Writing about companies curbing costs, regulatory messes and just general uncertainty all day doesn't exactly put me in a cheery mood. That, coupled with wondering how I'm going to pay for the medical bills I've racked up recently, makes me really want a drink right now.
And cozying up to a glass (or two) of wine at the day's end sounds like a pretty solid idea (tonight and usually every other night, too).
Sadly, I'm likely a candidate for the title of "heavy drinker"—at least in the CDC's eyes. They define "excessive alcohol consumption" as binge drinking (four or more drinks in one sitting for a woman, five or more for a man), heavy drinking (more than one drink a day on average for a woman, or more than two drinks a day for a man) and any drinking done by a pregnant woman or child.
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I know I'm not alone, as I'm constantly invited to happy hours (planned or impromptu), Mimosa brunches, beer lunches, wine tastings and the like—in fact, it's getting rather excessive. So it might be time for a sobering reality for all of us: Drunks are really dragging us down, according to a new CDC report.
In fact, drunks cost this country $223 billion a year through excess alcohol consumption. And it's not just what you might think—though binge drinking doesn't exactly bode well for your health, generally speaking. (And on a personal note, it doesn't exactly help me manage my waistline.)
For the most part, it has to do with lost productivity at work, which accounts for a whopping 72 percent of the economic impact. Think workers coming in hungover and Don Draper wannabes throwing back a few cocktails during lunch.
The other 28 percent is from health care costs (there's that binge drinking, again), car crashes resulting from DUIs and criminal justice system expenses stemming from alcohol-related incidents. Oh, and the human toll is also dismal: Drinking too much takes about 79,000 American lives per year.
And there's our own financial impact, too. The average American spends close to $100 a month in bars and liquor stores—money that could add up to $35,000 in your retirement account by the time you turn 65 if you decide to save instead of drink.
That stat alone makes me want to stop altogether. But let's face it, the dismal economy is doing little to convince Americans not invade their liquor cabinet or hang out at the local bar. Though danger of a double-dip recession is scaring everyone, it's not enough to scare them away from buying frivolous things, alcohol included. Another report shows all forms of booze—even the more expensive pre-made mixers—are selling incredibly well this year. All sales are up.
In every which way you look at it, drinking too much is costly. It's time—for at least me—to acknowledge it. After all, cutting back should help me with two recent goals—managing my wallet and my waistline. Thank God coffee's still good for us (right?).
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