Money on booze

The Covid effect has made the figures different since, but in 2019 the On trade was still very buoyant.

2019 On trade €5.42bn, Off-trade €2.22bn.

That is indeed a possible scenario, though a fairly unlikely one. If you’re going to open a €50 bottle of wine, are you really going to let it go off for five or six days before you finish it?

A more likely scenario is drinking thirty 500ml cans of Carlsberg (2 x 15 can slabs, €26 per slab with Tesco Clubcard) which would be doing a fair bit of damage if done consistently. A lot might depend on the mix of pub sale and home drinking in the €50 - €100 target.

Do you have any source for those claims? Are you really saying that a moderate drinker, sensible with diet and lifestyle otherwise is at no greater risk than a non-drinker who is also sensible with diet and lifestyle?

Not really, I spend less than €50 / month on alcohol, that is €40 for drinks in a pub and €10 for one-two bottles of beer at home.

If you use a simple Vacu Vin device which can be purchased for about €25 wine will easily be drinkable for six days.

This will allow the drinker to enjoy a pleasant drinking experience without serious health implications.

For someone with disposable income to spend on drink it may be an interesting option.

Obviously drinking too much beer will not be part of a healthy lifestyle.

Drink if it's your thing but why do those who drink a lot wrap it in self-deprecating humor trying to distance themselves from the actual drinking, the best one I ever heard was..I might be a bit of an alcoholic they had to put 'bit' between the words I and alcoholic.

I never drank much and neither my first husband nor second husband ever drank much but I have seen people do dreadful things while drunk.

Theres about a million variables at play between people who die relatively young and some auld lads who remain alive and kicking despite very frequent feeds of pints and probably plenty of other excesses.

Piss loads of booze damages your health. End of story. Some get luckier than others.

€100 Westbury Hotel or €100 Lidl cans??

You think its a lot. But you don't feel its too much. I assume. I'd be more concerned about the litres and the % by volume than the nominal currency cost. Unless its taking over your net pay.

Otherwise, its dark outside and now miserable again so get it down you 🏆😁

I don't drink anymore, best decision for my mind and body imo. And while I'd love to get back the, probabably thousands, I spent on booze over the years, it was what it was at the time. Just like anything, it's only too much if it negatively interferes with the rest of your life.

Presumably, you rely on your own 'independent thought' when you or your family members are sick and need medical intervention? Stay away from those damned PhDs and just treat yourself with your independent thought, right? Just a hair's breadth away from the anti-vax genuises there.

Yeah, be careful to stay away from all that city cycling, you might end up halving your cancer risk or something;

Reading some of the nonsense here makes me think I somehow travelled decades back in time to when the dangers of alcohol were still unproven. Next thing they'll be telling us that smoking isn't bad for you either.

If you're saying you're maxed out in terms of expenditure, then theres definitely an issue here and you need to have a friendly chat with someone. Your desire for gargle is bumping up against the hard reality of finite funds.

Now, this may well stem from you giving most/all of your pay to your wife to run the house. As my father did. And therefore, if you were spending house money, of course you'd feel guilty (he didnt drink or spend frivolously). If the house is running fine and ye have agreed sums for your individual discretion, then fine again. And you have your budget.

I think you'll get very helpful posts, like Elperellos, if you zone in precisely on what you're seeking.

It is entirely normal to feel guilty over spending money frivolously in a couple. Its also entirely normal for some people to seek alcohol as comfort, particularly on these never-ending dark winter nights. Even those who cycle pushbikes can succumb to it!!

I like brandy and wine. A LOT. I have multiple degrees/diplomas (and many do). I don't need anyone's professional advice as to what is good or bad for me. A hangover (lessons learned module) beats a PhD hands down. A feed of brandy also beats whatever vaccum it just filled. Should one need it. Not a viable longterm plan. But if you like (or need) a few pints, have them and enjoy the lubricity they bring you. There will be times where you won't want it. I believe it damages the mind and, moreover, the psychic machinery. But it soothes also. So each to his own.

Ok, I get that's what you meant by maxed out. But based on your original post, I'm not sure at all what you wanted to know when you started this thread. I defer to greater beings...

And I'll toast ye all with a wee sniffter