When you just start out doing drugs, it’s possible that you paid nothing at all for them. Chances are that a friend introduced you to the drug and they were given to you for free.
As you continued to use, that changed. Drug dealers are in business and friends can only afford to give you so many “free” drugs. Addicts will spend anywhere from $10 a day to an upwards of hundreds and thousands of dollars, depending on what and how much they are addicted to.
Drug Prices
Here are some of the common drugs that are being used and what they cost on average:
Marijuana
An average cost for a gram of marijuana is $15. A moderate user will use up to one gram per day with the effects lasting up to 6 hours.
Heroin
A single dose of heroin can run anywhere between $5 and $20. Heroin users can spend hundreds of dollars per day just to maintain their addiction. After using heroin, the effects can be felt for two to six hours with the peak at 2 hours.
Crystal Meth
Crystal meth costs about $80per gram. That makes a single dose about $20. This dose can last anywhere from six to twenty-four hours depending on the tolerance level of the user.
Cocaine
Cocaine will range from $100 to $120 per gram. Most users can get 20 uses from a gram with the user experiencing effects for about 30 minutes per use. Many addicts will spend hundreds of dollars a day to maintain the addiction.
What if there was a better way to spend that money? There is! You could be using that money for things that make you feel good and don’t destroy your life.
As you read this article, think to yourself what you would’ve done with all that money if you hadn’t wasted it on drugs.
1. Meal Out with Friends
How nice would it be to enjoy a nice lunch out with friends? It might cost you the same as a bag of heroin but will provide much more pleasure.
Connect with people that love you while enjoying your favorite food. Treat yourself to something you haven’t been able to splurge on recently.
2. A Night Out
You could take that thought one step further and make a night of it with friends instead. Start with dinner at a nice restaurant, play a round of miniature golf and then head to see the latest blockbuster at the movies.
Before the night ends, you can swing by your favorite coffee shop and enjoy some more laughter over a warm cup of Joe.
3. Clothing
Once your addiction set in, you no longer had the money to spend on the brand name fashions you love. When you’re sober, you feel good about yourself and so you should also look your best as well.
Grab yourself that pair of shoes you’ve been thinking about or a new handbag. Every time you wear the new outfit you picked out or put on that necklace, you’ll be reminded how valuable your sobriety is.
In reality, a few weeks of not using drugs could buy you a whole new wardrobe!
4. Books or Movies
Now that you have more time on your hands, you can catch up on the latest books and movies you’ve wanted to enjoy. Buy yourself the newest movies as they arrive out on Blu-Ray.
If you prefer, you could also invest in a subscription to Netflix or Hulu and easily view thousands of movies whenever you want. This small monthly fee is the cost of one fix, but it will last you the entire month – 24 hours a day!
5. Healthier Foods & Exercise
While you were in your addiction, you rarely cared about what food you ate or even if you ate at all. You took poor care of your health and didn’t invest much money into your body.
Now is the time to start rebuilding your health after all those years of damage. Invest some money in organic, all-natural foods that will nourish your mind and spirit. Then, spend a little more on a gym membership, local yoga class or some exercise equipment for the house.
You’ll find that the better you care for your body, the clearer your mind becomes. Then, you can focus on sobriety with a centered frame of mind. You can also help to ensure that your body continues working for many more years to come.
6. Donation to Charity
What a great blessing you have to give back to others while sober. This can come in the form of giving your time to others. You do this every time you help a fellow addict avoid using.
It’s rewarding to serve and care about others. A great way to spend some of the money you are saving is to donate it to a charity that matters to you.
You could search out an organization close to your heart like cancer research, pet causes or charities for the needy. If you want to give back to the recovery community, make contributions to your local rehab.
7. New Car
If you are good at saving your money, why not take everything you would’ve spent on drugs and stash it away in the bank. Then, when the time is right you can invest in that new or used car you have been wanting.
Not only will it provide you with reliable transportation to get around, but you can feel a real sense of accomplishment every time you get behind the wheel and turn the key.
8. Travel
Don’t you think you deserve to do something wonderful for yourself? Travel can be a great way to reward all your hard work and sobriety. Even if you put away just $10 a day in what would’ve been spent on drugs, in just over three months, you’d have $1,000 to spend on travel.
You could choose to reward yourself more often by taking short weekend trips nearby. Visit some local vacation spots with friends and enjoy hours of laughter and fun together.
If you are feeling truly adventurous, save up your money and head overseas or travel to a tropical island. Imagine soaking up the warm sun and swimming in the blue water. That’s the way to celebrate!
Conclusion
Spending money on drugs is a waste and you only end up feeling terrible in the long run. Drug use causes not just physical pain, but also the emotional and spiritual destruction as well.
Why not use that money for things that will actually make you feel good instead? After all, you deserve the best that life has to offer. It’s time to make that a reality.
Contact Clearbrook For Drug And Alcohol Treatment
If you or someone you know and love is currently battling with addiction, please get the help you need today.
For 45 years, Clearbrook Treatment Centers has been providing treatment services to the chemically dependent person, while offering educational and support services to the affected family members.
Don’t be a slave to your addiction any longer. Contact our Admissions Specialists today and get on the road to recovery.
