Author Topic: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?  (Read 21571 times)

RapmasterD

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 589
  • Location: SF Peninsula
It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« on: September 19, 2014, 05:28:21 PM »
OK, intentional inflammatory headline. I don't care whether something is or is not mustachian. I DO care whether it's financially or environmentally prudent -- as well as wise for yourself.

So...I started a Whole30 Program last Monday and noticed I had a hard time giving up the booze...really hard. And that scared me.

Then I saw an old MMM post advocating that folks cut back to TWO drinks PER WEEK. He had all kinds of reasons to do so.

And so my question: Have any of you, in adopting this lunatic fringe lifestyle, said, "Yeah, I'm done with alcohol."

I conservatively estimate I'd be saving at least $200/month if I were to do so.

thedayisbrave

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 700
  • Location: Raleigh, NC
  • CFO @ My Life
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #1 on: September 19, 2014, 05:40:07 PM »
I'm not done per se, but I've never been a big drinker.  I guess you probably aren't targeting me with your post then, haha.  I brought a six pack of cider over to a friends house last week (they provided all the food).  It was $8.99 but I sprung for it cause we don't get to hang out much. 

But since starting some more rigorous MMM budget cuts, I've reduced my eating out.  Which means I don't go out downtown as much (only started these 'austerity' measures at the beginning of September, so we'll see).  But when I did go downtown with friends, I would be tempted to get a drink because they all had one.  I can still do that, but I have to be way more conscious of it and know that I will blow a whole week's worth of eating out $ if I go that route.  Still, sometimes it may be worth it.

It's all about the journey, IMO.  2 drinks/week is way more than I have.  Is that something you think you'll have trouble sticking to?

gimp

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2344
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #2 on: September 19, 2014, 05:40:16 PM »
Definitely not. My small bar at home is better than most bars to which I go, as far as selection and quality goes, by a long shot. I like a good drink.

But I don't drink much - sometimes I'll have a beer every day for a week, and then I won't drink a drop for a month. It all depends on my mood. Realistically, I tend to have one or two drams at a time on average once a week. Once I turned 21, I resolved to spend the same amount by buying higher quality and drinking less.

Which results in me buying quite a bit more than I drink, which results in me having an excellent selection of good liquor.

My budget is around $500 a year, half out with friends and half for home. Part of that is always having a decent selection of wine and beer for anyone who comes over. $200/month would mean either I buy a nice bottle of scotch every month or I start slipping into an uncomfortable amount of liquor; my budget covers a good bottle of bourbon every two months and that's more than enough for me.

oinkette

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 196
  • Age: 46
  • Location: New York
  • Well behaved women rarely make history.
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #3 on: September 19, 2014, 06:04:06 PM »
I stopped going out with friends every week.  Seriously, they go to bars twice a week and then often have a party on the weekend. I've limited myself to the occasional parties and skipped the bars.  The money saved is crazy. Obviously none are mustachian.

It's also helped my waistline. :)

I do buy Three Buck Chuck and have a glass with dinner.  So no, I'm not at 2 per week but a bottle usually gets me through one week of dinners and I consider the $3 worth it.

Eric

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4057
  • Location: On my bike
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #4 on: September 19, 2014, 06:33:06 PM »
Then I saw an old MMM post advocating that folks cut back to TWO drinks PER WEEK. He had all kinds of reasons to do so.

Well, this post from 2011 says he allows himself 6 drinks per week.  But he allows for the possibility that others could be more badass than him or that he could do better in the future.

I'm personally over that most weeks.  My main goal is to not drink during the week, and I probably hit that 1/2 the time.  The weekends I don't really have a goal.  I really like good micro brew beer, so it's one thing that I'll sacrifice working for.

angelagrace

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 50
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #5 on: September 19, 2014, 06:36:20 PM »
Drinking is a big part of our local/family culture here in WA. Not like we get drunk a lot but whenever we hang out with family we have 2-3 drinks each, and on a given night it has become about 2 drinks at home. I didn't used to drink that much but it became a habit. We never pay for drinks at bars though. We basically only drink out at a bar when we are playing gigs (we are musicians) and then it's free :) And it was a fun habit... But, I just got pregnant so no more drinking for me! :) I have to say I miss it sometimes since gin and tonics became a great part of summer, but I'm fine with seltzer water or tea instead. I expect we will save a good amount just from me not drinking at home!

frugalecon

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 730
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #6 on: September 19, 2014, 06:44:26 PM »
I enjoy good beer, good wine, and good Scotch. I have 1-2 drinks most nights. But no Starbucks. I would much rather have a Bell's Two-Hearted than a Starbucks coffee. If my alcohol budget is $1000/year, and I need $25,000 saved to sustain it, it is totally worth it.

