I don't drink much alcohol (just the odd glass of wine at Christmas or when dining at a restaurant) but I do drink copious quantities of diet coke. Ever since my Uni days I've consumed several litres a day. Aside from wanting to cut down or eliminate this completely for my health, it also isn't very good for my wallet. Until recently diet coke typically cost around $2.40 for a 2L bottle, and I could stock up when it was on "special" for $1.69. However, it seems that Coca-cola has increased the wholesale price of their range (their excuse was increased sugar prices - which doesn't really make sense for "diet" coke!). All the major supermarket chains in Sydney have raised the regular price to around $3.30 for a 2L bottle, with the price on "special" only dropping to $2.49 these days. Even buying only on special this means that the cost has gone up by 50%, which will cost me around $600 extra each year. Time I tried to quit drinking diet coke "cold turkey" and switch to just drinking filtered tap water and the occasional cup of tea.
Frugal living: Diet Cola
April 22nd, 2007 at 08:50 am
April 22nd, 2007 at 02:03 pm 1177247029
April 22nd, 2007 at 02:33 pm 1177248801
April 22nd, 2007 at 02:42 pm 1177249325
When I weened off drinking a couple of small cans of diet coke a day I switched to the store brand "fizzy water" diet drinks. Then slowly weened off of those to mostly water though I am thinking of buying some again (a case of small ones) to put under my desk at work so when I have a sweet tooth I have a diet drink rather than a hot chocolate (my hips and belly don't need hot chocolate).
Good luck and whatever you do we are here for you! Yes cutting back your habit will make a nice difference health wise and money wise.
Would putting the money you spend on diet coke in a jar and saving up for something you really want be an incentive?
Sorry I'm writing a lot here this morning! Hope some of it helps! (or in the worst case scenario makes sense)
April 22nd, 2007 at 04:15 pm 1177254923
April 22nd, 2007 at 04:58 pm 1177257526