If I had back all the money I'd spent in my life on booze...

...I'd have about enough to buy a brand new Corolla.

Meh. I'd still take the booze.

Cheers!

Just a Corolla? Rookie.

If I had back all the money I'd spent in my life on booze, I'd buy more booze...

I could buy a bicycle.. my drinking career started late and ended early

I'd be very unhappy...

mndsm wrote: Just a Corolla? Rookie.

I figured 15 years of averaging $2 or $3 per day, plus once a month going out for $25 or so. I've never been a big drinker, just a steady one. shrug I hear there's health benefits to it.

Now, if I can just get my local wine store to accept my HSA debit card...

volvoclearinghouse wrote:

mndsm wrote: Just a Corolla? Rookie.

I figured 15 years of averaging $2 or $3 per day, plus once a month going out for $25 or so. I've never been a big drinker, just a steady one. *shrug* I hear there's health benefits to it. Now, if I can just get my local wine store to accept my HSA debit card...

Yeah, I used to go out a lot... hence my buildup... I don't drink a ton any more. I just like giving people E36 M3.

I'd not have all that much money.
Only been drinking for 10 years + holy crap I'm a lightweight + don't live in big city = the job gets done cheaply.

Woman: Do you drink beer?

Man: Yes

Woman: How many beers a day?

Man: Usually about 3.

Woman: How much do you pay per beer?

Man: $5.00 which includes a tip.

(This is where it gets scary!)

Woman: And how long have you been drinking?

Man: About 20 years, I suppose.

Woman: So a beer costs $5 and you have 3 beers a day which puts your spending each month at $450. In one year, it would be approximately $5400 – correct?

Man: Correct

Woman: If in 1 year you spend $5400, not accounting for inflation, the past 20 years puts your spending at $108,000, correct?

Man: Correct

Woman: Do you know that if you didn’t drink so much beer, that money could have been put in a step-up interest savings account and after accounting for compound interest for the past 20 years, you could have now bought a Ferrari?

Man: Do you drink beer?

Woman: No

Man: Where’s your Ferrari?

mad_machine wrote: I could buy a bicycle.. my drinking career started late and ended early

"A" bicycle can often cost more than "A" Corolla...

As with booze, quality trumps quantity.

I would never have lost my virginity. I consider some of those drunken hazes a pretty good investment.

bearmtnmartin wrote: I would never have lost my virginity. I consider some of those drunken hazes a pretty good investment.

Dunno if that is something to be proud of... LOL!

A 2006 study by Texas A&M University found that the average American walks about 900 miles per year.

Another study by the American Beer Institute found that Americans drink an average of 22 gallons of beer a year.

Therefore, Americans get approximately 41 miles per gallon.

If I had all the money I spent on booze, I couldn't even buy a $2014 Challenge car.

Smokes on the other hand...

Glad I quit that.

I could have a challenge car or two based on the free booze that we acquired about 5 years ago. Fun fact: When liquor is donated to an event (Lets say the Jimmy V golf tourney) it is illegal to sell. My wife just happened to be in charge of the booze. We had the back of my 03 Explorer full to the top with the seats folded down with alcohol. It was glorious. I still have about 20 bottles left.

I could buy another challenge car with the cash I have spent on drinks. My time at the bars was pretty short.

I'm coming up on the $108K number, I'm certain. Meh. I could have done more "productive" things, but I have funnier stories. And a Ferrari is for someone who can't get laid on their own anyway. I lean on the booze for that.

Toyman01 wrote: If I had all the money I spent on booze, I couldn't even buy a $2014 Challenge car. Smokes on the other hand... Glad I quit that.

A big +1 on the smokes. I miss em... But at nearly 8 bucks a pack... I'd rather not smoke for a couple months and buy a bottle of Jameson 18 yr.

mndsm wrote:

Toyman01 wrote: If I had all the money I spent on booze, I couldn't even buy a $2014 Challenge car. Smokes on the other hand... Glad I quit that.

A big +1 on the smokes. I miss em... But at nearly 8 bucks a pack... I'd rather not smoke for a couple months and buy a bottle of Jameson 18 yr.

I could walk outside and light one up right now and enjoy the hell out of it. Every time I get the urge I say, $400 a month. It gets me some odd looks occasionally.

$400 a month, $400 a month, $400 a month...

volvoclearinghouse wrote: ...I'd have about enough to buy a brand new Aston Martin. Meh. I'd still take the fine wine and Scotch. Cheers!

Altered to fit my personality

$7k in one year in college. That was a fun year.

It's fun to see the wide disparity here...and the comments about other vices. It seems I always had "smoking 2 packs a day will cost you in two years a new car" blah blah blah drilled into me but no one ever makes those correlations about drinking. Hell, when you read all the articles about saving money they're always admonishing people to give up the $5/ day Starbucks habit. I don't know anyone who drinks $5 coffees every day. But I know a few people who drink that much alcohol.

Smoking never took with me. I used to smoke when I drank (and when cigs were cheaper), and occasionally a cigar now and then, but lately I just haven't had the urge at all. I found an old pack of Black N' Milds (classy!) in my sock drawer today, and pitched them right in the trash without a second thought.

volvoclearinghouse wrote: It's fun to see the wide disparity here...and the comments about other vices. It seems I always had "smoking 2 packs a day will cost you in two years a new car" blah blah blah drilled into me but no one ever makes those correlations about drinking. Hell, when you read all the articles about saving money they're always admonishing people to give up the $5/ day Starbucks habit. I don't know anyone who drinks $5 coffees every day. But I know a few people who drink that much alcohol. Smoking never took with me. I used to smoke when I drank (and when cigs were cheaper), and occasionally a cigar now and then, but lately I just haven't had the urge at all. I found an old pack of Black N' Milds (classy!) in my sock drawer today, and pitched them right in the trash without a second thought.

Consider yourself fortunate.

Wow. You guys remember how much you drank??

In reply to SVreX:

No. But I do know how much money I dont have and can make an educated guess to my finances.

Wow. You know how much money you DON'T have??

I am clearly outclassed in this crowd.