“Examine various approaches to situations in life that require change.”
-Martha Belknap

Everyone who smokes, drinks, or gets high has, at one time or another, thought about how much money they’ve spent on use. Have you thought about how much you’ve spent since you started drinking? You may be amazed to find that the total can be many hundreds maybe even thousands of dollars. You can do an estimated cost of drinking on the following website:

www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/CollegeStudents/calculator/default.aspx

Now that you are not drinking or have cut back, you are beginning to put the extra money in your pocket. Each day you don’t drink, you are paying yourself off. By thinking about those extra dollars, you can give yourself a boost in keeping up the good work. Not getting drunk adds real dollars and cents to your life — and if you could actually see the money, you wouldn’t want to let it all go down the toilet.

• Use a little bank or mug to put away the money you are saving.
• Start a fund for holidays or birthdays.
• Save the money so at the end of Day 20, you and a friend can go to lunch.
• Begin saving for a shopping spree.
• Save money for a favorite concert.

Remember that now is the time to look at the money you save by not drinking. Find a way to reward yourself and it will help you move forward in learning to live a healthier lifestyle. In the meantime, keep up the good work and keep taking it one day at a time.