The Sobering Cost of Buying While Drinking

Few things mix worse than booze and buying. While an alcohol-induced Snapchat story may not raise any eyebrows on a Saturday morning, an outlandish credit card charge for the high-cost item you can’t remember purchasing might do the trick.

For many people, the only thing on their mind while imbibing is finding pizza and a bathroom. But for others, the intoxicated agenda may get a bit pricier.

A new study found that over a quarter of Americans (26%) have admitted to shopping while under the influence – more than 53 million people. Even more alarming is how much they spend during these alcohol-fueled shopping sprees: an average of  $736 per person. While it’s not exactly a shocker that that one of the most popular drunk purchases is food (pizza), the study found an increasing appetite for high-ticket items, such as tech gadgets and even cars. And the amount being spent on these “did I really buy that?” items is on the rise, too, as the annual study showed that yearly drunk expenditures had grown by almost two-thirds from 2017 to 2018.

It’s always a good idea, when buying a new tablet or smart tv, to do thorough research to ensure that you’re carefully choosing the highest quality item. But when alcohol is involved, all that goes out the window. More often than not, people wake up the next morning with the pain of a hangover compounded by the realization that they bought an expensive item from an uncertain brand, leaving them vulnerable to easily shattered screens and quickly malfunctioning systems.

Suddenly what was once innocent over-spending has become a dangerous cocktail that can demolish your financial stability. While the easy answer may be to stop drinking, the more realistic one is to protect those expensive and often lower-quality purchases with an extended warranty.

Extended warranties, known as service contracts, are the best way to further protect yourself from mistakes made while shopping under the influence. Service contracts enhance the value and enjoyment of your new product by offering excellent protection for expensive purchases – everything from product replacement and discounted repairs to more comprehensive coverage. The best part: You usually don’t have to choose a  service contract when you make your purchase, so you can select an affordable one once your better judgment has awakened.

Service contracts shield consumers, helping to keep a poor decision from becoming much worse. So the next time you or a friend buy while drinking, be sure to make the sober decision and purchase a service contract to ease a buyers-remorse hangover.