I started with being open with my friends first. This avoided, mostly, any awkwardness that may arise when they ask if I wanted to go out for drinks and/or go to a restaurant. Fortunately, my family and my significant other is on the frugal side and wouldn't be necessary to explain to them why I may or may not want to do something. .
I came across this situation only a week after starting my new goal. It was a bit tricky trying to explain to a friend why I didn't want to go out, even though I could have gone and just drank water. I wasn't ready yet to test my strength while I watched others drink and eat for 3-4 hours. In comparison, it's like someone who decides to stop shopping but then goes hang out in a mall Drinking and eating out is my biggest weakness. I also wanted to get my point across of how serious i'm taking my goal of getting out of debt. As a compromise, I went for the last couple hours.
When dealing with these situations, you cannot give in to peer pressure. There are numerous ways you can see friends without it costing anything, just as simple as hanging out. I enjoy chatting with my friends either at one of our places or outside if the weather is nice by simply walking on the trails.
I live in a city where there is a lot of fun free activities such as the trails, skating canal, museums, seasonal events and just purely walking around site seeing this beautiful city. I believe by taking advantage of these free activities, it will help me appreciate the city better. Don't you ever find when you live in a city you don't take advantage of what it has to offer? We take it for granted. But when we visit other cities, we have no problem exploring it and visiting touristic places.
This journey isn't only about gaining financial freedom but about enjoying, shall I dare say, the smaller things in life while doing it with friends and family. It's not about depriving myself of something but spending money on things that truly make me happy.