Posts Tagged ‘addiction’
Working the Smoking Math – How Much Does it Cost?
June 9th, 2009
A good reason that might just make you attempt to quit smoking is when you check your total budget. Sometimes simply trying to quit to improve your health may not just be a strong push for you. You have to open your mind to be able to see how much does smoking really costs you each year. This can become even more expensive when you have to shell out a great amount for health care because smoking related complications come out. However, at the minimum, smoking will cost you the price of the cigarettes themselves.
If you have taken the time to do mental calculations of how much smoking have cost you, you would surely find it rather a noticeable amount. Prices are steadily rising, and that includes the price of cigarettes. A big reason for this is that many states as well as the federal government imposed an awfully high amount of taxes for cigarettes to offset the ill effects that cigarettes brought to health. On average, a pack of cigarette is sold at $5 all over the country. If your habit of smoking makes you consume a single pack per day then it would add up to seven packs a week.
You might have the impression that it really does not cost that much. But if you think of spending $35 on cigarettes, you might just be surprised how it has added up so quickly. Imagine in a single week you are burning your 35 hard-earned dollars! For a lot of people, this already translates to a tank of gas, a movie date, or a brand new outfit if you are a smart shopper. Or you can see your account deposit getting bigger and bigger, rather than have it burn to ashes.
Though $35 may be such a big amount, this might just be a measly price to pay for a hobby that many find immensely enjoyable. If we take the days of the month, 30 days on average, and each day you are smoking $5 per pack then in a month you have spent approximately $150. This is rather a big cut to your budget which could have gone to other expenses such as gas bills, power bills, water bills, phone bills, or even an occasional night out of town.
If you are interested to see how much smoking is costing you the whole year round, consider that each year you are consuming 365 packs of cigarettes. Multiply each pack by 20 sticks and you are inhaling 7,300 cigarettes each year which comes at a staggering $1,825! Talk about extravagantly spending money just for smoking! Do not forget though that we are only computing the cost for a single pack a day habit, and assuming too that it is only $5 dollars that you spent per pack. Many states have much higher prices, while other states may have a little bit lower. If you make a double pack consumption per day then you are spending $3,650 and smoking 14,600 sticks per year.
Adding up the price of cigarettes that you smoke for a year is shocking. If you make an approximation of spending 5 years of smoking and not thinking of quitting at the moment, then you are looking at a huge amount of $9,125 for a single pack a day consumption and an astonishing $18,250 for a 2 pack a day habit. The amount of money that you could have kept from refraining to smoke is certainly immense.
If the idea of stopping smoking for improved health is still not a very strong motivation, the cost of smoking each year may be. Prices of cigarettes keep on increasing and the escalating cost of living just make it doubly hard for families to live within their budget. Saving money, in whatever way possible is a big help to the family. Even the costly price of stop smoking aids is still least as compared to the cost of continuing the habit.
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Posted in Quit Smoking Effects | 
Tags: addiction, habits, health, lifestyle, nicotine addiction, quit smoking, Quit Smoking Effects, smoking, smoking habits, stop smoking, stopping smoking | 
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Stopping Smoking Benefits
June 7th, 2009
It is a good idea to know how quitting smoking will benefit you. This can help keep you encouraged by knowing what you will gain from breaking your smoking habit. It also serves as a reminder as to why you decided to quit smoking in the first place. Knowing your benefits will serve as a huge advantage to improving your lifestyle.
The greatest benefit of breaking your smoking habit is your health. The risks of lung cancer, heart disease, heart attacks, stroke, and high blood pressure will eventually decrease over time. Being able to breath better and be in overall better health will be very encouraging to continue to not smoke.
Money is a great benefit to quitting smoking. Did you know that the average smoker spends over $1800 a year on cigarettes? By not spending the money for smoking, you have inceased your budget. Maybe you would like to spend the money on a sports car, new furniture, or pay off old debts. Investing the money in mutual funds or in a savings account will maximize your benefits.
Other benefits can include being able to keep your house, car and clothes smelling better. Everyone knows that cigarettes have a bad smell, and those who do not smoke can really pick up the smell. As your desire to smoke goes away, your desire to smell good will increase. This can lead to a complete top to bottom cleaning that will put you in a great mood. If you quit in the spring you could just consider it your yearly spring cleaning spurt. You will definitely love the increased sense of smell though, after all those gorgeous flowers in the yard will now have a reason to exist beyond just looking pretty.
When you quit smoking, you increase your expected life span by as much as 10 years. If this isn’t a benefit, I don’t know what is. The fountain of youth is often found by former smokers since life spans increase and the aging process decreases. A longer, healthier life is sure to be the greatest benefit of all.
Most who discover just how much they can add to their life are absolutely shocked, but taking care of yourself and breaking the smoking habit for good is a great benefit that you will certainly appreciate when you are older and enjoying those added years. Do not be afraid to live your life to the fullest, after you stop smoking you will have plenty of energy for a lot of great new activities that you can enjoy for years.
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The First 72 Hours After You Stop Smoking
June 7th, 2009
Feelings of fatigue, irritability and an extremely persistent headache are all side effects of nicotine withdrawal and are all perfectly normal. Why? Simply because it is in the first 72 hours which nicotine purges itself from your system – regardless of the stop smoking method you have chosen to use.
Preparation is the key. By knowing what you are in for, you can make plans to deal with the feelings and symptoms and not have to hide away where you won’t bother anyone. However it is also a good idea to inform your family and friends (but only if they are supportive) of your goals. This also gives them the opportunity to stay clear if they think you might be a little bit cranky!
Also keep in mind that you will be going through these trying times and have plans to work through them, should they arise. It can really nip withdrawal symptoms in the bud. It is helpful to have made a list of what you feel you may experience for symptoms of withdrawal. Some of the things that you may want to include on your list are:
Feeling angry or agitated: I will take deep breaths and take a walk outside. I will leave the room or go take a shower.
Feeling overly emotional or sensitive: Seek out somewhere you can be alone until the feelings subside.
Feeling tired: I will allow myself to be able to rest and heal from my addiction.
Feeling nauseated: I will go outside and get some fresh air.
After eating, I will: Read to keep my mind occupied so I don’t crave the ‘after-dinner’ smoke.
By drinking lots of fluids, and most especially water, your body’s stores of nicotine will be rapidly metabolized and flushed from your system. The downside is that you will have to go to the bathroom more often, but the upside is that the nicotine will clear itself from your system that much quicker and alleviate the physical withdrawal symptoms.
A few things can make the withdrawal symptoms stronger rather than weaker. Caffeine may be one of those. But not for all people. Every situation is unique. Best to judge for yourself. If you are finding that caffeinated drinks are causing you cravings, you should cut down drastically or quit altogether.
Sometimes giving up too many things at once can also open up another can of worms, so maybe just try cutting back on the caffeine. Water, fruit juices, and even ice cream shakes, can help clear out your system and get those withdrawal symptoms done with faster.
Sleep, or the lack of it, is another common side effect of stopping smoking. It doesn’t seem to matter how tired you are during the day, a good sound sleep can be elusive as your mind doesn’t seem to want to shut down, nor can you find a comfortable position in which to rest.
To help alleviate this, I recommend a hot shower before heading off to bed to help you relax. Usually the sleep deprivation only lasts for a night or two. However if it persists, I would suggest a visit to the pharmacy to pick up a sleeping aid until the restlessness passes. It won’t last forever.
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