Pros and Cons: Is alcohol a waste of money?

Littlehorny · 31-10-2011 10:44PM

A few drinks with your family and friends is one of the greatest pleasures we Irish enjoy. We're human beings not robots.

SmartHass · 31-10-2011 10:49PM

Got a bit fed up recently with the whole 'Great night last night lads..... cant remember an effing thing' and decided to have a more mature.... dare I say European attitude to drinking... A couple of Beers or glasses of Wine etc every now and then is fine... when u NEED it, because lets face it sometimes you do, binging is a huge waste of money yeah but having a social or a quiet one is grand.

fortwilliam · 01-11-2011 01:01AM

I wish i was still drinking whiskey, wine and beer
The sound of glasses clinking, so sweet to my ear
I wouldn't have to listen to the time that's running out
I'd use it much more wisely, I'd drink and fall about

I wish I was still drinking, then I'd have no fear
Tell you how to fix the world, then have another beer
I wouldn't have to feel the pain that's in a mother's eyes
I'd drink till I believe the sound of my own drunken lies

I wish I was still drinking when nothing is too clear
Like the TV evangelist fueling people's fear
Taking all their hard earned cash in the name of the holy one
Their days are surely numbered, their day will surely come

I wish I was still drinking, I was a lot more fun
Life of the endless party, friends with anyone
I wouldn't have to answer for the promises I broke
Like the president today, or when he drank and snorted coke

I wish I was still drinking, than I wouldn't have to hear
The sound of rapid gunfire exploding in my ear
I'd drink through the nightmare of friends cryin' out for help
I would drink through everything I've seen or heard or felt

I wish I was still drinking, no I really, really do
I'd gather all my fair weather friends like him and her and you
I'd count all the missing teeth, I can no longer chew
I'd even drive my ol' white car, cause she likes drinking too

Yeah, I wish i was still drinking whiskey, wine and beer
The sound of glasses clinking, so sweet to my ear
I wouldn't have to listen to the time thats running out
I'd use it much more wisely, I'd drink and fall about

J_E · 01-11-2011 01:08AM

No

Always find it kind of ironic when people think I'm boring or 'dry' for not drinking; They're always the type that seem to need it to have any sort of fun.

Drinking is good for loosening up a bit but to be honest, when I'm with the right people, I find I don't need to drink anything to have a blast and go a bit wild, and damn, it can be pretty expensive when you add up nights out.

DepecheHead101 · 01-11-2011 02:16AM

partyatmygaff wrote: »

Massive waste of money if you ask me.

I've never seen the appeal of spending €100 or so every weekend just to forget the entire night, embarrass yourself and then feel terrible the next day. That and the whole issue of eventual liver damage.

I don't see the appeal of that either. I'm not sure what sort of dimwits you surround yourself with.

Guess what : It's fun. Getting langered is still bundles of fun to plenty of people. I'm tired of even regular drinkers growing wary of admitting this and non drinkers reducing reasons for consuming alcohol down into negative concequence rants.

I have friends who don't drink and whilst I respect their lifestyle choice I don't think it's too much of a pretentious leap of faith for me to admit to myself I almost certainly had the better Saturday night. They had the better Sunday morning. It's not even a fair trade. Nobody has talked to me about what a riotous Sunday morning they had.

PickledLime · 01-11-2011 04:05AM

No

Cydoniac wrote: »

Always find it kind of ironic when people think I'm boring or 'dry' for not drinking; They're always the type that seem to need it to have any sort of fun.

Drinking is good for loosening up a bit but to be honest, when I'm with the right people, I find I don't need to drink anything to have a blast and go a bit wild, and damn, it can be pretty expensive when you add up nights out.

This.

I find the people who are getting totally hammered generally are the ones who are actually boring, have no opinions, sheep mentality, etc (it's all relative of course, but that's my experience).

Because i never really drank (i'm not teetotal nor have any moral high ground against it, i just don't see the point) i've always had more time, money and vitality to invest back into more varied and interesting hobbies, but yeah, i have been branded a square because i didn't want to get utterly twisted/pee 2 days' wages against the wall/party 'til i puke, etc.

RepublicanEagle · 01-11-2011 04:16AM

No

Stocking Drinks Whiskey wrote: »

You will either piss it all out our throw it all up; (literally pissing all your money spent away)
I'm sorry but doesn't the body dispose of everything you consume? I'm pretty sure it does.

