# Why Ocsober Is The Best Thing You’ll Do For Yourself This Year

- Link: https://stayathomemum.com.au/family/before-the-bump/why-ocsober-is-the-best-thing-youll-do-for-yourself-this-year/
- Published: 2015-10-10T11:00:00+11:00
- Author: Clare Whitfield

## _Just in case you haven’t figured it out yet, Australians love to have a drink. _

It’s a constant and prevalent part of our social culture, and we do it at sports
games, weddings, parties and Sunday barbies_._

_It’s also hurting us._

Overall consumption of alcohol may be at a [50 year low](http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/latestProducts/4307.0.55.001Media%20Release12013-14)
in Australia, but that doesn’t mean the problem is resolved. In fact, in Australia
just a few years ago (in 2010) some 157,132 people were taken to hospital for excessive
alcohol consumption, and alcohol related hard resulted in 5,554 deaths. This problem
is particularly pronounced in young Australians. One Australian teenager dies, and
60 more are hospitalised, every single week from alcohol related accidents. Additionally,
alcohol is often found to be a contributing factor to the three biggest killers 
of Aussie adolescents: accidental injury, homicide and suicide.

The problem seems to bit to contend with, but you can actually make a different 
right now, this very month.

### It’s called Ocsober.

[⌊Ocsober encourages healthier habits and self care this october Join the challenge for personal grow⌉⌊Ocsober encourages healthier habits and self care this october Join the challenge for personal grow⌉ ](https://i0.wp.com/stayathomemum.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Ocsober-1.jpg?quality=89&ssl=1)

Via [Ocsober Facebook page](https://www.facebook.com/Ocsober)

A fundraising initiative that encourages people to go sober in October, Ocsober 
supports an organisation called Life Education. You might remember it from your 
own school days, when Healthy Harold the educational giraffe came to tell you all
about healthy lifestyles. It’s a great initiative that helps kids to understand 
and be aware of the dangers of alcohol and drugs, and offer alternatives to early
participation.

In 2015, Ocsober hopes to raise $700,000 that they will use to empower 700,000 Aussie
kids. These are the next generations of Australians that might struggle with alcohol
addiction, and helping them helps our entire country.

But Ocsober shouldn’t just be done for the greater good. Here are a few reasons 
you should consider participating in the event, just in case you weren’t already
sold.

## **1. You’ll Save Money**

Let’s be clear here, alcohol is expensive. Thanks to taxes and import costs, Australia
happens to have some of the most expensive alcohol around. So, if you decide to 
undertake Ocsober one thing that’s guaranteed is you’ll save a bit of money. In 
terms of the family budget, this is great news and the extra money is always welcome.
It could go towards Christmas presents for one thing! Of course, you could choose
to truly support the cause by calculating how much money you spend each month on
alcohol, and donating it to the Ocsober cause…

## **2. You’ll Feel Better**

We all feel bad when we’ve had too much to drink, but you’d be surprised how much
of an effect alcohol can have on the body even if you aren’t hungover. Regularly
consuming alcohol means that your body is always working to process it, and your
mental function is often clouded. Plus, alcohol can contain a high amount of sugar
and carbs (depending on what you’re drinking) that also have an effect on your health.
Many people that drink regularly struggle with their weight, and cutting alcohol
out might just be the boost your body needs to get on track. So, although the first
couple of days might be a challenge, especially if you drink on a daily basis, Ocsober
is an ideal way to get started on a health kick. After a month, you might find you
don’t drink as much overall.

## **3. You’ll Set A Good Example**

[⌊Ocsober | stay at home mum⌉⌊Ocsober | stay at home mum⌉[

Via [Ocsober Facebook page](https://www.facebook.com/Ocsober)

If you’ve got kids and you drink on a regular basis, Ocsober is definitely something
you should consider. When children never see their parents enjoying themselves without
alcohol, it’s easy for them to assume that alcohol consumption is a requirement 
for having fun or being social. This is especially true in Australia where it’s 
exceedingly rare to meet someone who has made a lifestyle choice not to drink at
all (as opposed to being limited by belief). So giving up the grog for a month is
a good way to show your child that there’s more to life than regular drinking, and
that there are always other options if you don’t want to drink.

## **4. You’ll Help**

You don’t need to have [signed up](http://ocsober.com.au/get-involved/signing-up/)
for Ocsober to participate, but signing up is a good motivator to get out there 
and fundraise for this noble cause. Whether it’s among your friends or at your workplace,
or even in your local community, let people know that you’re going sober this October
and raising money to help support Life Education. Every dollar you save is putting
an Australian kid on the right track with their health and good habits for the future.
Families can get those around them involved and really spread the valuable message
of Ocsober, that alcohol isn’t everything.

Ocsober is a pretty good fundraising cause to get behind, with clear links that 
will benefit your community in the long run. But even the idea, separate from the
fundraiser, is something to consider.

### Taking a one month break from alcohol, especially just before the silly season, might be just what your body needs after all.

![author avatar](https://i0.wp.com/stayathomemum.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/
12/clare_whitfield_profile.webp?quality=80&ssl=1)

 Clare Whitfield Chief Editor

 Clare Whitfield is the Editor of Stay at Home Mum and a recognised voice in practical
home management for Australian families. Based in the northern suburbs of Sydney,
she balances editorial leadership with life as a stay at home mum to two school 
age children. Her background in home economics and more than a decade of experience
in recipe development, family budgeting, and household systems inform her work.

 [See Full Bio](https://stayathomemum.com.au/author/clare_whitfield/) [  ](https://stayathomemum.com.au/author/clare_whitfield/)