If you don’t drink

[Wrinklepicker]

What do you do on a Friday night?

I realise how tragic this sounds.

I’ve pretty much decided I’m done with drinking. A few years ago, going through a horrible divorce, my drinking crept up and I was drinking most nights. It wasn’t healthy. I’ve cut right back and now only drink at the weekends, often just one night. I can still put away a fair bit on that night though.

I’d like to stop altogether, apart from the odd ‘champagne at a wedding’ type thing, but the Friday night, end of the week, relax with a glass of wine, is still a strong urge/habit.

I’m just wondering what non-drinkers do to mark the end of the working week and relax into the weekend?

Plan nice things to look forward to over the weekend so all the emphasis isn't about relying on alcohol to have fun. Plan to do something early on saturday and Sunday morning so I can feel smug about being hangover free.

@ValBiro

If you do eventually knock the whole thing in the head, you'll stop thinking about those habits too. It will be a complete non-issue. To begin with I treated myself to lots of nice flavoured fizzy drinks but I think you'll surprise yourself how easy it is to break the habit.

Same here, after a while drinking stopped being the norm, so I no longer needed a replacement - I wasn't thinking about it. It's a nice feeling!

I don't mark it really! It just... is. I have a 4 year old, we have pizza for dinner on a Friday as it's easy. Then watch a film (if I can stay awake), do all the normal stuff I'd do on a weeknight. It just isn't a thing for me really. Saturday and Sunday we do stuff but Friday night is just another night to me. I drink on special occasions like weddings, but that literally is it. Even if I go out for lunch or dinner I don't get alcohol. I just don't feel like i need it, I enjoy other drinks more.

Planning the weekend better is definitely a good idea. I go to the gym in the week but enjoy outdoor exercise with other people at weekends, when I do it. Now the weather’s picking up it’s the perfect time to be more proactive about that

Alcohol-free is going from strength to strength.

Aldi do a lovely cucumber and mint gin. Their alcohol free prosecco is good too. I still feel like I mark the weekend whilst I'm on maternity leave

I don't do anything to mark the end of the working week because sometimes I have to work weekends. I only rarely have a bottle of wine in, usually if someone is coming over for food. So with alcohol I can take it or leave it really. I used to stay up a bit later on a Friday night, watch a film, treat myself to a takeaway when the kids are asleep, but I'm trying to save on electric at the minute and can't afford takeaway just now so it's cuppa in bed with some biscuits by 9pm like every other night 😂

Sounds like a positive decision for you OP
In Fridays I have takeaway, get myself some new candles or bath stuff. I journal and meditate or watch TV. I go out for dinner etc too

It’s inspiring hearing from all of you who have kicked the habits. A lot of what you say resonates, like finding it freeing and enjoying other drinks more.

I’ve really taken a step back recently and realised how much drinking is fetishised ‘wine o’clock’ ‘mummy needs gin’ etc and what utter bullshit it is

I literally do everything I did before but without alcohol! Pub, take aways, seeing friends, baths, watching films… sometimes exercise! In fact I do more because I’m not tipsy/unable to drive etc. The first few Fridays will feel “odd” but now I never miss it. Giving up booze has been brilliant for me, I highly recommend giving it a go!

Books! I love reading and will often have a novel sat on the coffee table with the best of intentions while I’m chugging wine and scrolling Mumsnet - another positive I could bring back to my life. I don’t have much time to read in the week

I have never been much of a drinker so not had to replace alcohol iyswim. Friday nights we often watch a movie.
I mostly drink water, except for one decaff coffee in the mornings. But if I do fancy something a bit nicer I really like Bottlegreen cordial with soda water. I love the Bramble flavour one. Maybe try finding a nice cordial instead.if you like sparkling wines then soda water might help mimic the taste/ feel.

Alcohol free beer and a 99p daily deal Kindle book.

Go out for tea, have a takeaway, have a night in just watching tv

@AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair

I'm not a big drinker but I'd worried if I had to ask this question and not know how to manage an evening without alcohol

Unless you literally just sit and drink do whatever you normally do but without alcoholic drinks

Oh FFS, what a smug, sanctimonious post

Do you feel better for telling strangers on the Internet how abstemious you are, and for giving OP a sly little kick? Do you?

