Its weird, before I seemed to be barely scraping by, now that Im sober I do better at work (sales commision) so Im making more and saving more. I know this can be dangerous but I buy essentials and am looking forward to having a great christmas with my family and buying lots of gifts. Do you have extra $ that you would have drank away? If so where does it go? :)
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God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.
We can pay the bills that my secret binges outside my "beer budget" torpedoed. We can send our middle schooler on his class trip to DC instead of being like me and having to sit it out. I'm not getting any toys. My responsible use of old drinking money (minus my candy tab & $1/meeting) is an amends to my household.
Make sure you are building a savings, try to invest as much as possible for retirement accounts, 401k, IRA's, Roths etc. I saved up to buy my first house also.
It's a good probelem to have, I would just suggest not to get too crazy with spending, there will be $$ ebbs and flows in sobriety also.
I had to make some financial ammends also. Remember, God gave us brains to use........
Take Care.
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Rob
"There ain't no Coupe DeVille hiding in the bottom of a Cracker Jack Box."
I was boozing freely from the bar where I worked. Had to do amends on that. I must have extra money because I had always had a good stash on hand at home. Doesn't seem like it tho, still struggling to keep up on bills. My hubby's drinking is escalating and he's contributing less.
I do appreciate the positive post. What I notice is that I have so much more time!! I spend time doing things I always wanted to do, but never got to. Today I finished my first painting ever. I've probably started 20 or so and would get frustrated or else think a few beers first would make me more creative....only to decide tomorrow would be a better day, the tomorrow that never comes.
Take my lady to nice restaurants whenever the urge strikes me. Other than that I'm just enjoying the novelty of having a bank account with savings in it.
I may go and see Europe in a couple of years but that'll be something that will just happen rather than me plan for it. I'm a bit busy with this 24 hours to get too far ahead.
Make sure you are building a savings, try to invest as much as possible for retirement accounts, 401k, IRA's, Roths etc. I saved up to buy my first house also.
Steve, I know that you do well in your job, be grateful on a daily basis for the abundance and pray for the continued ability to work and take care of your family. Setting financial goals on paper is important, and getting an education on managing money is a first step. Usually there are free seminars given by securities and insurance brokers that will teach concepts of saving money, and investment instruments, like Rob mentioned above. Paying off any credit card balances (and other debts) would be first. I've been able to save a scary amount of money, bought 5 houses and built a custom home in mountains. I probably could've saved a lot more if it weren't for my hobies and love of travel. But, you've got to have a life also. Balance is key as always. If you save every penny and make yourself miserable, eventually you'll go on some spending spree, like having too strick of a diet. Unlike drinking, we have to moderate our spending, eating, sex ect... or we can get obsessive/compulsive with this things and switch addicitions. That's why it's good to come up with a plan and a budget to allow yourself a certain amount of spending money, savings ect... I make a list of things that I need (a tv or appliance) and set an appropriate spending limit and timeframe for the purchase, then do my homework for quality vs. cost being careful not to get too obsessive in that process lol. you get the idea. good luck.
I am ejoying being able to pay bills on time now. Not paying bills was an arena that I often beat myself up in when I was drinking. I less arena now
Like you Angela I find the time is new. And sometimes the hardest to deal with. I am also a project starter and it is a new and good feeling to actually finish some of them. Sometimes though I am tired and don't really want to start/finish something but I have already been to a meeting/read my BB/checked this forum/called my sponsor..........hmmm what do I do? I used to be an avid reader but I find that my taste in books has changed and I still don't know what I am looking for in books so it is hard to stock them. I find I gravitate more towards humorous books now (used to love the true crime books) and I really like the grapevine magazines. I try to find something on TV but again I have found the old shows I liked, Law and Order etc are not doing it and have not yet found the shows that I do like.
I find that night time is the hardest time for me. Although I do mediate/pray nightly, nights can be extremely long for me. 5 am this morning before I drifted off. I am not at a place yet that I have enough serenity to drift off to a dreamless sleep. After so many years of nightly passing out I guess my body just does not know how to just go to sleep!!
So time is new to me, I certainly do not dislike like it and I am looking forward to the day that I look back and realize that I have filled my extra time with things that I really enjoy doing.
Paying the bills on time rocks! I also throw in $1 to the basket five times a week and have developed a Starbucks habit that is much healthier and more satisfying than my wine habit was. :) Decaf non-fat lattes make me all kinds of happy.
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I think there's an invisible principle of living...if we believe we're guided through every step of our lives, we are. Its a lovely sight, watching it work.
I can't promise you anything steve cuz every individual is different and the economy is unpredictable... But - I have quit drinking and then quit smoking after that. My work productivity went up and I make a lot more money now. Those things combined all added up. Where does it go? Anywhere I want within reason.
Mark
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Keep coming back. It works if you work it. So work it. You're worth it!
hahahahahaha..........I'll allus find something to spend the extra money on! The price of a pint into the pot, too much tobacco, petrol, good food, new clothes, weightwatcher fees, helping my buddies, charity and of course lately attorney fees!
This year I've had 3 holidays, a week each and I treated myself well, bought a new all weather jacket, a car, I'm up to date with all my bills, bought numerous DVDs and CDs as the fancy takes me, several books, new suit, shirt tie and shoes.
Savings - well due to circumstances it isn't wise for me to amass savings at the moment!
am I any better off financially? - not really. Materially, most definitely, but you know what? So long as I remember to put sobriety first it don't matter what else I have or have not.
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It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you got. BB
