For many who have lived in addiction, it’s quite common to behave recklessly, to overspend, to do things you normally wouldn’t do sober. Some may find at the opposite end of addiction that their bank account has been drained. They might feel as if another person has been in charge of their finances and life. They’ve been out of control, and that’s reflected in their bank account, their home, their family.
One sign of alcoholism is using all of your money on alcohol, even when you don’t have it. Sadly, that’s how alcoholics end up on the streets—and end up begging for change just to stave away the cravings from alcohol withdrawal. Then they wake up the next day, and repeat the same cycle all over again. Money can keep you addicted when you don’t have any. Especially when rehab costs are high, it can seem impossible to start the process of recovery when you’re at the very bottom, with little to nothing to call your own.
No matter the degree or type of your addiction or how much money you’ve wasted, it’s always possible to get back on track when it comes to finances. It just takes a bit of time, concentrated effort, and a little assistance from the many types of money saving apps we have today.
Money doesn’t buy everything. But when it can buy the bare necessities—pay for your house, your rent, your car—the things you need to stay afloat, it’s crucial to hang onto. Luckily, even if you’ve spent lots of time draining your bank account, there are ways to hang onto the finances you need.
-Try Mint. It can help you to keep track of your budget, create charts and graphs to understand where most of your money is going, and use accountability and email reminders to help you keep on track.
-Try out a sobriety toolkit to stay on track with your goals.
If you’re curious about just how much you’re spending on alcohol, for example, you can calculate the amount here. Many addicts find that when they’re no longer addicted they have a lot more money than they did before, and it doesn’t take a lot of effort. Once you’re finished spending all your money in one place, you’ll have more on the other side, in sobriety.