JeffC

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 56
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #7 on: September 19, 2014, 06:50:10 PM »
I moved to a place where there are no bars within walking distance so I pretty much don't go to bars anymore, which was a big expense at one point, probably $400 a month (4-5x a week adds up fast).  Now I occasionally go out for 1 or 2 drinks, maybe 2x a month at most.  I have gotten myself busy with a side hustle making and selling art, gardening, and a lot more exercise than I used to do.  A 12 pack in my fridge can last a month or more because it simply doesn't occur for me to drink it. I used to be a microbrew snob, and now it's Yeungling or PBR.  Instead of bars, I started having people over on occasion - the same people I was going to bars with, which is a much better way to have fun with friends and not have to deal with super loud music and waitstaff and over-wasted bar patrons, the potential for fights, etc.  It wasn't a conscious choice, it just sort of happened.  I remember thinking that life without drinking was unthinkable but once I got all cleaned up, there's very little I miss about it.  I feel healthier and smarter, more energetic (and richer, obviously). 

RapmasterD

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 589
  • Location: SF Peninsula
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #8 on: September 19, 2014, 06:51:10 PM »
Thanks everybody for the great responses!

FYI Eric that MMM wrote an updated post on this topic. Look at his double asterisked comment at the bottom:
http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2012/02/13/understand-the-marginal-utility-of-booze-and-drugs/

sol

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8433
  • Age: 47
  • Location: Pacific Northwest
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #9 on: September 19, 2014, 07:11:28 PM »
This thread is reminding me that I still have a bunch of leftover liquor in my cabinet from my wedding.  The wife is away this weekend, maybe I'll pick up some tonic and put a dent in the gin while she's gone.

mm1970

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 10881
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #10 on: September 19, 2014, 07:18:05 PM »
OK, intentional inflammatory headline. I don't care whether something is or is not mustachian. I DO care whether it's financially or environmentally prudent -- as well as wise for yourself.

So...I started a Whole30 Program last Monday and noticed I had a hard time giving up the booze...really hard. And that scared me.

Then I saw an old MMM post advocating that folks cut back to TWO drinks PER WEEK. He had all kinds of reasons to do so.

And so my question: Have any of you, in adopting this lunatic fringe lifestyle, said, "Yeah, I'm done with alcohol."

I conservatively estimate I'd be saving at least $200/month if I were to do so.
Well, I'm having a bad week, so I opened a bottle of wine on Tuesday and will probably finish it tomorrow.

But in the interest of weight control (I'm 44 and trying to lose 20 lbs of baby weight unsuccessfully, the baby is two), I have cut out wine except for two glasses on Sunday at a neighborhood potluck.

Jessa

  • CMTO 2023 Attendees
  • Walrus Stache
  • *
  • Posts: 7496
  • Age: 43
  • Location: MA, USA
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #11 on: September 19, 2014, 07:24:34 PM »
I cut down on my drinking last year, more because I switched jobs than anything. It was much easier to stop at the bar two doors down on the way home than to drive 45 minutes one way to grab a beer! Sometimes I don't drink for weeks a time...but when I do drink, it's usually a very non-mustachian social occasion involving lots of driving and eating/drinking out.

Bob W

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2942
  • Age: 65
  • Location: Missouri
  • Live on minimum wage, earn on maximum
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #12 on: September 19, 2014, 07:43:17 PM »
The answer is it is antiMMM. I'm 54.  Had I drank only  tap water and an occasional tea, I would be 400,000 richer today.  Time and compounding has a powerful way of making the small choices very huge.  Is your beer really worth 400k?

