I saved $1,000 a month when I cut alcohol. The emotional and physical tax was just as expensive.

• Katie Butler quit drinking in 2021 after realizing its mental, physical, and monetary toll.
• She previously spent up to $2,000 a month on alcohol to manage her anxiety, starting in college.
• Now sober, Butler saves $1,000 monthly while investing in healthier alternatives.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Katie Butler, a 30-year-old from Dallas, whose sobriety saves her money. It's been edited for length and clarity.

For nearly eight years, alcohol was my only escape from anxiety. I spent up to $2,000 a month to fund a drinking habit that I believed was helping me.