Food addiction recovery takes commitment. So does bingeing. This commitment can be in the form of emotional, physical, spiritual or financial resources. It’s estimated that a food addict spends about $60 per binge. While some food addicts binge three or four times a week, most of the food addicts who come to us are bingeing three or four times a day. At three binges per day, that’s a cost of $180 for one day, $1,260 per week, $5,400 per month.
Even at one binge per day, the monthly total is $1,800. This is the reality of food addiction. Though most food addicts don’t go into a grocery store and spend $450 a week on food at one time, many make several trips to fast-food restaurants, convenience stores, cafeterias, or coffee shops and spend significant amounts of money there.
By spreading out their spending at various stores, food addicts are better able to deny the actual amount of money they spend each month on food. This allows them to continue spending large amounts of money and eating a high volume of food without realizing the total cost of literally feeding their addiction.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Spending money on food addiction recovery is a much better “deal” than purchasing food to binge on. Whether it’s putting a few dollars in the basket at a Twelve-Step meeting, buying a book to help with recovery, spending money on healthy foods, or registering for a food addiction program, the benefits are longer-lasting and priceless.
Money spent on a binge goes up in flames quickly. A binge is over in a matter of minutes while food addiction recovery can last a lifetime. More than that, food addiction recovery can create a life that is beyond a bingeing food addict’s wildest dreams.
The choice on whether or not to put your money where your recovery is belongs to you.