What if you turned #DryJanuary into #Dry2017?

Many of us are 'off the beer' this month in a bid to allow our livers heal from the Christmas holidays, and to not spend the money that we don't have. We were chatting in the office today about how much money we could save if we actually stopped drinking for 12 months and the potential amount is pretty huge. The figures below are based on someone that goes 'out-out' or on 'a proper night out' once a week in a large urban area with educated guesstimates on all the other additional costs and fees.

The Night Out

Alcohol - €60 If you go out at 9pm and get home at 3am there's a good chance you've made your way through a fair amount of drink. Add up the pints, wine, pints of wine, small ones, shots, bombs and entrance to a club, you'll be doing well to keep it as low as €60. The receipts you find in your wallet and your small front jeans pocket the next morning will confirm the splurge. Food at the end of the night - €10 Between talking, walking, dancing and maybe shifting, you've been on the go for approximately six hours straight. You need food. Well, you don't need food, but you want food, and nobody is going to stop you. Taxi home - €10 Even if you're within walking distance, you'll hope in a cab or grab a Hailo. You've had enough exercise for one night. Total = €80

The Next Day

Lucozade - €1.50 That first slug. Jesus Christ, is there a better feeling when you're dying on a Sunday morning? It's manna from heaven. Breakfast Roll - €4 "I know what'll sort me out. A few dried up sausages and rashers shoved into bread roll that contains about a kg of butter and some watery red sauce." - No one ever. You still buy one though. Panadol - €2 If you're body can't cure itself, you know you can always turn to your loyal pharmaceutical friend. Pizza / Chinese - €12 You COULD cook on Sunday evening, but that would require having the brain power and/or will power to get off the couch. It's always takeaway... and a coke... diet coke. Total: €19.50

Recurring Fees

Lost Property - €120 Over the course of 12 months there's a good chance you'll misplace a coat, wallets, dignity, phones, shoes (it happens) so we're writing in an allowance for that. Going out clothes - €200 If you go out that much you're going to have to invest in some 'good' shoes, jeans and shirts. Condoms - €7.99 That's how much a 12 pack will cost you, an FYI if you're feeling especially optimistic about this year. Cigarettes for the social smoker (x4) - €44 The scourge of getting the urge to smoke after having a few pints. You'll eventually have to buy a few boxes when bumming them off your friends and strangers gets awkward. A taxi to avoid the walk of fair play to you (x4) - €40 If you do manage to get lucky on a night out you'll need to get home the following morning so that's another taxi. We're predicting you'll hook up four times this year, enjoy. Netflix subscription - €120 (€10 x 12 months) The fear on a Sunday can be eased substantially by binging on Netflix so making the investment is a must in our eyes. Total: €531.99

The Calculations

€80 (The Night Out) + €19.50 (The Next Day) = €99.50 per week €99.50 x 52 weeks = €5,174 per year €5,174 + €531.99 (Once Off Fees) = €5,705.99

So, stop drinking and you'll save approximately €5,705.99 by the end of 2017.