I love a Friday night yoga class I've been to lots of different studios and the Friday night vibe always hits different for me - stepping into the studio (which often has lovely music and smells and lighting) really feels like 'ahhhhh, the end of the working week' - which I suppose is much like the feeling of wine on a Friday night!

Sounds like you have lots of great ideas here, enjoy getting stuck into some of your old hobbies OP xx

Hi OP

I recommend Lidl's version of Seedlip. It's called CeroCero. They do a green one and a pink one - lovely with tonic water! Go all out and freeze orange or grapefruit slices, make it like a proper posh G&T just without the alcohol. Mu DH has been teetotal for 6 years and I do dry Jan every year and that's one of my favourites. I also enjoyed 'The Duchess' 0% wine spritzers this Jan - got them on amazon.

I’ve really taken a step back recently and realised how much drinking is fetishised ‘wine o’clock’ ‘mummy needs gin’ etc and what utter bullshit it is

I agree with this. When I was still with exh we always had wine in, and he would always do the 'right it's 5, it's wine o clock' and I'd have a glass with him because it's 'what we did'. When we separated I went back to not bothering with alcohol because I'm not fussed about it either way.

Good luck OP, sounds like you're making a big step.

It just never ever occurs to me to drink.
I don’t mark the end of the week with anything to be honest, it’s just another day.
I love a pint of vimto with ice, occasional takeaway, but we don’t really have alcohol in the house… that’s a good start, don’t have any in the house.

Anyway, to answer your question OP - I drink a lot of decaf tea, it's comforting in a way that wine used to be, probably because, being British, a nice up of tea is a cure-all.

We play board games, there are some great ones nowadays, and watch films and read books. We sometimes go out if we can get a babysitter, see friends, go to watch a comedy gig or a play. DH still drinks, so we go to the pub, I'll drink tonic water whilst he has a couple of beers. It's nice! It just takes a while to retrain your brain.

Best thing ever is waking up fresh on Saturday and going for a bike ride, run or the gym.

Payday nearest Friday I celebrate with a book, chocs and a bath with smellies
(all ordered off Amazon to ensure it arrives on the Friday 😂 normally small box of chocs, a bath bomb and book normally costs about £10, so the equivalent to a couple of bottles of wine!)
All other Fridays we have a takeaway as dh has never got to grips with cooking, so for me it's one night a week I don't have to cook....I say takeaway sometimes I'll get a couple of nice pizzas, garlic bread and ready made salad on my way home from work....so no cooking involved! Before anyone rolls their eye at DH not being able to cook, he always clears up the kitchen afterwards, so this works for us especially as I'm a messy cook

I've started trying to cut down a bit as my drinking was getting quite heavy. I'm using up the alcohol in the house then I'm going to stop drinking in the house, only when I go out.

Nothing it’s just the end of the wk- I know it, I can feel it, I don’t need to celebrate it.

I started off by reading A LOT of ‘quit lit’. Like you that completely opened my eyes, both to the marketing we fall prey to but also the health risks of alcohol. So Friday night I’d run a bath, take a seedlip and tonic or glass of elderflower with sparkling water with me and read a few chapters.

There are so many really inspiring stories. It’s just about breaking the habit initially, one day or trigger (for me that was 5pm) at a time.

Is been almost four years for me now: my skin is better, I’ve lost weight, I LOVE weekend mornings, I feel better at 42 than I did at 24.

Last night I tried a sip of my DH champagne at a party and it was absolutely disgusting, it reminded me of my first sip of alcohol at 15. I had no desire to drink it at all and happily went off to find an elderflower tonic which in contrast was delicious

I really feel the urge to mark the end of the week and a glass of wine is my very speedy way of changing my mood and marking that shift. So I hear you OP.
And it’s hard as I like a takeaway, a film etc but I like them with wine!
I’m wondering if the ‘reward’ has to be Saturday morning. Like, if you are usually a bit groggy and low energy on Saturdays could you plan aomething that you wouldn’t normally have the energy to do. For me; that would be a trip to the seaside or something.
Or paying for a trip to an expensive pool for a morning swim. I’d definitely take the wine money and put it toward something else. A lovely brunch somewhere?

I buy Fentimans ginger beer and we have it in huge wine glasses with mint and ice. We do a lot of sport on Saturday and don’t like alcohol very much apart from odd champagne. I have no connection between Friday and alcohol but I do invest on good money alcoholic drinks as others have said.I do recommend you consider the glass you use- you’ll find it feels special.