two the next..?

Do you always feel like cra p the next morning or are you one of the lucky b*ggers who doesn't suffer from hangovers yet?

As a previous weekend-a-holic, I can say that when debt finally forced me to stay in, the shock - then relief - of waking up with no hangover the first time was fantastic! lol - it still makes me smile now when I think about it!

MoneyWaster2007

thanks, not sure how much i drink though! i know its !!!! loads and ye i always feel like crap the morning after, especially at work on a monday, cant remember the last time i woke up sober on a weekend, bet its a good feelin though!

LookingAhead

I can't even *begin* to tell you what a good feeling it is.

Well then.....I challenge you to consciously go out with a maximum number of drinks to be had, the next time you go out. Because if you don't know how many you were having before, then it's gonna be a lot as you say.

Or take only a set amount of cash and NO bank card with you...? Or can you prep your friends to say NO if you ask them for a loan on the night?

I'm just trying to look at different ways you can tackle the issue as it's not always realistic to say "That's it I am not going out!"

Though that would obviously really help your finances!

LookingAhead

Maybe you could plan to do something on the Sunday morning (Ok...late morning if you like your lie ins!) and choose to stay in on the Saturday night...that way, no hangover and you get to enjoy the no hangover feeling to the max.

tealady

Or how about going out later? If you arrange to meet with your mates an hour later than they start drinking them that may save a bit. If you always go to a pub and are not too fussy where you drink then check out a Wetherspoons pub, they are usually a bit cheaper.

calleyw

if you don't do it for your wealth then do it for your health.

Binge drinking is not good for your body.

Why not drink a coke or a orange and soda water (about 30p a pint)every other drink better for your liver and kidneys and kinder on your wallet.

You don't say you are in debt or if you live at home. But you need to have the same sort of light bulb moment that people in debt have. Knowing that you have to change or things will never get better.

Personally can't think of anything more boring than spending all sunday afternoon down the pub.

What about getting a hobby that takes you away from the pub.

All the best.

Yours


Calley