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A (non) smoker's tale
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I jsut didnt get the book. was a little wierd for me. I did however splash out and go to the Allen Carr clinic in Wimbledon a few years ago. Didnt work for me (and i got my money back, no questions asked) but it did work for my mum, she hasnt ever smoked since.
So although a big initial outlay she has saved thousands!!!
I'm off to bed to listen to my Paul Mckenna quit smoking cd i was given at the weekend now lol.
You've all put me on a guilt trip to try and quit again.Last bet : 26th Oct 2006:j Debt free 25th Feb 2008:j Living "my" dream:T0 -
Hi, don't think i've posted on this board before but this thread rang a chime with me and just wanted to share my experience. My first painful credit card experience (man from barclaycard coming round with pair of scissors!) was because i had maxed my card out (using a sneaky 'loophole' to ignore my credit limit, which i won't share!!) to keep myself in fags whilst a student. Even when I started working, buying them was my number one priority - i'd spend my bus money on fags and then have to walk home, a good 5 miles! The amount i spent on fags in my 20s could have easily equated to a deposit on a house. Sigh.
I quit just over a year ago (hooray!) Didn't buy alan carr's book, but did flick through the 'mini' version of his book (called something like the little book of not smoking) in the bookshop. Incidentally, that's one of my favourite money saving techniques, especially all these bookshops that have comfy armchairs and coffees!
The thing that really stuck in my mind from his book was the 3 week complacency period when it's got a bit easier, and so think you can have just one. That has caught me out before. If you're tempted, remember that it's never 'just one' but in fact, all those thousands until you manage to give up again.
Also i found large doses of vitamin C helpful for the first few days- they use it to detox heroin addicts so i figured it might help with nicotine too!
Other things i found helpful were to take deep breaths when a craving comes - pray - go on the givingupsmoking chatroom - distract yourself- the craving will pass in a few minutes. Or eat something healthy. I've put on a bit of weight, but get far more compliments now, than when i had grey skin and stained teeth. To be honest, the money alone wasn't a good enough reason for me (as the bus story proves), i focused on vanity and health reasons. However my finances are a lot more healthy now I'm a non-smoker though i have slightly substituted with a shoe addiction!
Keep trying and you'll get there in the end - I read somewhere it takes 7 attempts to quit before the average person succeeds! Seeking support is always a step in the right direction, so well done!"The Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed" - Ghandi0 -
Just to help you all here...listen to my story.
I started smoking 20 years ago. I loved smoking, I lived for smoking, I would have divorced my husband, sold my cats, done anything rather than not have a ciggie. I started smoking when my first husband decided to mess around on me after only 2 years of marriage. I chucked him out, went out to buy a bottle of vodka and 20 cigarettes and that that was the start of it. I learnt then that cigarettes got me through the bad times and they have, more often than I like to think over the years. I often think smoking stopped me doing something 'stupid' all those years ago, so I can understand how I got hooked so easily.
A few years later, when I re-married (to a man I've been with 19 years now) we went through some hard times financially when he left the army. Basically, we were stone broke, had not a bean. He ended up going begging people for the odd ciggie because I couldn't manage without them. I would threaten to divorce him if he didn't get me some! And I meant it, that's the worse thing. That's how big a hold cigarettes had on me after only a few years of smoking.
I was on 40 a day within only 5 years or so and that carried on until January of this this year to be exact. I stopped permanently on the 1st January 2006. Midnight. It was my New Years resolution. And I have done it! I gave up my best friend, my crutch through life, my right arm....or that is how it felt. But smoking does eventually kill you, it caused cancer, it destroys your finances. I've been lucky. I could afford my expensive habit as my husband ended up being very well paid and never once begrudged the possible £50,000 plus I have wasted on smoking during our 19 year marriage.
I tried patches, cold turkey, fake ciggies, those pills you get from the Doc, I tried everything over the past couple of years when I had decided I didn't want to be addicted to this filthy haibt any longer. The only
thing that worked for me was Nicorette Nasal Spray. It's cost me a fortune 'giving up' at a cost of £19.25 per can and I used 3 per week for 5 months - work it out.....£1,155.00 spent to save another £50,000+ over the next 20 years, that's if I had lived that long.
