Could you give up alcohol for a full month?

No after work pints, wine with dinner or boozy nights out — that's the challenge being set by Alcohol Concern with its Dry January initiative.

The 31-day booze-free challenge is said to help save you money, reduce your waistline and spare you from those morning-ruining hangovers.

Our reporter Samantha Robinson is taking the challenge to raise money for Alcohol Concern — will you?

Here's everything you need to know about Dry January:

What is it?

  • Your chance to see if you can go booze-free for all of January, and give your 2015 a healthy start.
  • Simply avoid alcohol from January 1-31 and swap your pints for soft drinks or water.
  • You can also raise money for Alcohol Concern, who help people harmed through alcohol misuse, by collecting sponsorship.

Why should I go dry for January?

  • Christmas is a time when many of us (over) indulge in a festive tipple or two — by cutting out alcohol, you're giving your liver a break and starting the New Year with a healthy attitude.
  • It will save you money, help you lose that Christmas weight and you'll be free of those hangovers that prevent you from leaving the couch on a Sunday.
  • It's an opportunity to show yourself that you can say 'no' to a drink or two.
A glass of wine
A glass of wine

What are the benefits?

  • You'll sleep better
  • Lose weight
  • Have nicer hair/skin
  • You'll save money
  • It could kick off healthier future habits — 80 per cent of people who took part in Dry January in 2013 said they planned to cut down the amount they drink during the rest of the year, too, according to a survey by Alcohol Concern.

Please note: Dry January is not a medical detox programme and should not be undertaken by people with alcohol dependency issues. It is an awareness raising campaign and fundraiser for Alcohol Concern.

How can I fundraise?

  • As Dry January is an Alcohol Concern campaign, you can only raise money for Alcohol Concern.
  • Create a Dry January fundraising campaign on JustGiving.
  • Text donate 51 text DRYJ31 to 70070 with the amount you want to donate, i.e. DRYJ31 £10 to 70070 if you want to donate £10.
  • Download a copy of the Dry January 2015 sponsorship form from the website.
  • Post a cheque to Alcohol Concern, 25 Corsham Street, London, N1 6DR.
  • Alcohol Concern is a national charity working on alcohol issues. All funds raised will help the charity to make a difference to the lives of those affected to alcohol misuse.