Canadian Nicole

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 21
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #13 on: September 19, 2014, 08:01:50 PM »
I think that not drinking is way easier than a lot of people believe.   I did a yoga retreat years ago and I was in such a different state of mind after that I just didn't see the point in drinking, so I didn't drink at all for six years.   I really didn't miss it.   I've recently gone back to having a drink now and then, and mostly I just find it makes me feel foggy the next day and gives me a mild tummy ache.   There's plenty of healthier and cheaper substitutes for alcohol.    You just need to ask yourself why you want to drink in the first place (eg to socialize, like the taste, to deal with emotional pain) and see what else you can do to give you a similar benefit.  At least try experimenting with alternatives some of the time to see how it works for you.

foobar

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 731
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #14 on: September 19, 2014, 08:26:58 PM »
Thanks everybody for the great responses!

FYI Eric that MMM wrote an updated post on this topic. Look at his double asterisked comment at the bottom:
http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2012/02/13/understand-the-marginal-utility-of-booze-and-drugs/

I think it will be hilarious if next years budget has 1k for weed :) Seriously drug use is a waste of money along the lines of paying for cable tv, netflix, having a pet, and so on. It isn't remotely needed but if you have the cash to squander and it is the most enjoyable use you can think of for the cash,  occasional use isn't going to kill you (financially).

cheapdad

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 22
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #15 on: September 19, 2014, 10:16:08 PM »
I use to buy craft beer and spent a bit on it every month. Plus I liked my whiskey and usually got a bottle a month.  I'm not a heavy drinker, but I like to have a drink in the evenings after work.  Simce becoming frugal, I have cut back on cost but not quantity. I spend about 20-25 a month on booze.  That gets me a 30 pack of pbr or miller in a can plus vodka which is cheaper than whiskey.  I never drink out. 7 bucks for a beer out or 40 cents for a beer at home.

darkadams00

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 419
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #16 on: September 19, 2014, 10:46:11 PM »
I only drink water and coffee. After over twenty years of this, I am amazed at the amount of money people regularly spend on drinks--fancy coffees, sports drinks, energy drinks, soda, tea, alcohol. For a family of four, buying non-alcoholic drinks in a restaurant will cost as much or more than a meal for an extra person. And the booze is only more money. Even for non-mustachian families, skipping the drinks at two meals would almost pay for you to take out a friend for a Friday lunch. Tea and coffee at home are about as inexpensive as drinks get, so those are the ones we have at home (wife/son drink tea).

So is booze non-mustachian? Let's just say that it definitely fits in the area of consideration and prioritization. One person takes four short, thrifty vacations and still has a 60% savings rate. Another takes two but spends a bit o' change for his/her favorite beverage occasionally, again with a high savings rate. It's all about choices.

Spartana

  • Guest
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #17 on: September 19, 2014, 11:28:06 PM »
I quit drinking booze a couple of years ago - although I didn't drink much before that. I also only have one cup of coffee a day in the morning now (no Star*ucks anymore  though, home made now) and generally drink water the rest of the time (or fruit and veggie smoothies). I didn't cut alcohol or extra coffee out for financial reasons, mainly fitness and health reasons, but doing so has saved me a ton of money - especially booze. Of course Friday nights ain't what they use to be but I'm older now so going out drinking isn't what I'd be doing anyways.
« Last Edit: September 19, 2014, 11:29:43 PM by Spartana »

Prepube

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 245
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #18 on: September 20, 2014, 12:24:39 AM »
I drink.  Unashamed, I have one when I feel like it.  I also save a large chunk of my pay checks every month.  Don't sacrifice the quality of your life for your early retirement goals unless they are inconsistent with your financial situation (I.e., your hair is on fire) or they block your ability to save a lot, consistently.  Drink what you can afford, smoke what you can afford, and gamble what you can afford as long as these are consistent with your lifestyle goals.  You don't have to become a celibate monk in order to retire early.  Discipline and moderation are great, but ya gotta tie one on occasionally (and by that, i mean you have to splurge on things that bring you great joy every once in a while, or what the fuck are we here for?).  So drink that drink, if you can afford it, take that vacation if it's important and budgeted for, and retire early anyway. 

Mrs. Frugalwoods

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 353
  • Location: Vermont
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #19 on: September 20, 2014, 06:15:01 AM »
We've cut back dramatically on how much we drink, but we haven't stopped altogether. Last week, we both had just 1 glass of wine. Other weeks we might have two drinks each. Or more if we go to a party or something.

