At this time of year, many of us begin to think about bad habits we have that we want to break. While some of these bad habits are obvious like smoking, others are less so like watching TV. Drinking soda seems to fall in the middle for most people (it’s not a good habit, but it’s not that bad), but it really should lean more towards the “bad” in my opinion. This is especially true if you are drinking more than one can a day. Having one or more glasses a day can be seriously detrimental to not only your health, but to your finances as well. If you’re thinking about quitting, here are a few ways that doing so will help you save money.
Monetary Savings
Let’s say that you buy the 12 pack of soda cans from the store for $3.99 a package. While four dollars may not seem like a lot of money, that’s about $16 a month you could be saving. That number could be doubled or tripled depending on how much money you drink. If you don’t buy liters or packs of soda from the store and instead get a soda from the vending machine at work or the corner store, you could be paying anywhere from $1.00 to $2.00, which could amount to $7.00 to $14.00 a week or $28.00 or $56.00 a month. Over the course of the year, that could add up to $700 or even more than $1000. Just imagine what you could do with that money instead of spending it on soda!
Dental Expenses
Most of us know that drinking a lot of caffeine can lead to serious dental issues such as tooth decay. Including soda in your daily diet could lead to some expensive dental procedures that you’d be better off avoiding entirely. Cutting out that daily can or bottle of soda could mean paying less on your next trip to the dentist. It’d be better for your overall heath as well.
Caffeine Dependence
Caffeine dependence is an issue that many adults deal with, whether from drinking too much coffee or drinking too much soda. No one likes going through caffeine withdrawal and if you’ve ever experienced it, you know how eager you can be to buy the closest form of caffeine. Additionally, sometimes your body craves more caffeine, prompting you to spend more money than you usually would. Caffeine dependence can be detrimental to your finances.
Soda Tax
While it hasn’t happened yet, there’s an increasing push for a soda tax in many states across the country. If such a tax goes into effect, you’ll end up paying more for your soda, and though the tax may not seem like a lot, all that extra money will add up over the course of the month or year.
If you live in a state where they collect a deposit for each can or bottle you purchase, you may be paying a stealth tax when you don’t return them to get your deposit back. Many people simply place them into the recycling container and let their garbage company collect that five or ten cents, essentially meaning you pay an extra “tax” for each soda you purchase.
Health Expenses
There have been many articles about the health risks associated with soda, especially concerning people who frequently consume it. Some issues include bone decay, kidney or liver problems, or increased weight gain. While soda can be a nice treat every once in a while, it’s not worth harming your health by drinking it every single day. While these health expenses might not be an apparent cost over a short time period, they will eventually make themselves known which could end up being expensive medical treatment over the long haul.
Weight Problems
You’ve probably heard by now that drinking a can of soda each day is one of the leading components of childhood and adult obesity. Regular soda contains a lot of empty calories that add up quickly. An occasional soda won’t harm you in the long run, but if you’re worried about gaining weight and the associated costs or issues that go along with it, you should think about cutting your daily soda from your diet.
Cheaper Alternatives
If you’re worried that you won’t be able to give up soda, why not try a cheaper alternative. It’s recommended that anyone trying to give up soda drinks water whenever they’re craving something sweet, carbonated, or caffeinated. If you want something with a bit more taste, try putting fruit slices in water or using a drink mix.
No More High Sugar Cravings
Have you ever noticed that sometimes you get hungry after drinking a soda? Or that you want something sweet to snack on? One of the downsides of having a caffeine addiction is that it often makes you crave other high sugar foods. Foods containing a large amount of sugar are often more expensive and will be as equally detrimental to your finances.
Increased Diabetes Risk
Another downside to daily soda consumption is that it means you have an increased risk of getting diabetes. While it’s not proven that soda causes diabetes, consuming that much sugar on a daily basis could make you a candidate in the future. This is something you should definitely look out for if diabetes runs in your family or your doctor tells you that you run the risk of being borderline diabetic.
(Photo courtesy of Nicholas Liby)