Dispose=piss/****/sweat/vomit, take your pick.

EI_Flyboy · 01-11-2011 05:10AM

Shockin' bad value when you can pick mushrooms for free!

partyatmygaff · 01-11-2011 09:27AM

No

DepecheHead101 wrote: »

I don't see the appeal of that either. I'm not sure what sort of dimwits you surround yourself with.

Guess what : It's fun. Getting langered is still bundles of fun to plenty of people. I'm tired of even regular drinkers growing wary of admitting this and non drinkers reducing reasons for consuming alcohol down into negative concequence rants.

I have friends who don't drink and whilst I respect their lifestyle choice I don't think it's too much of a pretentious leap of faith for me to admit to myself I almost certainly had the better Saturday night. They had the better Sunday morning. It's not even a fair trade. Nobody has talked to me about what a riotous Sunday morning they had.

What's fun about it? Falling all over yourself every weekend completely oblivious of what's going on around you doesn't sound all that interesting to me. Fair enough if some people enjoy it but I just can't see the appeal.

Azureus · 01-11-2011 10:17AM

I love a night out drinking, but I seriously need to save so I'm taking November off in preperation for Christmas/a trip Im going on in December! Im hoping it saves me some money and if it helps me eat less crap at the weekend well thats a definate bonus

I do love going to the pub with friends, but even when I try not to spend anything I always manage to eat through at least €30. Gonna allow myself some wine at home though

Zebra3 · 01-11-2011 11:05AM

SmartHass wrote: »

Got a bit fed up recently with the whole 'Great night last night lads..... cant remember an effing thing' and decided to have a more mature.... dare I say European attitude to drinking...

This may come as a shock to you, but a lot of Europeans go out and get hammered too.

Scanlas The 2nd · 01-11-2011 12:16PM

People dring so they can get access to their fun carefree personality. That's it in a nutshell. Some find it harder than others to get close to or access that personality when sober, so they drink more, and can you blame them, the stifled nervous personality is a load of crap.

ash23 · 01-11-2011 12:25PM

partyatmygaff wrote: »

What's fun about it? Falling all over yourself every weekend completely oblivious of what's going on around you doesn't sound all that interesting to me. Fair enough if some people enjoy it but I just can't see the appeal.

You do know it's possible to have a few drinks and not get totally drunk?

I love having a few, getting nicely tipsy and going home, waking up in the morning hangover free.
I dislike being sober when out and being so drunk that I do stupid things/spend too much/can't remember/have an awful hangover/all of the above.....

Abi · 01-11-2011 12:37PM

No

As someone who is used to drinking frequently, yes it is a waste of money. My attitude towards drink has started to change though. At some stage I began to use the odd glass of wine here and there as a means to de-stress. It can happen so gradually that you slip into the pattern of having more than the odd glass, you don't even see it happening.

For me, I've finally seen the light I think. I can't be doing with this waking up feeling like shyte anymore. People say that all the time after being out the night before, but this has been a constant in my mind now- and I've adjusted what I'm drinking. I don't think there will ever be a point where I will be a non-drinker, but I think my approach to drink has definitely changed. I know for a fact that if I set aside most of what I'm spending on it, I could probably be making more improvements around my home.

I'm kinda getting into this whole no-hangover smugness now too :pac:

paddyandy · 01-11-2011 12:39PM

No

I'm in a sorry state from my drinking; bad enough from an unstable family but adding drinking at a very young age has'nt helped.There were bad influences in my life and no one around to show me the error of my ways.It starts off innocently enough like most bad habits but led to not doing anything else when i got paid..... and years later i became almost unemployable.I'm a nervous fn wreck now.No Friends and my phone rings once or twice a week.I'm off it a few years now.I don't connect with people very well.I've been on the scrap heap a long time and i don't like the way the media of films and pop music give drunks a sort of attractiveness and romance that makes drunks interesting.I't bad for the young.

al28283 · 01-11-2011 12:49PM

RepublicanEagle wrote: »

First, vodka and redbull are disgusting.
Second, I am not a big fan of alcohol (you might have noticed that if you kept reading)

Third, if you get assumptions of a person's charcter on AH from what they say then you clearly are a tool.

If you're not a big fan of alcholohol then, for you, it is probably a waste of money. You should not need a poll to confirm this.

RepublicanEagle · 01-11-2011 01:18PM

No

al28283 wrote: »

If you're not a big fan of alcholohol then, for you, it is probably a waste of money. You should not need a poll to confirm this.

