Here is what happens to my friends and me and I am sure this is a reflection on different financial values and life attitude in general. Well, I don't drink any alchohol while a few friends of mine love drinking very much. They would gather to have dinner/drink almost every day(at least four times a week). I am often invited but due to my no-drinking habit, I usually turn the invitation down. We are all family men but they are a few years older than me. Their children are much older than my kid so probably they don't need their fathers' attention and time. I always put my family first so this is also one of the reasons I don't join them that frequently. Financially, every gathering meal/drinking is not cheap because it involves a lot of drinks and dishes. The average cost of such dinner/drinking is equivalent to 1/5 the average monthly income in the city where we live. So every month, the cost for these "gatherings" consumes all the income that a man can earn for months. This is considered a huge waste of money in many people's eyes cause most people don't earn much. Although I don't drink, occasionally I will treat them and pay the bills for the guesture of friendliness. Do you think my friends' lifestyle is a waste of money and time ? How much do you spend on such gatherings on average ? Please let me know.
It is their choice, you can give them advice on what to do instead of doing that but the thing after that you have done your part, they need to take care of their actions. honestly it is their money, you need to understand that giving them too much attention will not give you peace at all, just do your part as a friend. Not all people are the same like us or you , investing instead of drinking
You are right. Recently I have not joined them in those gatherings over a month and everything seems to be all right. I still occasionally advise them that drinking too much is bad for their health and also because some of them have got minor problems like high blood pressure, they tend to reduce the gatherings lately. Anyway, everyone is seeking their own way to live comfortably.