Tawny Lara is a recovery advocate and LGBTQIA supporter living in the big apple. She is a writer, public speaker, and podcaster passionate about dissolving stigmas associated with both sobriety and sexuality. The Waco, Texas native’s notable work has been published in Playboy, Men’s Health, Huffington Post, and Tawny even has a blog titled SobrieTeaParty.com. The blog, like the podcast, offers a fresh and innovative approach to understanding alcohol use disorder. She is also the co-host of the Recovery Rocks podcast that discusses substance use disorder and its ecosystem.
Tawny’s Financial Tips for Folks in Recovery
https://www.sobrieteaparty.com/2020/04/23/financial-tips-for-folks-in-recovery/
https://www.thetemper.com/new-ways-to-save-or-spend-the-money-not-used-on-booze/
https://www.thetemper.com/cost-of-drinking/
Tawny’s Opinion on Sobriety Improving Her Finances
Tawny previously surrounded herself with friends who were bartenders to minimize the costs associated with alcohol consumption. Unfortunately, their kinship has an adverse effect – this was partly because their close relationship made her more inclined to tip them generously. Instead of lessening the spending, it ballooned.
What is the average cost of alcohol use disorder?
Lara has done the leg work in calculating the actual cost of her disorder. Tawny would venture out several times a week to consume alcohol in her peak binge drinking. The Lone Star state native went out about three times a week on average, and this pattern spanned a decade. Tawny admits her estimates may still be on the lowered end of the cost spectrum.
$50 x 3 nights = $150 per week
$150 x 4 weeks = $600 per month
$600 x 12 months = $7,200 per year
$7,200 x 10 years = $72,000
If Tawny had invested $72,000 at the beginning of 2019 into Bitcoin, she would have seen a return of nearly 1000% (916.897%). This investment would have an ending value of $732,165.52 today. By Lara opening up about the financial strain alcohol use disorder has, she illustrates how alcoholism can be detrimental to your future in many ways.
Paying Your Debts
Tawny speaks about the transition from alcohol use disorder to sobriety and the awakening that follows it. Once you put the bottle down, you may pick the credit card up and realize it, along with the drinks, were your life support for way too long.
Lara was very transparent about transforming her financing following her journey to sobriety. The podcaster can now boast about maintaining “a steady job with quality health insurance and a 401k, investments, and a Roth IRA.” Tawny is also a realist and understands that many other people in recovery do not have the same experience or opportunities. Lara champions diversity in all regards and believes economic diversity is equally important. Everyone needs to see people who relate to them in every area of their life. “The beauty is that in recovery, we can make great changes. The things that seemed impossible, especially with our finances, become possible,” states Tawny.
Healthy Life & Finances
As persons in recovery are seeking solutions to maintain their sobriety – they may also seek places that can provide financial literacy and guidance.
Substance use disorder treatment centers should assist with rebuilding your finances, employment, and accept all forms of insurance. All three are equally important in rebuilding a patient’s life and preventing relapse.
BrightView Health in Ohio, and Kentucky, accept all forms of medical insurance including Medicaid, and have trained counselors who can help patients obtain housing, employment, and insurance applications.
Obtaining financial recovery at the same rate as sobriety can make a treatment experience even more enjoyable.
BrightView Health accepts all forms of insurance and offers walk-ins weekdays until 3:00 pm. Brightview treats addiction like a disease.
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