5 Ways to Save Money in Sobriety

Going sober offers an opportunity to actually increase disposable income, pay off credit cards, and build up savings. Financial goals that couldn’t even be considered while in active addiction are suddenly made possible in sobriety.

Financial savvy is not always a natural asset. Learning how to create a monthly budget and track expenses is a life skill which will come in handy now that the fog of addiction has lifted. Some may benefit from keeping a daily expenditure journal to help stay on track, and others might benefit from meeting a financial advisor.

One of the earliest financial boons discovered in sobriety is how much more money will remain in your wallet or bank account. Booze is pricey, with cocktails hovering around $15 a pop, it doesn’t take much to rack up a large bar tab.

Even grabbing the 12-pack of beer or off-brand vodka on a regular basis could set you back $10k a year when you add up the numbers. Recreational drugs are costly too. When a drug habit takes root, annual costs of tens of thousands a year can quickly swallow up your money. Think of all the money that will be banked in sobriety.

Because a drug or alcohol addiction demands to be fed, it isn’t rare to find oneself fresh out of cash. Credit cards often become the backup source for funding the habit, the Uber rides to get you home safely, and the impulsive purchases made while under the influence.

The credit card is like your party-ATM, at least until you hit your limit or the credit card provider cuts you off for missed payments.Once sober, you can use all the additional cash on hand to knock down that debt, stop paying the high interest fees on the balance, and improve your credit score as time goes on.

Most addicts and alcoholics find themselves in depleted health as a result of the abuse, their bodies take while in active addiction. This may have led to emergency room visits, doctor appointments, medications, and missed work hours due to illness.

Once sober, health can be restored through an improved diet, regular exercise, and a normal sleep schedule. The net effect is that less money is diverted for medical issues, leaving more in your pocket.

Once clean and sober, an opportunity exists to resurrect a career that was negatively impacted while in addiction. An employer may have pulled the plug after addiction resulted in decreased job performance, imbibing in the workplace, or excessive absences.

Going sober offers an opportunity to recommit to your professional life. Taking classes for new job skills can lead to a better paying gig that may offer a full menu of benefits, including a 401k that will help jump start your retirement savings.

Addiction can destroy marriages, resulting in a costly divorce. A DUI can cripple someone financially. Getting sober means avoiding these pricey consequences before they happen. Sobriety allows one to become stable, which benefits relationships and become more responsible.

Once realizing the cost savings of getting sober, making new financial goals will further solidify a sense of accomplishment and purpose in life. Paying off debt, saving for a vacation, or investing for retirement are all well within scope for a person in recovery to achieve.

Overcoming addiction is not easy. Sobriety requires constant commitment to the effort. But becoming aware of the many benefits of going sober, including the financial ones, can serve as a source of daily inspiration to continue making sobriety the top priority in one’s life.

Patty Bell is the Family Relations Manager or Interventionist at Solutions 4 Recovery. Patty has been in the addiction treatment industry for over 20 years and loves to work with clients to get them into treatment through intervention.