STAYING SOBER CHEAP

Staying off the booze on a tight budget.

One of the most difficult periods that I faced once I got the first 30 days behind me and the “Pink Cloud” had gone away was what to do with all this free time? Other than stopping drinking I really hadn’t given the matter much thought but here we were, sober as a judge and dead broke!

One thing was certain, I needed a new plan quickly and it had to be on an extremely low budget.

The reason for having a plan for your newly found abundance of energy and the simple fact that your mind is finally clear is to accomplish two things:

1. The best way to discard a bad habit is to replace it with a good habit. Your mind desperately needs something to do other than thinking about drinking or guess what? RELAPSE TIME. I can almost guarantee it!

2. The time needs to be spent on doing something good for yourself. After years of chronic abuse and wasted time it’s necessary to get a bit more healthy and possibly give yourself a few rewards for having fought a tough battle against your own personal demons and WON!

One of the most immediate problems is, if you’re like me, you’ve been happily handing over all your money to bartenders and your local liquor store and may not have a whole lot of extra cash laying around. So until your finances rebound, and they absolutely will, it’s time to figure out this new little dilemma on the cheap.

No worries! Here are five ideas that will cost little or nothing to implement and are designed to bring you a little joy along the way.

Whether you implement them all or only the ones that strike you as a good idea it’s imperative that you do something.

Whoever said, “An idle idle mind is the devil’s workshop” was at one time or another a heavy drinker….so let’s dive in and see what’s out there!

GET A PUPPY

No, I’m not kidding. A puppy, in many respects, is like an infant. They require constant care and attention. Also lot’s of love and some major maintenance, at least initially. All of this is good for the puppy and damn sure good for you.

I’m not talking about an AKC registered $1,500 purebred. I’m talking about heading down to the local animal shelter and finding your new best friend. It’s been said that you don’t pick the dog, rather the dog picks you….I firmly believe this.

Hang out there until you two meet and everyone wins. You get a new roommate, the puppy gets a great home and even the city will thank you by usually providing all the shots and wellness check at no cost to you.

Training the puppy, taking it for walks and spending time loving each other is one of the most rewarding and time consuming things you can do!

THE GYM

To anyone that has awakened day after day with a blockbusting hangover going to a gym is about equivalent to a root canal… but hear me out!

As you may have noticed, there are gyms everywhere these days. The one I belong to is a whopping $10 a month and is fully equipped. Incidentally, most of these are open 24 hours a day so the “I don’t have time” shit just went right out the window.

Do yourself a favor and go check out your local gym. I know what you’re thinking, I’m no bodybuilder and I’ll look ridiculous. Nothing could be further from the truth. Yes, there is the occasional gym rat but almost everyone there will be in worse shape than you so you should fit right in.

You will be sore and fighting yourself to go to the gym for the first little while but between the endorphins, dopamine and the sense of accomplishment when you are leaving the gym this will become a great habit in a very short period of time. Speaking as someone that hated the mere suggestion of working out I now get REALLY annoyed if I have to skip a day and it had better be a damn good reason not to go.

The gym beats the hell out of falling off of bar stools and once you start to see the results of your efforts you’ll be hooked for life!

FRIENDS

Whether you realize it or not you are going to need a new group of friends. There are multiple ways to make this happen. Ask your neighbors, coworkers or just about anyone and you will find that there are groups that meet regularly for coffee to discuss virtually anything of common interest (I’m not talking about A.A. here.) Whether it be books, travel, or even politics I promise you there is a group out there for just that purpose.

They love new members and you might just find a few new friends here with built in commonality. You can sit back and listen or jump right in and contribute your thoughts to the discussion. This one won’t cost much either.

HOBBY

Think back to when you were sixteen or so was there anything that really piqued your interest? Maybe playing an instrument and being a rock hero or hitting a golf ball like Tiger Woods? Guess what? Now is the perfect time to learn.

Guitar lessons or spending a few hours at the driving range are not going to break the bank and you may just turn a hobby into a passion that you will do for the rest of your life.

Who cares if you suck at first? Nobody was a superstar at anything when they first started something new (except Tiger Woods.) I can easily picture myself sitting on my front porch when I get older playing my guitar all day. What’s your passion?

INVEST

The timing on this one couldn’t be better. Learn the stock market and start with some small investments and I’m guessing you will like it right away. The stock market is at an all time low (buy low, sell high) and who couldn’t use a bit more cash to augment your retirement?

Besides, here’s a perfect place to put all the cash you’ll have since you stopped handing it to bartenders. Why not make some money for yourself? There are literally thousands of books on investing and, by the way, your local library is free!

I sincerely hope you’re picking up the thread here. There are a myriad of things and options to do out there. Pick one of the ones I’ve mentioned or come up with a few of your own.The main takeaway is that you don’t need to spend lots of money to start enjoying yourself and you definitely cannot sit around doing nothing and feeling sorry for yourself. This will lead you straight back to where you don’t want to go. Please let me know how these new ventures go for you. I can be reached at tjwhite529@gmail.com. Good luck and go have some fun….You’ve earned it!

Related posts:

If you are someone who is currently in a situation where you feel as though others are constantly taking advantage of you, or where you feel like a doormat sometimes and find yourself always putting…

sinto que estou vivendo tudo o que já vivi no passado. que tudo que percorri durante esses últimos anos de nada adiantaram, pois estou na mesma linha de largada. é como se tivesse corrido por muito…

Is your startup ready for investment at its current stage? You must be honest with yourself and not become tempted when you’re not ready. We will break down this question to see how confident you are…