Thinking About Drinking

I like olives.

This post discusses the financial aspects of drinking. To further clarify, I'm talking about all kinds of drinks. Alcoholic, non-alcoholic, coffee, juices, milk... even water.

Has anyone else noticed how atrociously expensive our drinking habits are?

It's freaking ridiculous.

My favourite drink at Starbucks is $7.80.

My favourite Fresh juice is $12.20.

My favourite pint of beer at our local watering hole is $8.50.

Really what all these have in common is that they are found "out and about", and with little self-control they can really blow a budget, or become a horrible vice for those up to their eyeballs in debt or trying to save. And its so easy to say yes.

The social ties to drinking are harder to avoid then a personal rival on your Instagram feed:

"Let's meet for a coffee."
"Come have a beer with me tonight after work."
"Can we do a juice cleanse together?"
"Would you like to split a bottle of wine?"
"I'm so thirsty lets get a bottle of water at the corner store, we're so far from home."

Holy Toledo, I swear it happens at least twice to three times a week. As if the social pressure isn't enough, the taste and basic enjoyment add on another level of difficulty in cutting down drinking, because we ENJOY the beverages we lavishly lap up.

I can definitely say I enjoy a good beverage.

So what have I learned? Make a half-assed version yourself, and keep making it until it doesn't taste half bad. And don't break the bank whilst doing it.

I now am an expert at making: southern-style iced-tea, cold brew coffee, a mean margarita, juices and smoothies that rival any juice bar, and above all I always have a drink with me on the go. To elaborate: I do not carry alcoholic beverages on the go. Please don't sniff my bottle, you won't find anything. Instead I try to invite people over for drinks, or vice-versa. Last time we went over to a friend's place, I sampled my new whiskey sour recipe. Aced it.

All in all, learn to avoid drinking outside of your home as much as possible. Do not quit every liquid other than water cold turkey; it will not work. Everything is cheaper if you buy the ingredients yourself, drinks included, which is why the profit margin on drinks is huge and so many companies *cough-STARBUCKS-cough* are doing so well. Put that back in your bank account instead.

I will close with this famous quote from a random ever-so-slightly hot old man with too many young females surrounding him: "Stay thirsty, my friends."

And you know its to keep Dos Equis in business and his paycheques coming.

Seriously, go make some iced-tea.

Back in Black (no cream or sugar please)

Halfway There

Time is ticking!

I started this blog page back in February 2015, anticipating the day I would finally be out of debt and back in black.

I'm happy to report as of last Friday, I paid off my Credit Card, and I am now at the halfway point of being in the positive net worth club. Oh, how I've longed for the day to come!

Initially, I had set my date to be completely debt-free at my 25th birthday, which is mid-September. I'm not sure if I will hit the mark, but as it stands, I have $5000.00 left, and one month to go.

It's been quite the journey. Some months I've been super aggressive at paying down my debt, going to every extreme possible. Reading other financial blogs, encouraged by other "debt extremists" as I like to call them, I found that their financial lifestyle is possible but not sustainable. On an especially memorable night, I recall commanding myself to not break my budget of $100/month on food and consequently had a spoon in a can of beans for dinner. Not baked beans. Plain black beans. Then I laughed... and went and bought some groceries.

I think the best financial lessons learned along this journey are the simplest ones:

Make more money.

Spend a fraction of what you earn; save the rest.

Choose your priorities wisely.

Know who the wise are.

Live simply. Eat simply. Love simplicity.

Have 'expensive' fun... but only on special occasions.

Know what defines a special occasion. Note: they don't happen as often as you think they do.

That was just to name a few.

Looking back to the beginning of where all the financial pieces started to come together and when I knew I was on the right path, actually came with a couple very big/expensive decisions. I moved in May to an apartment that was about 40% more expensive monthly in rent, and I quit my job to take one that had higher pay, less working hours overall and outside the line of my career path. Odd right? This goes to prove that priorities are what you make of them, and that budgets are adjustable and life really can be like The Game of Life. My transportation money became my rent money. My social hours became my work hours. My apartment I left for a place that is now not just a living space, but 'home'.

This blog is for me to reflect, ponder out loud and learn along the way.

Back in Black... almost.


PS: Blog name is all financial and not in the least musically influenced. I think AC/DC are pretty good, but they're nothing compared to Zeppelin. Just sayin'.