I. Franks Antique Silver: How to Turn Wine into Silver

Another year has passed and so begins 2015.
It is at this time of year that we consider what we might be able to do to improve our minds, bodies and souls.
After the excesses of the holiday season, even those of us who don't make resolutions will probably err on the side of caution for the next few weeks.

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The trend for Dry January seems to attract more participants every year. Though I don’t actively make it my resolution to give up the drink in January, I do find the desire to snuggle up in my pyjamas is greater than any trip to the pub might be.

Apart from giving your liver a break, the other great advantage that a month of abstinence brings about is the financial gain.
Sometimes, when you think of the monetary cost of drinking, it does make you wonder how many exotic holidays or fancy cars you could have had.

To do a very loose breakdown I thought I would tally up what might be an average month's drinking budget for some people

If you were to have 2 glasses of wine in a pub or club, say 3 times a week at £5 per glass (my pricing is conservative for here in London) during January with its five weekends, you would be looking at a total of £150. Chances are you may not have eaten properly beforehand so you stand every likelihood of spending a few quid on snacks and nibbles. Let’s put £20 in the pot for that over the month. Add to that maybe a cheeky cocktail or two, on three occasions during the month at £10 each and we can add another, say, £30 to our total.

Now as a result of visiting the bar/club/pub you can't be bothered with that trip to Waitrose, so let us add in, perhaps, two trips to the takeaway at £15 each. That’s another £30.

And, let us suppose, you can’t actually face the tube or the bus after your little visit to the bar after work, you might have to treat yourself to a cab. Let’s just say you do that two or three times in the month. If your average ride is about £15 with tip we can then add another £45 to our growing tally.

If we stop counting the cost here and start adding it up, it goes like this:

Pub £150

Nibbles £20

Cocktails £30

Takeaway £30

Taxi £45
_______

Total £275

So, as a rough estimate, that is £275 you will have in your pocket at the end of January that probably wouldn't be there had you not embarked on your one month journey of sobriety.

Think of all the lovely things that you can treat yourself to now.

It might be nice to indulge in something a little bit frivolous. New shoes or a jumper, sure, but you could also plump for something that will last forever. A little piece of silver might be just the ticket.