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The signs of alcoholism can show up in how a person spends and manages their money, not just how much alcohol they buy.
What You’ll Learn:
• Why the size of bottles that are being bought is an indicator of problematic drinking.
• What it can mean if a person changes the type of alcohol they buy.
• Spending habits that suggest someone is drinking too much.
• Money management problems that stem from alcohol use.
• Related expenditures that come with alcohol use disorder.
• The connection between reduced impulse control and impulse purchases.
There are a lot of signs a person has an alcohol use disorder (AUD). While many of the signs that people notice are physical, a person’s spending habits can be just as telling.
Purchasing alcohol in secret is common among people who are struggling with alcoholism since they are trying to hide their addiction. But there are other financially-related behaviors that are just as troubling and can indicate someone has a problem with alcohol even if they themselves don’t recognize it.
Buying Numerous Small Portions of Alcohol to Ration, Limit or Hide Use
Even though it’s often more expensive, many people who are struggling to moderate their alcohol use will buy mini bottles of liquor rather than a larger bottle. People in this situation don’t trust themselves to limit their use if there’s alcohol available. They instead buy a certain number of small bottles on a regular basis. It’s a psychological trick that falsely provides a sense of control, but the chronic alcohol use continues.
Others use mini bottles as a way to ration alcohol. Each mini bottle contains 1.5-2 shots of liquor so the person can have a better idea of exactly how much alcohol they are drinking. It also makes it easier to ration out alcohol throughout the day.
One other reason some people buy numerous small bottles of alcohol instead of larger ones: they are easier to hide and can be stored in numerous locations. This reasoning is a very troubling sign that will typically occur when someone is deep into alcohol addiction and are concerned about access.
Buying in Bulk to Save Money
The opposite end of the spectrum is buying large quantities of alcohol in order to make it less expensive. This can occur when the person doesn’t recognize that they have a drinking problem and are instead focused on how they can make the unhealthy habit cheaper. They may have noticed that they are spending a lot on alcohol and are looking for a way to cut costs rather than scaling back their drinking.
If there’s concern over how much is being spent on alcohol, that’s an early sign that a person should drink less and not spend less on their drinking. One key characteristic of an addiction is knowing that it’s causing harm yet continuing to do it, and that includes financial harm.
Buying a Cheaper Type of Alcohol
If someone switches up what kind of alcohol they are buying it can also be a sign of issues. When a person has a preferred drink but they instead start buying something else it can mean they are either trying to save money or they want a higher ABV.
For example, if a person has preferred a specific brand of wine for years but starts buying a cheaper off-brand version it can indicate they are trying to spend less without drinking less. Or the person may switch to drinking vodka instead of wine but continuing to consume the same number of drinks.
Taste preferences change and expand over time, but if it’s paired with an increase in alcohol use this spending habit warrants concern.
Putting Purchases on Credit Cards Because You Don’t Have Cash
Addictions do a lot of financial damage because they get prioritized even when a person doesn’t have the funds for them. Even when a person is living paycheck to paycheck they may cut out other discretionary spending but use credit cards to pay for alcohol.
If you find that you have to use credit cards in order to purchase alcohol, understand that you are taking on debt that will continue to grow. In addition to each purchase stacking up, you’ll be paying interest as well. If you only pay the minimum amount that’s due the interest could end up costing more than the purchases over time.
Given that many people report spending $400+ a month on alcohol, even short-term use of credit cards can be very costly. In just one year a person can put $5,000+ on a credit card and another $1,000 will be added if only the minimum is paid and the APR is around 22%.
Increase in Impulse Buying
Drinking alcohol reduces impulse control, which can end up being very costly. Online retailers make it possible to make impulse buys at any time from anywhere. It’s not uncommon for people to make purchases while drinking that they normally wouldn’t make when they are sober.
Significant Spending on RideShare and Delivery Apps
Getting inebriated makes it extremely unsafe to drive. If you find that you are paying increasingly more for ride share and food delivery services because you drank too much and can’t drive yourself this is a warning sign.
Many people also use food delivery apps in order to have alcohol delivered to their front door, eliminating the need to go to a store to buy it. For some it’s not just a matter of convenience. Having alcohol delivered saves the embarrassment of buying yet more alcohol in-person and provides a sense that they are effectively hiding their use.
Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on alcohol and adding to your financial stress, you can spend much less for naltrexone medication that curbs alcohol cravings. Naltrexone is clinically proven to help people take control of their drinking and help maintain sobriety. It’s an investment in your health that will actually help you save money every month in the process.
If you’d like to know more about getting a naltrexone prescription online Choose Your Horizon can help. Take our Alcohol Use Assessment and within minutes you can get recommendations based on your consumption.