I'm convinced by your reasoned rebuttal. I'll also subscribe to your al28283 newsletter, 'Alsoncrack'.

al28283 · 01-11-2011 01:31PM

RepublicanEagle wrote: »

I'm convinced by your reasoned rebuttal. I'll also subscribe to your al28283 newsletter, 'Alsoncrack'.

That makes no sense

--Kaiser-- · 01-11-2011 02:02PM

Stocking Drinks Whiskey wrote: »

Has no nutritional benefit
Well, it's essentially poison but I doubt it has zero nutritional benefit, even candy has some nutritional benefit.

Rubbish. Wine and beer are full of antioxidants and whatnot

RepublicanEagle · 01-11-2011 02:49PM

No

--Kaiser-- wrote: »

Rubbish. Wine and beer are full of antioxidants and whatnot

If you are claiming that beer is good for you please provide a link to back that claim up.

shizz · 01-11-2011 02:49PM

No

--Kaiser-- wrote: »

Rubbish. Wine and beer are full of antioxidants and whatnot

It may have some antioxidants in it but alcohol itself is a poison to the body. I doubt you drink Beer or Wine for its antioxidants.

RepublicanEagle · 01-11-2011 02:50PM

No

al28283 wrote: »

That makes no sense

Tis grand,don't worry about it.

saa · 01-11-2011 02:58PM

No

€5 per drink is an awful waste of money, as it adds up for the experience you get no it isn't worth €50 plus.

I would enjoy some whiskey at a friends house once or twice a month (recently before that it could be every two months) or some pints at events. Off License drink is justifiable but usually it is a waste of your money if you're looking for this experience every week considering how much it adds up.

--Kaiser-- · 01-11-2011 03:00PM

RepublicanEagle wrote: »

If you are claiming that beer is good for you please provide a link to back that claim up.

Yawn
http://www.news-medical.net/news/2004/09/16/4822.aspx

http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/AlcoholAndHealth.html

pragmatic1 · 01-11-2011 03:01PM

No

Huge waste of money and hangovers just get worse every year.
Still its good to get pissed every once and a while.

01-11-2011 03:04PM

Na, not a waste of money.. so much fun has been had.

Now I only have to work for 3 minutes to buy a beer in a bar or 2 mins to buy 20 fags.. Money doesn't come into it anymore.

RepublicanEagle · 01-11-2011 03:16PM

No

--Kaiser-- wrote: »

Yawn
http://www.news-medical.net/news/2004/09/16/4822.aspx

From the second last paragraph

"While studies have shown one daily drink of almost any alcoholic beverage can help reduce the risk of many aging diseases, Trevithick cautions larger daily intakes (three drinks per day) actually increase the risk of these diseases. His study suggests the risk is increased because three drinks result in the blood becoming pro-oxidant. This phenomenon is known as “hormesis”, the concept that small doses of a toxic substance can have beneficial effects while a large amount is harmful."

01-11-2011 04:09PM

If you are drinking just to get drunk then yes it is a waste of money. My housemate is an alcoholic, couldn't be a nicer guy but every night he's out drinking and will even wake up early on his days off to start drinking in the house. he spends about 5
60 euro in the pub each night and another 50 every few days on bottles of vodka. It's a shame to see him wasting his life as hes either working or drinking or drinking at work. It's not uncommon to see him arriving back at the house in a taxi two or three times a day during slow w

01-11-2011 04:11PM

If you are drinking just to get drunk then yes it is a waste of money. My housemate is an alcoholic, couldn't be a nicer guy but every night he's out drinking and will even wake up early on his days off to start drinking in the house. he spends about!60 euro in the pub each night and another 50 every few days on bottles of vodka. It's a shame to see him wasting his life, he's either working or drinking or drinking at work. It's not uncommon to see him arriving back at the house in a taxi two or three times a day during slow wOrk days do that he can drink vodka.

On the other hand drinking with some cop on is perfectly acceptable. Nothing nicer than a few pints with friends after a long day.

4leto · 01-11-2011 04:35PM

I am committed to doing a sprint Triathlon in April next year, so after xmas I wont drink till I completed it. But I am thinking what if I went the whole year without drinking, could I do that, would I miss it and the answer is yes. Although I would not be classed as an alcoholic I do have a contentious relationship with drink in that I do go on benders every now and again.

Pros and Cons: Is alcohol a waste of money?

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