Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Giving up Alcohol for Lent - AGAIN!


Last year I gave up alcohol for Lent.
I'm not Catholic, but it seemed like a good idea.
 
My blog about it is here:
 
Quite a few people read that blog and were asking me - "Are you giving up alcohol again this year?"
 
 
I reread my blog and decided that, YES, I'd give up alcohol again for Lent this year.
When is Lent?
I googled Lent 2013.
 
CRAP!
 
I don't even have time to toast my decision.
Lent starts today. Wednesday Feb. 13 and ends 40 days later on Saturday March 30.
 
According to the article "Holy Savings! Add $1000 to your Savings Account During Lent by Giving up These Bad Habits," by Paul Sisolak, and posted today, I could save up to $600 over the next 6 weeks. Sisolak cited a recent Bureau of Labor Statistic study which stated that Americans dedicate 1 percent of their income towards the purchase of alcohol - $1 per every $100 earned. That's only the average. According to David Mitchell of SavingAdvice.com, he and his wife had at one time spent over $100 a week on their drinking past time..
 
Well, I don't know where David Mitchell buys his alcohol, but I get mine at Trader Joe's and if I spend more than $8 on a bottle of wine, it hurts.
But if I think about it, I guess during the course of the week, at a glass (or two) a night, I have been downing about 3, or 4 bottles of wine a week. I'll take the bigger number and multiply that by $8 and that's $32 a week.
 
So, by giving up alcohol for lent I will be saving $32 a week times 6 weeks for a whopping $192.
 
That amount will be enough to buy that new saddle for my tri-bike.
 
And don't worry, I checked on National Margarita Day...it's NOT today, so that made me feel a bit better.
 
Today is National Tortellini Day.
But I am skipping Tortellini AND Italian food today because I probably would want a glass of vino to go with it.
 
For the next six weeks I'll be drinking sparkling water.
What food goes with that?
 
 
 
 


 

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