It’s that time of the year again when millions of Americans take part in Dry January. The sobriety challenge is a chance for some people to rethink their relationship with alcohol, and it’s a way to kick-start the new year with healthy habits.

For Sandra Nencetti, not drinking is a very intentional decision. She discovered Dry January for the first time this year.

“I’ve decided to participate in Dry January even though I didn’t know it was a thing,” she said. “It is so I can get my physical body, my physical house if you will in order. I can finish getting my actual house in order, and I can get my financial house in order.”

Nencetti is a Sept. 11 survivor and lost a partner to suicide. She says she’s used to drinking a glass of wine every night after work. But she says drinking, while socially acceptable, isn’t the best thing for her.

These days, she’s celebrating life with sparkling water, in her grandmother’s wedding crystal passed down to her.

Nencetti’s sober lifestyle is helping her save money, too – almost $1,400 a year.

“I realized it was not only costing me time, because instead of getting something done around the house after work, I’d be relaxing with a drink,” she said. “One of things I started doing was tracking my expenses to the penny. And I realized how much I was casually spending on my own alcohol, wine, beer, bourbon, etc., as well as taking it to parties.”

Beyond the financial benefits of not drinking, the 61-year-old revealed she’s seen immediate health benefits.

“Dry January means my skin is not so dry, it feels better; no one is going to think I’m 20, but it feels more soft, and glowy. It feels great,” Nencetti said. “I have lot of trouble sleeping, and I’m sleeping much better.”

Studies show people who did Dry January end up drinking less the rest of the year. And they see long-term health benefits, including lower blood pressure, weight loss and decreased growth factors related to cancer.

Nencetti also has more energy for tasks around the house, which she’s been putting off for many months. Decluttering is also part of her Dry January routine, such as going through a box of what she calls “randomness.”

Nencetti says she’s determined to make positive changes in her life and hopes to continue avoiding alcohol beyond the month of January, with no end date in sight.