There’s no getting away from it: smoking is an expensive habit. The price of a pack of cigarettes continues to rise from one year to the next as taxes are increased. By continuing to smoke you are depriving yourself of other luxuries that are healthier and more satisfying in the long term.
One good way to keep yourself motivated as you quit is to work out how much money you are saving as a non-smoker. Try this:
1. Write down the average number of cigarettes you smoke each day, e.g. 12
2. Using a calculator, divide that by 20, e.g. 12 / 20 = 0.6
3. Now multiply that by 7, e.g. 0.6 x 7 = 4.2
4. Write down how much a pack of 20 of your regular brand of cigarettes costs, e.g. $11
5. Multiply that by the answer to step 3 to find out how much you spend each week, e.g. 4.2 x 11 = $46.20
6. Now multiply the result of step 2 by 30, e.g. 0.6 x 30 = 18
7. Multiply the result of that by the answer to step 4 to find out how much you spend each month, e.g. 18 x 11 = $198
8. Now multiply the result of step 2 by 365, e.g. 0.6 x 365 = 219
9. Multiply that by the answer to step 4 to find out how much you spend each year, e.g. 219 x 11 = $2409
10. Now for the big one. Write down how many years you have been smoking, e.g. 25.
11. Multiply that number by the result of step 9 to find out how much you’ve spent on cigarettes so far, e.g. 2409 x 25 = $ 60,225.
Of course, you might have paid less for cigarettes in previous years, but it still adds up to a big number. Frightening, isn’t it? What could you have done with all that money? There’s no point worrying about that now, though. Think about the future instead, and what you can do with all the money you’ll save. You might want to write down some of the things you plan on buying with the money you’ll be saving. Keep that list close by – it will help you when you feel tempted to spend money on cigarettes.
You could also try keeping a savings jar at home or work. Put in the money you would have spent on cigarettes. Alternatively, every time you feel tempted to smoke and you successfully resist temptation, pay yourself the average cost of a cigarette. If you are adding 55 cents every time you resist temptation, you’ll be surprised how quickly it adds up
Sourced from
www.nicabate.com.au
www.path2quit.com.au
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