How do alcoholics afford to be an alcoholic?

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My mom spent $68 on it and she bought a bunch of wine and a pack of Mike's Hard Lemonade and a pack of wine coolers. Drink this everyday, it all adds up and it's expensive and how do people afford to be an alcoholic? I asked my mother this and she said she wonders the same too.

Last edited by League_Girl on 09 Jun 2013, 8:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Neglecting other needs and people, drowning in debt, or having a good source of income. Some produce their own alcohol.

There are also cheaper drinks. The cheapest crates of beer are 6 euros here. The cheapest bottles of wine about 2. I've also seen people cross the border to Germany just to buy cheaper liquor.

I've wondered the same. There is a woman who goes around begging in a nearby big town. She's being doing this for many years. She always has a cigarette in her hand, apparently chain-smoking. Don't know how she can afford to smoke nowadays, the tax on them over here is huge. I couldn't afford to smoke even if I wanted to take up the disgusting habit again.

I had an alcoholic friend. Like many alcoholics she had some mental health issues such as depression etc, which made it hard for her to work. So she was unemployed most of the time. Still she had to drink and get herself in trouble every now and then. She seemed to be sacrificing other things such as proper meals etc. Instead of spending money on food, she bought beer and wine etc. She also always had debts on her credit card to the limit. So I guess if someone is determined to drink, they will find a way to do so.

Benefits can go a surprisingly long way if all you buy is the cheapest and nastiest alcohol.

Much better to not be an alcoholic, and get good alcohol more occasionally in that case.

It does seem to take quite a lot of effort to become an alcoholic so they must get something out of it.

When I used to drink I could get a drink in a bar for $2 and me and my friend would drink before we went to the bar. Back then we could get a liter of hard liquor for $10 or less.

I also wonder the same thing.

I've wondered how alcoholics afford all of their alcohol. When I lived in low income housing, the person above me only came back to his apartment with alcohol and/or cigarettes. I never saw him bring any food home with him. Who knows?

Based upon what I have observed, I believe that alcoholic consumption, smoking, body piercings, and tattooing are the primary instincts of the human animal.

Is this what your mum drinks every day?

If you're minded and knowledgeable enough, you can make quite strong beers or wines for very little money. Far less than in the supermarkets. It's easy to make beer for 40p or less a pint, say, when it's more like £2.15 a pint in the shops for the good stuff.

^ This also applies to people who use hard drugs.

it's the opposite really, you don't realize it till you can't cope without it. after my mom died last year I started drinking every day for about 4 months, then realized I was doing it and stopped. the thing is the first few days I had to have a beer after trying to sleep but couldn't. after 1 beer, or not even one I would fall asleep fast. after most of the money I got cus of her death ran out I stopped drinking in the week(mostly) but friends would drop by with beer and then leave, leaving me with the rest of the 30 pack.........and the drinking continued.........