How to give yourself a $10k pay rise without having to work any harder.
I am fortunate enough to live in one of the world’s most beautiful cities. There is an abundance of everything here, from great restaurants, bars, shops, beaches, cafes, Sydney is the number one destination for English backpackers (hi!) and tourists Australia and world wide! We live in an on demand society, and convenience is king. Living in Sydney however, isn’t cheap, especially if you work in the city, buy lunch most days and drink a couple of nights a week.
When I gave up booze in October 2017, The emotional toll of my drinking habit was apparent. My friends had all left me, my anxiety was off the charts and I’d had arguments with my husband I didn’t remember. My work was suffering as my self confidence plummeted, and the thought of going without the one substance I relied on as my emotional crutch was terrifying. It was time to put down the bottle. I was expecting to feel a bit healthier (I did), sleep a bit better (I did) and reduce my anxiety (I did). I looked forward to cosy nights in instead of raging nights out, and eating dessert instead of ordering another bottle of wine and being too pissed to taste anything.
What I hadn’t really considered, however, was how much my habit had been costing me financially. I’ve always been relatively sensible budget wise, and was living within my means. Not saving much, but not broke either. That said, as I mentioned, living in Sydney ain't cheap, especially when working in the city and forgetting to pack your own lunch, again. But I digress. This isn’t a post about how to budget.
After the first 3 months of not drinking, I had nearly $2500 extra in my bank account. This was not planned, it was simply a result of not going out 2 or 3 times a week. Think that's extravagant? Let’s break it down.
An average night out per week in Sydney for me in 2017: 5 drinks - $50, packet of cigarettes $35 (sorry Mum!), maybe a round of drinks for friends or strangers I’d just met, $50. Cab home $30, sometimes takeaway at the end of the night, $30.
‘Cheeky Wednesday’ after work drinks: 3 drinks - $30.
Total: somewhere between $150-$200 per week.
Add on weekends where I had a Sunday session (culturally pleasing term for all-day drinking binge), and the weeks where I went out more than twice, friends' birthdays, end of quarter celebrations etc, and I was upwards of $300 per week easily.
Multiply this by 52 weeks in the year, and you’re at a cool $10,400, based on $200 per week average. My first year total saving was close to $12,500. Wowsers.
After 6 months, I started working with a breakthrough strategy coach, the incredible Kirsty Carr. This is something I never would have considered when I was still drinking. I couldn’t afford it. Ok, more like I wouldn’t have prioritised it. I’d easily spend hundreds of dollars a month on going out, but something that would improve my personal development? Back seat I’m afraid. What a wally I was.
During the 6 month coaching program, I learnt how to tap into my intuition to find out what I really want, and how I can get myself there (we are infinitely powerful beings); I uncovered limiting beliefs I wasn’t aware of and how to acknowledge and use them to my advantage, as well as setting goals to create a life I love. These sessions were absolutely invaluable and I use the techniques I learned and Kirsty’s framework to guide my thoughts and actions daily.
Emotion drives action, and every day I visualise and embody my choice to live in my true nature and purpose, and my choice to be healthy. Too woo-woo for you? There are coaches out there for everyone, so find one that suits you; I can’t recommend going through this process enough. It’s changed my life.
With my new found passion for self-improvement and cash in the bank, I joined my local pilates and yoga studio. Again, something I had told myself I couldn’t afford when I was a drinker. The weekly membership cost? Half of what I would spend on an average Friday. The outcome of said membership? A new friendship group, a go-to for my mental health, and motivation to get up in the morning and make the most of my day. When I was drinking, I never made it more than once a week to any fitness class. Mostly I bailed on them because I was hungover, or I followed a class with an evening in the pub (I once did this straight after jujitsu… because, I deserved it... I was deluded, I know).
After 6 months of sobriety, I was moving my body most mornings. I still am 2 years later. Finding the balance between exercising for my mental health and swapping my addiction to alcohol with exercise is another story for another day… but overall, it’s a massive benefit to staying off the sauce to have a healthy set of lungs and a functional body. It means I can have my cake and eat it, and who doesn’t want that?!
If you’re not likely to get a $10k pay rise from your boss in the new financial year, gift it to yourself. Maybe you just fancy a long weekend away, or treating yourself to luxury spa day. Try a month away from the bar and you’ll have the funds without having to smash the piggy bank.
Alcohol free living isn’t a one way ticket to millionaire mansion, but if you’re in the early stages of sobriety, or are sober curious and trying a few weeks off to see how you feel, you’ll be pleasantly surprised when the bank balance doesn’t dwindle and you can afford a little treat every week and still save.
Mum, the tea and cake is on me!
Hannah is the co-founder of Sober Seekers, a group created to empower women living an alcohol-free life they love, while also addressing the lack of networking and social activities without alcohol in Sydney.
She’s also a tea drinking, natural health loving recruitment professional, wife and bonus mum. I'm passionate about holistic health and wellbeing, gritty BBC dramas and living authentically in sobriety.