It seems everyone is always complaining about money.
All my friends and I make about the same amount. Some didn't go to university, some don't have cars, some still live with their parents. None have kids, are married, nor have particularly expensive girlfriends. And yet, they're always strapped for cash.

I've got a car, two tuitions, an apartment, plenty of nice material things, a girlfriend, and my fair share of bills to pay. I constantly buy games, see movies, and eat at restaurants. No one gives me money...yet I'm never short. Each month I have 1,000 more in the bank than I did the month before.

There's only one difference between my friends and me:

I don't drink any alcohol, ever.
( Digeridude Lord Wellington's Beef Trapeze, Mon 27 Oct 2008, 20:47, 32 replies)

I'd
be extremely gleeful if I had £1k left after my mortgage and bills, let alone £1k extra.

I drink probably once every month, and there is no way I'd be spending £1k on booze in one go.
(Ethelred is watching cheese grow, Mon 27 Oct 2008, 20:54, closed)

It never seems to add up, but it does in the end.
No one recalls spending that much on booze, because most of it goes to buying drinks for other people, getting to parties, paying for taxis home, vomit cleaning bills, increased toilet water bills, waste management bills (if your area has that), fixing the car after you drunkenly scrape it, being late for work from hangovers, even a higher electric bill from having to chill large quantities of liquid in the fridge (which adjust automatically), and generally anything involved in the lifestyle.

Yeah, I'm making it sound dramatic, but these have all been a part of my friends' lives. It's always the little things that get you.
( Digeridude Lord Wellington's Beef Trapeze, Mon 27 Oct 2008, 21:09, closed)

Ah
So there are lots of benefits that come with drinking moderately at home, I see. I can tell you exactly how much I spent on drinks this month -- USD$20 -- and what it bought. Two six-packs of beer and two bottles of wine, one red and one white, shared between my husband and me, consumed at home with no binge drinking, no parties, no vom, no taxis and no clean-up, and as we rarely have more than a few drinks a week between the two of us, plenty left over for next month. Good heavens, being a degenerate lout is such a strain on the budget, isn't it?
(louveciennes , Volvospotter, Mon 27 Oct 2008, 21:28, closed)

It is for me
A cheap bottle of wine comes in at £15. I blame my parents for cultivating in me a taste for the finer things.
( flake has nothing against your right leg, Mon 27 Oct 2008, 22:16, closed)

Jesus christ
You sound like a right smug prick and no mistake.
(Bazongaloid, Mon 27 Oct 2008, 22:59, closed)

^ Agreed
.
( DumbMonkey The penis mightier than the sword, Tue 28 Oct 2008, 23:39, closed)

Disagreed
No smugness there. And going out really does cost, even if you're not drinking let alone if you are.

I was on hols last week and managed to get through 600 euros on just food+drink, even though a full evening meal (less booze) was always under 15 euros. How does that work?
( Fronds are waving gently on, Thu 30 Oct 2008, 11:36, closed)

A little preachy, aren't we?
- Buying drinks for other people: yes, but the theory - at least in a British pub - is that your friends will buy you one back
- Vomit cleaning bills: Clean up your own vomit
- Increased toilet water bills: Got a garden? Your plants will benefit from a spray of nitrogenated water
- Waste management: WTF? Does drinking make you shit everywhere or something?
- Fixing the car: You're told not to drink and drive for a reason
- Hangovers: Learn your limits, don't drink so much the next time and stop moaning about it
- Higher electric bill: If you drank real beer, you wouldn't need to chill it.

I'm sorry to be very sarcastic, but referring to having a drink as "the lifestyle" just makes you sound really sanctimonious.
(LongJohnBaldry, Mon 27 Oct 2008, 23:16, closed)

Hang on a second:
If you were capable of knowing your drinking limits, then you would not have to clean up vomit, and you would not have hangovers.

With the "buying drinks for other people" and "paying for taxis home": why not have a party at your place? People tend to bring a bottle each, all you have to do is have some nibbles. That's assuming that people will want to go over to the house of some tightwad, sanctimonious teetotaller.
(The Empress it seems you CAN polish a turd!, Tue 28 Oct 2008, 10:28, closed)

Aside from the fact that most of those things
don't actually happen to anyone over 20 who isn't an alchoholic, you mentioned travel costs - so I assume you never go out then?

I think there are many valid alternatives to drinking, but staying home on your own every night is really not one of them.
( chenobble rocking his explorer beard on, Tue 28 Oct 2008, 11:35, closed)

Hmmm
*Thinking*


Nope, don't get it.
(powervator and NONE SHALL PASS, Mon 27 Oct 2008, 20:54, closed)

I've thought about it.
You don't drink? You're not invited to my party, then.
( flake has nothing against your right leg, Mon 27 Oct 2008, 21:02, closed)

the only difference is
you're smug
(Daft Vader, Mon 27 Oct 2008, 21:50, closed)

I buy....
several coffees a week from Starbucks, because I love it. I love the coffee and I love the atmosphere. The rest of the office doesn't understand how I can spend around £2 for coffee when it's free in the office. I simply ask them how much they spent on booze that week to my £0. That shuts 'em up.
(Wallilay has been bored of this shit since, Mon 27 Oct 2008, 21:52, closed)

