Dry Another Day - Dry January and Beyond!

[wellitywellness]

We are officially at thread #3!

Congratulations to your DD and well done for not making an exception!

Hey everyone, just checking in. Hope all you Sober Septemberers are remembering to stock up now with your favourite AF drinks… dry days are looming!
Ive been dry for the last week, and intend to be - nay, WILL be - until mid December. I’m not struggling so far, but of course it’s early days. Looking forward to some September company ! 😊

My Trip drinks have just arrived!

I just lurked from the beginning but would like to join in officially after 2 weeks-every-day-drinking on my holiday...
The holiday was over on 14th August but I kept drinking most nights since then.Time to put an end to it so Sober September it is!
Glad for the company of others who need a reset

Another joining the sober September aim. This is to encourage me not to end a sober couple of months run when I need to be on the ball to complete a project that has been running for over a year and is reaching a conclusion.

Have found that the Lyres drinks are not too bad. Interestingly one glass is enough - no wish/urge to sink a bottle.

My last bit of wine is today; Sober September officially starts on Friday.

It's a health, weight and money thing for me. For the weight bit especially, I have been calorie counting for the last few weeks and I'd rather have the food than the hundreds of empty calories that alcohol brings with it. On alcohol-free days I have no trouble staying within my calorie limit.

Since I've managed to get to nearly 40 without a hint of hangovers no matter how much I drink, I've got to take care of the health aspect, because there is no natural stop button, but I have noticed that drinking, while it initially makes me hot, also leaves me freezing after a while, and I get crabby when I am cold, so it's best to stop over the winter months anyway.

And the money... I have better uses for it than drink, and who can really afford to spend loads these days.

Will we continue here or have a new thread come September?

Ditto. I had friends around yesterday and we drank ALOT. I don't recall alot of it and am not feeling too good today.

Back on the wagon.

On the subject of money- I used to follow a wonderful blogger (and MNetter) years back and she and her DH both gave up and saved £10k in a single year. That is certainly something to think about. I know I am really tight on funds at the end of the month so anything is going to help.

@SoberIsTheNew50 a couple saved £10K in one year by not drinking??? 😳😮😯😨
How is that possible? They must have been drinking champagne every night!

Actually, quick rough calculation shows that that’s £192 per week, so that’s £96 each p/w or £13.73 each per day. I guess if they were drinking out in pubs/restaurants a lot, then polished off a bottle of wine when they got home then it’s actually quite feasible! Blimey.

yes it adds up!

£13.73 a day is sort of easily done with 2 people drinking. It's 2 bottles at the supermarket or 1 and a third glasses at a pub.

I'm too scared to look clsoely at my own expense. DH hasn't drunk for years because of medical issues. So it's all on me.

I dread to think of the money wasted over the years. I am up for sober September, I am overseas for work for some of it, and am hoping to be able to resist the free drinks on the flights!

Sorry @HPLikecraft I realise you were talking about £13.73 each, not combined.

Still easily done I think!

I used to read alot of sober blogs and there was one woman whose name I forget and within only a few years of drinking (and putting aside her not-drinking money) was able to get a deposit for a flat together. This was not in the UK but it was really quite eye opening.

I'm too ashamed to even think about what I might spend...... but i did do the TryDry app for a bit and after 21 days I had saved circa £300 pounds. Granted I was out ALOT at that time and i was calculating it, but bloody hell. I can't afford that.

It does seem easily done @SoberIsTheNew50 doesnt it? It’s bizarre how we somehow accept, overlook or excuse money spent on alcohol.
When I did my first DJ, my DH complained about the cost of my ‘expensive’ tonic and posh fizzy water, despite it costing a fraction of what he was spending on wine! Even dafter was that he’d not have complained if I’d been drinking the same expensive wine along with him, but cheaper soft drinks were moaned about.
He has since changed his tune.

Glad we've got some many people on board! It definitely feels like the right time to do it. I'm happy continuing with this thread if everyone else is? I like the consistency of it 😂

I really need this I’m in please!!

Great.

I need help for the witching hour... what do people do the time they usually open their first drink?

I need ideas very very badly indeed. I am the only person who cooks in the house and cooking triggers me. Is there anything I can pour or do to change? All ideas very welcome.

Depends on what your poison is, really. I like my drinks sweet, so it's usually spirit mixers, and I have found that a cup of peppermint tea takes that craving away. Some days it's sugar my body really craves and on those days a full-sugar energy drink works just as well (yes, I know they come with their own health warning).

@SoberIsTheNew50 a lime and soda works well!

Day 1 done and so far so good. I didn't get much sleep, mostly because I didn't want to put my book down; I'm fully engrossed at the moment and determined to finish the book before work on Monday (at over 1200 pages it's a feat, but I'm nearly there!). Quality of sleep should improve within the next few days, though.

I made sure I have plenty of peppermint tea in the house and I'm trialling hot chocolate instead of an evening energy drink when the sugar cravings come.

I mostly drink to calm emotions (usually anxiety), but also out of boredom, it seems, as I find I drink far more on days I have little to nothing to keep me occupied. So it's a two-pronged approach. The former can be controlled with exercise. I've been meaning to get back into that anyway. The latter should not be an issue this time of year (hugely busy work and life schedule), but I will ensure I have plenty of home improvement and artistic projects on the go, regardless.

Has anyone else started yet?

I've really gone backwards and plan that September 1 will be my new day 1. (Although I'm not chucking my previous AF days out the window). But I need to get real about it.

I was out yesterday and had a 0% gin and tonic. It was okay although I have always been a bit sniffy about the price of those things considering. I might stock up on some AF drinks to get me through the first week or so.

@Michiru I also drink to counteract anxiety and negative emotions. And boredom. I tend to slump in front of the tv in the evenings so need to keep myself occupied. Last time I had an extended AF period I knitted alot and painted and drew in front of the tv. That helped alot. I have recently started antidepressants as my anxiety last term was out of control so hopefully that will help me as well, fingers crossed.

Good luck and to everyone.

It's such a hard mindset to shift @SoberIsTheNew50 . I think it's ingrained in us to justify the cost of alcohol but not alcohol free! I'd say if you like it, it's worth it. I'd also try a range of them- I'm not normally a beer drinker, but I prefer alcohol free beer to alcohol free wine! They've come on so much in the last few years.

We're away with family this weekend so will probably have (a small amount of) planned drinks if they're on offer, but I am more than ready for a good AF stint on my return. I'll be on the Goodrays.

I did up to around early May I think after dry Jan - and would really love to get 100 days in again before Xmas as I loved all the benefits! Have a family holiday at half term that could prove tricky, but plenty of time to settle into it before then.

Big talk from me though, let's see how we go with September!

Hey Sober Septemberers!
A quick message from me to say keep the faith and stay strong!
I’ve already been dry for about two weeks now and am a bit ill atm so it’s fairly easy not to fancy booze 🙃

I also have a holiday at half term @DJer24 … this will be challenging!

Day one ticked off ✅

Hope everyone else is feeling good!

Day 2 for me as my last drink was Friday evening.

But that was the end of seven evenings of drinking as we were on holiday. And I was back on the wine. And in the house, no less (albeit holiday cottage).

I’m going to be knocking that right on the head.