For us, the reasons are multi-part: it's cheaper, it's healthier, we've also stopped going out and we don't drink as much at home. Plus, once we stopped having a drink every night, we just sort of got out of the habit. We still enjoy drinking, but it's not part of our daily routine anymore.

Davids

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 977
  • Location: Somewhere in the USA.
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #20 on: September 20, 2014, 06:31:59 AM »
I used to have more than my fair share of booze but i have cut back. Basically i am just a beer guy and really crafts or foreign beers. I usually get a 6 pack which will last me a couple weeks. Have a beer here or there at night. Ill still go out to bars on occasion but now with a 4 month old those times are even less.

NinetyFour

  • CMTO 2023 Attendees
  • Walrus Stache
  • *
  • Posts: 6876
  • Age: 62
  • Location: Southwestern US
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #21 on: September 20, 2014, 09:05:58 AM »
I cut out alcohol as a temporary thing to try to shed a few pounds.  That was on Jan 3, 2012.  Turns out that I like being alcohol-free so much that I haven't gone back.  There are dependency issues in my family, so I worry about it for me.  Being alcohol-free simplifies my life.  It also saves me money.

Drinking alcohol is not a necessity--so, it is a want, not a need.

I also think drinking soda and juice are anti-mustachian choices.

mm1970

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 10881
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #22 on: September 20, 2014, 09:13:45 AM »
I cut out alcohol as a temporary thing to try to shed a few pounds.  That was on Jan 3, 2012.  Turns out that I like being alcohol-free so much that I haven't gone back.  There are dependency issues in my family, so I worry about it for me.  Being alcohol-free simplifies my life.  It also saves me money.

Drinking alcohol is not a necessity--so, it is a want, not a need.

I also think drinking soda and juice are anti-mustachian choices.
This too.  My mother was an alcoholic and it killed her.  At 67.  She never got to meet my younger son, as I was barely pregnant when she died.

NinetyFour

  • CMTO 2023 Attendees
  • Walrus Stache
  • *
  • Posts: 6876
  • Age: 62
  • Location: Southwestern US
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #23 on: September 20, 2014, 09:48:59 AM »
Sorry for your loss, mm1970.  That must have been an awful experience for you and your family.

Prairie Stash

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1795
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #24 on: September 20, 2014, 10:29:30 AM »
I cut down purchases. I use to average $25/week on alcohol for the past 3 years. Now it's less than $5, I'll wait till year end for a real average.

Strangely when I cut out cable it freed up time. So I started brewing more at home. I still drink, it's just a lot cheaper. Sometimes the quality is better, sometimes worse. It's like learning to cook, sometimes your food is awesome and sometimes not. Eventually you get good with practice.

To me drinking is Mustachian, it's an enjoyable part of life if treated responsibly. That's what this is about, maximizing lifetime happiness including the present.

DocCyane

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 389
  • Location: USA
  • Keep going. You're doing just fine.
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #25 on: September 20, 2014, 10:39:47 AM »
I not only quit alcohol 5 years back, but stopped buying soda and any other flavored beverage. I brew my own coffee in the morning and maybe have a cup at work. Otherwise it's all water.

The benefit is not only the saved money, but on the rare occasion I do have a soda or beer, it feels like a real treat. Regaining simple pleasures.

brooklynmoney

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 707
  • Location: Crooklyn
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #26 on: September 20, 2014, 11:53:04 AM »
I basically drink three things (2 of which are Mustachian): green tea, tap water and wine. I'm not giving up my wine. I don't care if I have to work an xtra five years. I drink 1-2 glasses a few times a week, so nbd. It's also a lot cheaper when someone else is buying most of the time so not too big a financial issue.

Tyler

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1198
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #27 on: September 20, 2014, 12:01:11 PM »
This last year I cut back from drinking every night to maybe one drink a week. But it had nothing to do with the cost. As I started divorcing myself from work stress, I lost my desire to drink "to unwind". Now I prefer coffee after dinner to anything alcoholic.


