Soda is expensive. This has to stop.

**MisaLady** · 02-04-2010, 09:25 PM

I have a soda... problem. We'll just be generous and call it that.

I drink it for the caffeine.
I drink it because it's cold and I like cold beverages.

But it's the carbonation I can't seem to find a way to replace.

Any advice?

**Ceashels** · 02-04-2010, 09:49 PM

Seltzer will give you the carbonation, light or sugar free juices will provide flavor, sugar free koolaid or crystal light may be fun to try too. As for the caffeine.... that's harder for me.

Greebo was a big soda drinker and even though he switched to diet soda, it was still a lot. We have weaned ourselves off of the daily fixes and used iced tea (which he always drinks unsweetened). These days, I only buy soda when we have guests, are gaming with friends or if we are planning to be snowed in..... like this weekend (and I only buy 2 liters instead of cans to keep the costs down.)

I wish you luck in finding the right combination to help you combat the soda habit. It isn't an easy task.

**AnW819** · 02-04-2010, 09:55 PM

Gosh---DH and I have a huge soda problem to. We don't even drink it for the caffeine. It does nothing for me. I just LOVE ginger ale and DH loves Coke...Here soda is about $1 for a 2 liter. Cheaper than juice, and same price as water so it has not hit us...but its so bad for us

**pita1213** · 02-04-2010, 10:18 PM

i seem to go in phases where i drink a lot of it and then don't drink any. when the throwback pepsi came out, it started a phase of drinking it again. at target, the pepsi guy told me they have stopped production again so whatever is in the stores now is all that there is. so i'll hide away some of it for medicinal purposes.
when i'm not drinking soda, i usually drink iced tea. i have one of the iced tea makers that makes 3 quarts. i add 1/4 cup of sugar to the 3 quarts to give it just a little bit of sweetness. I found i like it better if i drink it with crushed ice instead of ice cubes or plain. i don't put the canned soda in the fridge because the kids won't drink it warm so it keeps them out of it. it seems what i really want is the crushed ice that i put in the warm soda and not really the soda itself, so i'll drink just about anything if i use crushed ice. see if having something to munch/crunch like the crushed ice keeps you from missing the carbonation.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 02-04-2010, 10:31 PM

I drink coffee for the caffeine or eat dark chocolate (which helps open your arteries and promotes blood flow).

I drink ice cold water for the cold part.

The carbonation can easily be solved by using seltzer. You'd even be better off drinking a clear soda beverage than drinking dark soda.

**Palooka** · 02-04-2010, 10:45 PM

I'm right there with ya. Although I don't drink as much pop as I used too, I still crave that tasty, bubbly stuff everyday.

< < loves Diet Coke.

**monkeywrangler71** · 02-04-2010, 10:50 PM

I'm addicted to the bubbles, too. I can't drink cold drinks, everything else tastes awful at room temperature.

I'm trying to kick the habit now, and it's so hard not to just drink coffee all day long instead. I'm forcing myself to drink some water, just to prevent thirst. It's a lot easier to resist the cravings when you aren't thirsty. When I'm craving the sugar and the carbonation and I'm actually dry at the same time, it's almost painful to stay away from it.

For me, it's best to just not think about it and keep myself distracted in another room rather than try to replace it with something else.

**mauimagic** · 02-04-2010, 11:18 PM

It's a hard addiction - I go up and down in my consumption. When I think about what I am doing, I won't drink it - but then I go into a nothink mode - and I'm back to soda. How ridiculous!!

Dark sodas especially do none of us any good - need to make a concious effort to not buy it and not drink it.

**frugalfoster** · 02-04-2010, 11:38 PM

Gosh... I"ve given up sugar....I've given up going out to eat....I've given up spending money mindlessly..... My limit is reached...I keep the diet pepsi!!!.... enough is enough....however...I only buy it when it is on sale!!! LOL

**Inkstain82** · 02-04-2010, 11:39 PM

Drink less.

Buy bottles or cans, but pour them out into smaller cups and only drink 1/3rd or 1/2 at a time.

**Judi Dial** · 02-04-2010, 11:45 PM

Loved it as a kid, my stomach doesn't get along with carbonation, and I don't like most juice drinks, except juice. So I stick with coffee, which my stomach doesn't like either but not as badly.

Try making yourself coffee drinks or juice drinks. One of my big things was milk and ice buzzed a little in the blender, some chocolate syrup and coffee. I could drink that all day and would prefer it these days to any soda.

Low cal? No. But my point is that you can find things you like just as well that aren't soda and sometimes are cheaper and of course they have the added benefit that you control what's in them, so it's easier to try this or that to lower the price, the sugar, etc.

IHTH!

Judi

**Palooka** · 02-04-2010, 11:48 PM

Originally Posted by frugalfoster

Gosh... I"ve given up sugar....I've given up going out to eat....I've given up spending money mindlessly..... My limit is reached...I keep the diet pepsi!!!.... enough is enough....however...I only buy it when it is on sale!!! LOL

Haha, this is my thinking sometimes too! I gotta keep a couple of bad habits.

**Molemommy** · 02-04-2010, 11:49 PM

I was there awhile back I was addicted to it since i was a child.... I drank mt dew and pepsi by the 2 liters sometimes 4 to 5 a day... yikes... I never drank anything but... then I just keept cutting back a little less every day and then boom I was off it... Now I cant even stand the taste... it is to sweet. I now drink way to much coffee but I also drink allot of water.. which I used to despise.... I know it seems hard but if you slowly cut back it helps.
Also a perk I dropped 30 pounds when I quit... There is so much sugar in soda.... it also make you thirsty... I wish you luck in your endever...

**Palooka** · 02-05-2010, 12:04 AM

Even though Diet Coke has no calories, the nutra-sweet stimulates my appetite and sometimes can throw my blood sugar off.

I've often thought if it would be better for me to drink one regular pop a day instead of two or three diet cokes, calorie wise/health wise. If that made sense.

**frugalfranny** · 02-05-2010, 01:43 AM

Cut down slowly.

think of what you will save in $ and your bones will love you. It eats up the bones something horrible. You are giving osteoporosis a head start!

I have to have a soda with popcorn....just have to but other than that I am off it. Don't even drink it when I go out to eat as the price is just stupid........I have water.