If you actually
love coffee, you should go to an actual coffee shop rather than drinking the shit you get served at Starbucks.
(Bazongaloid, Mon 27 Oct 2008, 22:53, closed)

^ this
Seriously. Who decided the Merkins knew best how to make a cup of fucking coffee?
(LongJohnBaldry, Mon 27 Oct 2008, 23:10, closed)

To be honest
I'm surprised you have any friends.
(Son of Sam-i-am We're all as mad as hatters here, Mon 27 Oct 2008, 22:48, closed)

this would sound so much better
without the "think about it".
(apeloverage committed the vile act of onanism on, Mon 27 Oct 2008, 22:49, closed)

i thought about it
over a cheap six pack. And then i didn't. Problem solved =)
(goorf, Mon 27 Oct 2008, 22:55, closed)

"nor have particularly expensive girlfriends"
arf
( rofl harris, Mon 27 Oct 2008, 22:59, closed)

...
You're like a bad advertisement.
( vix0r was not Matthew on, Mon 27 Oct 2008, 23:40, closed)

Let's be honest...
If I had a spare 1k after the mortgage fees, bills, petrol costs, expensive hookers etc etc I'd be in the pub fucking spending it on ale.

i have never met an interesting person who doesn't drink. well, apart from a girl i knew once, and to be fair, she wasn't really interesting, i just pretended she was cus i wanted to fuck her.
(Sir_Digby_Chicken_Caeser [email protected], Tue 28 Oct 2008, 0:18, closed)

I think I'd be better off with the alcohol

( The Coast Of Yemen, Tue 28 Oct 2008, 8:56, closed)

do you actually not drink, because you want to save money?
if so, you definitely win the 'tightarse of the year' award.



otherwise, it's probably just cos you're a pussy and 'beer tastes sour' or something, right?
(softporn 70's sink fixer, Tue 28 Oct 2008, 9:00, closed)

Perhaps
Your friends are having to drink that much to forget your sermons.

Are you happy?

Think about it.
(Puddle of Sugar was still wallpapering on, Tue 28 Oct 2008, 9:49, closed)

That should be...
... 'between my friends and me:'

I don't normally bring people up on pronoun abuse, but you sound like an arse.

One thing that's guaranteed to make me ignore an argument, however sound, is the addition of the instruction 'think about it' at the end. It's pointless, arrogant and assumes smug superiority in the assumption that no-one else could possibly have let these thoughts enter their heads before.

In reality, everyone has already thought of this. We just didn't want to turn into sanctimonious dullards.

EDIT: I do, however, like your username.
(ThomsonsPier consumes, Tue 28 Oct 2008, 9:52, closed)

Yawn
Smug git. Yes everyone can save money by never going out ever but most people choose a social lifestyle going out with friends. Also as far as I'm aware (Correct me if I'm wrong here!) but most pubs do sell soft drinks and juices.
Also you can do what my friends and I do, if your a bit short that month just say you'll buy your own and not get involved in rounds. Then just nurse one pint all evening while your mates get bladdered around you. You can be sociable without spending alot on nights out.

Think about that!
(Panda_Pop, Tue 28 Oct 2008, 10:49, closed)

I have to defend the OP here
OK, maybe the way he put it was a bit over-the-top, and the "think about it" sounded preachy...

But even not counting the exaggerated list of things like cleaning bills, the fact remains that alcohol is a very expensive passtime.

There's nothing wrong with having a drink now and again - but I have no symathy for the people who complain that they have no money, when they've made it a lifestyle choice that in order to enjoy themselves they need to go out and spend vast amounts of money on getting pissed.

As for the people who replied saying that the OP was "no fun", I do hope that those replies were due to the attitude inferred - and not simply because of the fact that he does not drink. Anyone who thinks that alcohol is a prerequisite to having fun hasn't got their head screwed on straight.
(EuroSong I love horse meat: best of all the animals, Tue 28 Oct 2008, 14:06, closed)

Thanks for a bit of support.
I've removed the offending text.
( Digeridude Lord Wellington's Beef Trapeze, Tue 28 Oct 2008, 15:36, closed)

Without
doubt the greatest moments of my life have involved drinking, usually at a festival with friends. I wouldnt trade those moments for fuck all. Why are non-drinkers so fucking preachy?
Like fucking christians.
( DumbMonkey The penis mightier than the sword, Tue 28 Oct 2008, 23:43, closed)

You're not smug
It takes a lot of balls to not drink in a culture where people will vilify you for it. Good for you, and enjoy the windfall.
(I grew it myself, Wed 29 Oct 2008, 11:56, closed)

^ This
What a lot of fucking snotty booze addicts in this thread! Christ. Rephrase yourselves so you're talking about smoking, not alcohol, and see what twats you're being.

I'll happily spend far too much on a night out, and I've a cellar full of single malts and other spirits. I have no problem with non-drinkers who'll come out, except occasionally worrying that they won't be having any fun out with us drunken idiots. I also have no problem with non-drinkers who'll only socialise in non-drinking environments, but then I do like my coffee as well.

Folks who don't socialise, well - it doesn't matter if they drink or not, I'm not going to see it.
( Fronds are waving gently on, Thu 30 Oct 2008, 11:42, closed)