Thegoblinchief

  • Guest
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #28 on: September 20, 2014, 05:43:15 PM »
I enjoy good beer, good wine, and good Scotch. I have 1-2 drinks most nights. But no Starbucks. I would much rather have a Bell's Two-Hearted than a Starbucks coffee. If my alcohol budget is $1000/year, and I need $25,000 saved to sustain it, it is totally worth it.

I have gone back and forth, even after becoming Mustachian, but this is my current position as well.

My weakness is whiskey. I love it, but it's hard to moderate, so I generally stick to beer and wine.

iris lily

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5672
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #29 on: September 20, 2014, 10:11:17 PM »
I thought we had settled this earlier. I won't be giving up wine, I 'll drink more than 2X week. Done.

Now leave me alone. 

:)

mm1970

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 10881
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #30 on: September 21, 2014, 09:58:42 AM »
Sorry for your loss, mm1970.  That must have been an awful experience for you and your family.
It was terrible.  It was a slow, gradual decline into depression and alcoholism (about a decade's worth).  There were one or two times when it looked like she was kicking the habit and getting back to normal.

There was nothing anyone else could do though.  She wouldn't admit she had a problem, and in the end her organs just failed.

It was three years ago, almost.  For the first couple of years, I got sad every time I looked into my little baby's face.  But now it's faded.

My brother and sister don't drink at all, and that's a big reason why.

stlbrah

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 430
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #31 on: September 21, 2014, 12:40:29 PM »
i have a lot of expensive liquor in my house that were all gifts. I wish it were legal to sell them on craigslist/ebay

BlueMR2

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2313
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #32 on: September 21, 2014, 01:01:41 PM »
Then I saw an old MMM post advocating that folks cut back to TWO drinks PER WEEK. He had all kinds of reasons to do so.

And so my question: Have any of you, in adopting this lunatic fringe lifestyle, said, "Yeah, I'm done with alcohol."

Sort of, but not entirely.  I sometimes receive alcohol gifts and will drink them.  I will also drink at parties where it's free.  It's an *exceptionally* rare circumstance for me to buy alcohol though (I can only think of once this year so far).  I'm not completely done, but I'll go weeks/months without having a drink and never even miss it.

Kriegsspiel

  • Guest
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #33 on: September 21, 2014, 01:02:20 PM »
A lot of people try to get by as functional alcoholics. When you FIRE, you are able to drop the 'functional' part.

wtjbatman

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1301
  • Age: 40
  • Location: Missouri
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #34 on: September 21, 2014, 02:03:54 PM »
It may be anti-mustachian, but it sure tastes good, so who cares. Next time I'll pour one for my mustachian homies who have given up drinking.

falcondisruptor

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 151
  • Location: Ottawa, ON
    • Simple Cheap Mom
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #35 on: September 21, 2014, 02:14:01 PM »
I only drink occassionally now, but usually more than one or two... ...

Going cold turkey when you're pregnant is a great way to get out of the habit.

nottoolatetostart

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 425
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #36 on: September 21, 2014, 02:26:04 PM »
It's probably anti-MMM but I love a good glass of wine.

We don't eat out and I love cooking & drinking a glass of wine together. My DH does not drink at all and I typically go through 1 bottle per week to 10 days, which I normally finish over 3-4 nights.

Wine comes out of my "allowance" so it does not hurt our budget at all.

I agree with previous poster that if I spend $1000 a year on alcohol, that $25K savings to sustain that drinking would be well worth it.

Enjoying a glass now as I peruse this website and look for dinner recipes....LOL

Thegoblinchief

  • Guest
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #37 on: September 21, 2014, 04:54:14 PM »
It may be anti-mustachian, but it sure tastes good, so who cares. Next time I'll pour one for my mustachian homies who have given up drinking.

Hah! Nice!

Cassie

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7946
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #38 on: September 21, 2014, 04:57:07 PM »
I did not drink for 20 years at all when I was raising my kids.  Too important a job not to be on top of things.  Now that they are grown & gone I enjoy myself & drink when I feel like it.  For many people it can be easier to quit entirely then to cut down.  That is one reason it can be so hard to lose weight-you just can't give up food.

oldtoyota

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3179
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #39 on: September 21, 2014, 06:58:37 PM »
I so enjoy good bourbon over ice or a glass of red wine once in a while. That said, I cut back a good deal after refining our FIRE goals. Around the same time, Spouse cut back after feeling better without beer. Neither of us is abstaining 100%.

