Do ex smokers REALLY save money?

freeloader

cboo wrote:

I am going to give up smoking this week, will be getting a pot to put all the money I would have spent on smoking. Am currently reading Alan Carr book so fingers crossed.

That's exactly what I'm going to do:j Just got book, and am halfway through.

freeloader

freeloader wrote:

That's exactly what I'm going to do:j Just got book, and am halfway through.

follow on from last post ...

OK, the book took me 2 days to read. Best £6.99 I've ever spent! I am now 10 days an ex smoker (after 20 years of 20, then 30, then 40 a day). Absolutely no cravings, no nicotine replacement, no pain.

If you want to stop (and who doesn't?), please buy the book and read it with an open mind. If it doesn't work first time, read it again.

On the negative side, I seem to be carrying about a stone in extra timber, so that will be my next target. I think it must be due to the change in metabolic rate (quite a common thing, I understand), as I'm pretty sure my eating habits haven't changed to compensate.

In answer to the original thread question, yes, ex smokers do save money (£80 in 10 days, in my case). Admittedly, some of my savings will go on a personal trainer for a few weeks (if you believe that, you will believe anything!), but it's still got to be cheaper than the coffin nails. The rest is getting shovelled into my cash mini ISA (should take me up to my £3k limit by the end of the financial year).

SO HAPPY!!!:j :j :j

cantcope

Lol i know what you mean about carrying extra timber. I cant stop eating!!!

I have saved money though £80 so far

Hello

Well done Freeloader!!

Never before have I even thought about giving up, except for the last few days I know we can't afford it. I get really tetchy :mad: at work with ciggies, I dread to think how bad it would be after giving up!

I wonder if it would work for me taking time off to avoid the work stress and trying?

Congrats to all those who have made it! :T

freeloader

cantcope wrote:

Lol i know what you mean about carrying extra timber. I cant stop eating!!!

I have saved money though £80 so far

:T :beer: :j
Well done! (what was your method?)

freeloader

Hello wrote:

Well done Freeloader!!

Never before have I even thought about giving up, except for the last few days I know we can't afford it. I get really tetchy :mad: at work with ciggies, I dread to think how bad it would be after giving up!

I wonder if it would work for me taking time off to avoid the work stress and trying?

Congrats to all those who have made it! :T

Hello Hello and thanks! Until a fortnight ago, I never thought I would be where I am now. In fact, it was so easy, I wonder why such a big deal is made about it.

I am now an Allen Carr evangelist, so my first piece of advice to you is to get the book. It might work for you to take a week off work and read the book at the beginning of your week (it only takes a week for the nicotine to leave your system). But I think even better would be for you NOT to change your work routine. Then imagine how powerful you will feel at being able to quit without having to change any other aspect of your life. It was so easy for me, and I am the WEAKEST WILLED person you will ever meet!

Give it a go and report back here!

skystar

My husband changed to smoking roll-ups (would prefer for him to stop altogether but he doesn't want to and to stop you have to want to I think) and the money we save gets transferred into a savings a/c and this pays for a holiday each year.

He changed to roll-ups when I explained that at roughly £5 a packet a day is £35 per week and £1820 per year :eek: :eek: After our first holiday away he realised the sacrifice was worth it

pounds_and_pensive

I'm quite keen to quit, more because smoking makes me feel 'dirty' than because of the money, much as it's needed. I've tried a couple of times, and found it had a really weird effect on my sleep patterns, which are odd enough already. The first time, I hardly slept at all and was buzzing around like a demented lunatic - the house had never looked cleaner. This was also accompanied by an odd feeling that I wasn't 'me' any more, but a stranger in my own skin. The second time, I was like a zombie and could barely keep my eyes open, never mind clean anything. Neither attempt lasted more than a week.

What really puts me off though, is the thought of putting on a load of weight. I'm by no means obese, but the pounds I could do with dropping have already bothered me for long enough so the usual advice 'Give up the cigs and lose the weight afterwards that you gain as a result' does nothing to encourage me. There's no way I can see my excess pounds going anywhere if they get others for company, they'll just throw a welcome party for their new friends and stay here. Calories will be involved. Lots of them.

Has anyone managed to quit without putting on the weight? If so, how?

Hello

I guess I may as well 'fess up to another reason too. I had a thorough health check a few months ago and was told that I have a 20% chance of a heart attack in the next 10 years (weight is a problem too). I don't like them there odds, it's time to do something. Exercising is a struggle, I think the smoking makes this worse. My Brother loves to run for a hobby (I think I was adopted), I would love to join in one of his races one day.

I am going to see if the library does the book.

Hello

freeloader

skystar wrote:

My husband changed to smoking roll-ups (would prefer for him to stop altogether but he doesn't want to and to stop you have to want to I think) and the money we save gets transferred into a savings a/c and this pays for a holiday each year.

He changed to roll-ups when I explained that at roughly £5 a packet a day is £35 per week and £1820 per year :eek: :eek: After our first holiday away he realised the sacrifice was worth it

I think every smoker wants to quit if they're honest, but they have to come to the realisation themselves. All you can do is to support your hubbie when it dawns on him. I know from experience that nagging doesn't work.