I now don't smoke and I am so proud, it is my biggest achievement. No truer word has been said than this:
If I can give up smoking, you can. It's hard, Nicotine is apparently harder to kick than heroin. It destroys you and has no mercy with your finances.
Stop smoking now, it will be the best decision you ever make, even if it is the hardest.
Ember xx~What you send out comes back to thee thricefold!~~0 -
Hiya. Just a quickie whilst my baby is having a little play.
Thank you all for the messages of support. I'm still working my way through the book. I'm taking my time because I want it to work, so I need it to go in and stay there (if you know what I mean).
I really want to smoke my last ciggy when he says and then never smoke another one.
I can't wait.
I will be on later to press the thanks button, when bubba is asleep!
Thanks again for the support. I'll update you soon on how I'm going.DMP mutual support number 174Total debt now (April 10) £0! - total paid off £30,221 or 100%I'm now debt free after 6 years!!:jNon smoker since June 2006 :j0 -
The last couple of days have cost me more money! I still haven't finished the book as I can't find the time in the day to read it. The longer it takes me, the longer I keep smoking and more money I spend!
I want to finish this book and stop smoking so much.
I've been on maternity leave since December and I'm going back to work in just over a week.
I want to have stopped by then, because I'm afraid if I get into the habit of smoking in work I won't find the courage to stop!
Anyway, I will try to find the time today to read.DMP mutual support number 174Total debt now (April 10) £0! - total paid off £30,221 or 100%I'm now debt free after 6 years!!:jNon smoker since June 2006 :j0 -
moggins wrote:Good luck milliejon, I am having to quit before the middle of July but even Allen Carrs book and tapes isn't working for me, I don't know what to try next. DH is thinking of sending me to his parents who live in the middle of nowhere with no shops around so that I have no access to fags for a week.
you have to keep trying and don't give up giving up. I started aged 12 and was and smoked for over 30 years. During that time I was always packing it in. I was finally sucessful 8 years ago. Keep going and you will get there and hopefully it won't take you as long as it took me.
Good luck to every one trying to give it up:TSuicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.0 -
Found the book yesterday looked at the price £8.99:eek: put it back on the shelf and thought i'm not paying that and walked away.
A few minutes later I went back and bought it thiniking I'd pay over a tenner for 40 cigs so I'll just give it a try, if it doesn't work maybe I can sell it:D
I have yet to begin reading with a coffee and............................fag:rolleyes:Women and cats will do as they please and men and dogs should get used to it.;)
Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself.
Ralph Waldo Emerson0 -
I was a bit sceptical when I started reading it, but it's really inspiring me to give up.
I don't want my kids to suffer just because I smoke. The quicker I stop, the quicker my debts will be paid and the more I can spend on lovely days out and holidays with the kids!
Good luck!DMP mutual support number 174Total debt now (April 10) £0! - total paid off £30,221 or 100%I'm now debt free after 6 years!!:jNon smoker since June 2006 :j0 -
My fiance smokes about 20 a day and ive made him a chart on excel to track his smoking,
his cigarettes work out 26p each so ive made him a chart which he ticks off per cigarette, so it goes 26p,52p etc
Each A4 goes up to £100, this way he can watch the money his spending everyday adding up day by day, i know his not going to want to tick the £100 box!!0 -
Well - I've just got to the bit when I have to smoke my last ciggy, but I don't feel brave enough.
Some parts of the brainwashing haven't been removed.
I'm going to quickly go through it again, and make notes (sad I know) and keep going until it's in my head.
I want to give up so much now, so we can pay these debts off more quickly and go on holiday. As I was writing this, I've just realised that, because of my selfish addiction, I'm stopping my kids having nice days out because we can't afford them.
Right, that's it, I'm going to keep reading until I know the whole book inside out!!
I'll be back with an update soon.DMP mutual support number 174Total debt now (April 10) £0! - total paid off £30,221 or 100%I'm now debt free after 6 years!!:jNon smoker since June 2006 :j0
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