I am doing my taxes finally. I am reading back on credit cards receipts to try to find moving expenses and work related costs. I came across a lot of bar tabs.

$77 at a Mexican place for two people. I remember I did not even finish my black bean tacos there but we sure did finish a pitcher of margaritas. $57 later for drinks and I don’t remember much of that bar. Glad I did not leave my credit card like I usually do. We went to another tavern in between the Mexican joint and the bar but either he paid or I paid with cash. Next day $76 for dinner at an Asian infusion restaurant and I know half of that bill was drinks. That was average for me. Sometimes I spent more. Sometimes less. But that was $200 in two days. Some of that bill was food but I doubt we tasted the flavors as much as the beer and mixed drinks.

I told a friend the other day that I will be saving a lot of money without booze. But if I were to average my spending at $200 a week, that would be a savings of $10,400 in a year! He told me that is a lot of airplane tickets. It was not until I looked at the credit card statement from last summer that I realized how much money I wasted from drinking. There were some nights I spent $100 in New York City or Los Angeles in a bar. That might have included drunk, friendly me buying rounds of shots. There were so many incidences where I left my credit card at the bar or lost a purse or wallet. I sit here reading my credit card statements and mourn how much I spent in bars.

Since I quit drinking, I have paid off one credit card. I think, with the overtime and extra work I have been doing, I will definitely pay off another by summer. Maybe I will pay them all off and be debt free soon! It is such an exciting thought! This seems like an additional bonus to sobriety. Besides not losing phones and cameras, I am not throwing my hard earn money away! And I am saving my brain, body and dignity.

I found an alcohol spending calculator if you want to figure out how much you spent/spend on drinking.

Mistake # 84 – I flew to make a surprise visit to my mom. I had my brother invite her over for dinner and I was going to show up. I reserved a rental car. But first, I was going to spend the night with a friend in the city.

My friend would met me after work. Or after a date. It was something that would keep him late. I went to a Brazilian restaurant and had dinner alone. I spent $45. I had a lot of caipirinhas. Then I went to our meeting point at one of my favorite bars. I used to frequent this place. It was all new staff now but I still felt like it was home. I got very drunk. I spent $55 there. I do not know what time my friend arrived. He might have joined me for a few drinks. He helped me maneuver the subway system and then a bus to his place. I woke up next day and realized my purse was missing.

He was at work. I texted him “where are my bags?” He said he put them all by the front door of his apartment. My carry-on bag was there and a shopping bag. But no purse. He said he grabbed all the bags he saw next to my stool in the bar. I said the purse would have been hanging on the back of the stool. He doesn’t remember it.

I had my wallet in there of course. And in the wallet, my driver’s license, credit cards, debit card, and all my cash. Good thing I at least had my phone. Bad thing was I could not pick up my rental car. I was not even sure how I would fly back home without identification. I was super depressed sitting in his apartment trying to figure out what to do.

I tried to call the bar. They would not open until 4pm. I thought maybe I should check the bus station or the lost and found. My friend had a large basket on his table full of change. I gathered ten dollars in quarters, nickels and dimes. I took a bus back to the station where we waited to leave the city the previous night.

As I was waiting in line at the customer service, I received a phone call from the bar. They had my purse. YEA! I was saved! I got out of line and took a subway to the bar. I took out $10 from my wallet to tip the guy. I was saved! I went back to my friend’s place, got my bags, and went to pick up my rental car. I was late for dinner but I was still able to surprise my mom.

So much wasted. Money. Time. My mind.