Dry January 2027: a free tracker, calendar and plan
Thirty-one days without alcohol, from Friday, January 1 to Sunday, January 31, 2027. Write your rules down, keep a calendar where you can see it, and check off each day. This page shows you how to set it up in a few minutes, and how much money the month could leave in your pocket.
Before you start. If you drink heavily or every day, stopping suddenly can cause withdrawal, which can be dangerous. Talk to a doctor or a local alcohol support service before you start, so you can stop safely.
What is Dry January?
Dry January is a month-long break from alcohol at the start of the year. The challenge was started in 2013 by the UK charity Alcohol Change UK, which runs the official campaign. If you sign up with them, you get their free app, Try Dry, plus daily emails and an online community. Many people also take an alcohol-free January on their own or with friends.
Challenge Contract is a separate, independent tool. It gives you a different set of things for your Dry January: a one-page contract you sign with yourself, a printable 31-day calendar, a lock-screen wallpaper, and a simple daily tracker that stays in your browser. Use it on its own or next to the official app.
Dry January 2027 dates
| Starts | Friday, January 1, 2027 (New Year's Day) |
|---|---|
| Ends | Sunday, January 31, 2027 |
| Length | 31 days |
| Weekends | Five: January 2-3, 9-10, 16-17, 23-24 and 30-31 |
| Long weekend (US) | Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, January 18 |
Because January 1 falls on a Friday, the month opens with a three-day holiday weekend. That is the first real test, so plan those three days before New Year's Eve.
A four-step Dry January plan
- Sign a contract with yourself. Open the contract builder with the Dry January rules already filled in, such as "No alcohol", "Alcohol-free drink when I want a drink" and "Log my day in the tracker". Add your name, keep three to six rules, and sign it.
- Print the calendar or set a wallpaper. Print your contract with a 31-day calendar sheet for the fridge, or save it as a lock-screen wallpaper so your rules are the first thing you see each time you pick up your phone.
- Check in every evening. Open the tracker before bed and mark the day. It takes a few seconds, keeps your streak visible and works offline. Nothing is sent to a server.
- Plan your alcohol-free evenings. Look at the calendar for Friday nights, dinners, birthdays and game days. Decide in advance what you will drink and what you will say. The Dry January tips page has drink ideas and a few honest lines for when someone offers you a drink.
Money saved calculator
Enter what a usual week of drinking looks like for you, including bars and restaurants. The results update as you type.
How it works: drinks per week divided by 7, times the number of days, times your average price. Decimals are fine, for example 2.5 drinks or 6.50 per drink.
Put the number somewhere you will see it. Some people move the money into a separate savings account each week, or write the running total on the printed calendar.
Printable Dry January calendar
The contract builder prints two pages: your signed contract and a 31-day calendar sheet. Stick it on the fridge or next to your bed and mark each day in the evening. If you prefer your phone, save the same contract as a lock-screen wallpaper.
What if I slip?
One drink does not erase the days you already kept. Mark the day honestly, then get back to your rules the next morning. The contract uses a simple rule for this: never miss twice. One slip is a single day; two in a row is how an old routine comes back.
Use the slip as information. Write down where you were, what time it was and what you felt just before. That is usually the moment to plan for next time. It is also worth knowing that research from the University of Sussex found changes in drinking even among participants who did not stay alcohol-free for the whole month, though the changes were smaller (University of Sussex, 2019). Keep going. More on the research is on the Dry January benefits page.
If you find you cannot stop, or you get symptoms such as anxiety, sweating or shaking when you cut down, those can be signs of withdrawal (NHS). Talk to a doctor before trying again.
More for your Dry January
Questions
When is Dry January 2027?
It runs from Friday, January 1 to Sunday, January 31, 2027. That is 31 days, including five weekends.
Is there a free Dry January app?
Yes. The official campaign run by Alcohol Change UK has a free app called Try Dry. Challenge Contract is a separate free tool: a printable contract and 31-day calendar, a lock-screen wallpaper and a daily tracker that works in your browser with no account.
Do I need an account to use this Dry January tracker?
No. It is free and needs no sign-up. Your contract and check-ins are stored only in your own browser. Clearing your browser data removes them, so print a copy or save the image as a backup.
What happens if I drink on one day?
Mark the day honestly and go back to your rules the next morning. A common rule is never miss twice: one slip is a single day, but two in a row is how an old habit returns. The days you already kept still count.
Can I do Dry January if I drink every day?
If you drink heavily or every day, stopping suddenly can cause withdrawal, which can be dangerous. Talk to a doctor or a local alcohol support service before you start so they can help you stop safely.
Challenge Contract is not affiliated with Alcohol Change UK. Dry January® is a registered trademark of Alcohol Change UK.