Americans love to drink. It’s a pastime that came to this country centuries ago with our ancestors. Even though we love to drink, the consequences can be far-reaching. There are obvious things that happen when people drink, like being under the influence while driving. Some aren’t so obvious, like drunk shopping in the middle of a stupor.
What’s interesting is that while fewer Americans are drunk shopping, they’re spending more money. A new survey, called “Drunk Shopping”, looked at the lives of 2,000 U.S. adults. It revealed that more than a quarter of them weren’t afraid to pull out their purses and wallets while drinking.
When they do shop under the influence, they end up spending a lot of money. In the last 12 months, Americans spent $39.4 billion. While that’s a lot of money, it’s actually up 65% from the year before. The average breaks down to about $736 per person who partakes in drunk shopping. That’s a lot of inebriated money flying out the door!
Where Americans Spend the Most While Drunk Shopping
A bit of the money spent goes towards the usual things you’d expect. For example, you’d think someone who is drunk would buy food at the bar. Food and beer go together like milk and cookies. Other ‘necessities’ include cigarettes, clothes, and shoes. There are some other strange purchases made as well.
14% of people purchased a vacation while drunk. 12% bought a pet. 10% bought a car. No, this isn’t made up! It’s sort of funny to think about, but you have to wonder how many of these purchases were regrets the next morning. “Nothing says buzzkill like a dent in your bank account after a night of drinking,” said Finder’s Consumer Advocate Rachel Dix-Kessler.
Previously, it was stated that the number of people who go drunk shopping has declined. That number has fallen by about 20%. Yet, they’re spending 65% more. A lot of that has to do with millennials. They drink less than baby boomers but spend more money while drunk. They average millennials spend while drunk is $1,047.
How to Prevent Yourself from Drunk Shopping
If you personally find drunk shopping is a problem for you, there are a few things you can do that might help. One of those is to remove saved payment methods while shopping online. A lot of apps will allow you to save your payment methods, making it easier to buy things. Also, when you go out drinking, hide your credit cards.
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“Most important, if this is an ongoing problem, consider evaluating your relationship with alcohol. Nothing is worth tarnishing your personal and financial well-being,” she said.
