Today marks exactly two years since I last touched a drop of alcohol, and looking at my bank account, I still can’t believe how much “lifestyle inflation” was actually just “liver destruction.”
For context, I used to be the guy who was “on” every Friday and Saturday night. In Singapore, if you’re not drinking at a coffee shop, you’re easily looking at $100–$200 just for yourself in a single session at a bar or club. But let’s be real—the drink is just the entry fee. Because I stay far from town, a two-way private hire ride during surge pricing or midnight hours is easily $60. That’s before you even say hello to anyone.
Then comes the real “hidden” tax of the Singapore nightlife: the vanity. If you’re at a KTV or a lounge, the costs snowball faster than a landslide. Tips for the hostess? $50–$100. Buying flower garlands (mums) for the singers? There goes another $100 or $200 just to “save face” for five minutes of spotlight. By the time you’re hungry at 3 AM and heading for Prata or Hai Di Lao supper, plus the final Grab home, you’ve easily nuked $400–$500 in one night.
I did the math. Two nights a week of that lifestyle was costing me roughly $3,500 to $4,000 a month. That is literally a mortgage payment for a high-end condo or a very aggressive downpayment savings plan.
Since I went sober, my “night out” now consists of a $1.50 Teh O Kosong and a long walk. Every time I walk past a bar and see people ordering $25 cocktails, I tell myself: “$1 saved from drinking is $1 nearer to my dream home.” It sounds stingy to some, but the clarity is worth more than the cash. I’ve lost weight, my skin cleared up, and most importantly, I’m no longer working a stressful 9-to-5 just to hand my salary over to a club owner.
If you’re struggling with the “standard” Singaporean social pressure to drink, try stopping for just a month. Watch your savings account. The numbers don’t lie, and the “friends” who only like you when you’re buying towers will disappear—leaving you with more money for the things that actually matter.
TL;DR: Quit drinking, stopped “sponsoring” lounges and Grab, and now my BTO/Condo fund is growing faster than my hangover ever did. Stay thirsty (for success), my friends.