I've been working out a lot more. I find that my body just doesn't want alcohol as much when I am working out a lot.

RapmasterD

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 589
  • Location: SF Peninsula
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #40 on: September 21, 2014, 11:05:38 PM »
Great responses. I'm going 90 days, will de-pickle my liver a bit, and probably save a few hundred bucks. Thanks everyone, and keep it coming! I mean...Sunday night used to be my biggest weekly event before I FIRE'd (and even a bit after...).

boarder42

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 9332
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #41 on: September 22, 2014, 05:46:15 AM »
my wife and i have cut out week night alcohol estimated savings is very high. 

Iron Mike Sharpe

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 396
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #42 on: September 22, 2014, 07:09:19 AM »
I gave up booze and cigarettes, but I did it a few years before discovering mustachianism. 

But I probably started saving in the $4,000 - $5,000 / year range by doing so.

apfroggy0408

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 215
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #43 on: September 22, 2014, 07:09:30 AM »
I have quit drinking for the most part about a year ago.

I didn't choose to do so because of saving money but that has been nice.

I decided to stop drinking because it was part of the problem of me being overweight. So when I started dieting very strictly it has been taken out of the equation.

Now, that being said, anytime I go on vacation with friends and family the diet isn't followed and I'll drink.

At this moment I haven't drank a single drop in 3 months or so, sometimes I want some good craft beer but then I get over it.

fallstoclimb

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1090
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #44 on: September 22, 2014, 12:05:58 PM »
I have a drink or two most nights when I'm home for good before 7, but a couple nights a week I have obligations that keep me out, which is one way to get a few nights "off".  It's very rare that I will have more than 2-3 drinks - maybe at a party, but the older I get the more ridiculous it seems. 

Of course it's terrible for the waistline, but weight is not a good motivator for me.  Money doesn't concern me much since I mostly drink at home - it's just not that expensive.  Boxed wine can easily last a month and only costs $15. 

I'm not much fun at parties if I can't have at least a couple of drinks to lighten up, though.  I'm a hardcore introvert without the dampening effect of alcohol, and would therefore just hide in a corner otherwise (or just not go to parties to begin with).  To be honest I'm more concerned about the effect of my introvert tendencies on my health & happiness than my alcohol intake!

Kaspian

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1533
  • Location: Canada
    • My Necronomicon of Badassity
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #45 on: September 22, 2014, 12:07:07 PM »
I now only drink on Friday and Saturday evenings--and about half of what I used to.  4-6 beers.  Beer is insanely expensive where I live in Ontario.  It's still a ridiculous, facepunch-worthy $164/month.  But I used to drink $400-600 worth!!  Just crazy--more than my rent!!  But it's what happens when you go with friends to a pub 3 times a week at $30 a pop. 

Check out the attached bit of stupidity.  The only reason it's low at the beginning is because I didn't used to properly track my cash spending.

gimp

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2344
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #46 on: September 22, 2014, 02:21:00 PM »
Kaspian, brew your own!

In CA, it's hardly cheaper to brew my own beer than to buy it (still worth it, because of the freedom of choice it offers). But if you're spending that much, you can buy a very nice starter kit for $200 and then after that $30 will get you about 40-50 beers. I don't know about you, but that will easily last me a month - or two. Or three, depending on my mood and whether friends are invited.

Yes, it takes time. The article MMM wrote about it showed he didn't care for the time expenditure as much as the lower cost. If you enjoy the process, it's fun, not a chore. If you don't enjoy the process... yeah, make fruit wine or mead, it's much faster.

SeattleStache

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 203
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #47 on: September 22, 2014, 02:23:24 PM »
I've cut back to beer only on the weekends and maybe a bourbon or two (neat) during the week.  I love a good micro-brew but don't really need the extra calories and expense.  Would rather drink less of the good stuff than more of the cheap stuff!


Datastache

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 85
Re: It's FRIDAY NIGHT! Put down that bottle...is it....anti-MMM?
« Reply #49 on: September 23, 2014, 12:32:32 AM »
See, I simply avoided this whole issue by never starting to consume alcohol in the first place. ;)