Smoking is an expensive habit. Over the course of weeks, months, years and even decades, the amount you spend mounts up to a small fortune. Now, lets imagine you stopped smoking today, and well see what you could do with the money saved. Lets assume that you smoke one packet a day at a cost of 4.50 a packet.

After 2 weeks: You will have saved 63, enough for 10 cinema tickets.

After a month: You will have saved 126, enough for a new iPod.

After 2 months: You will have saved 252, enough to cover a months rent.

After 3 months: You will have saved 378, enough for around 54 new DVDs.

After 6 months: You will have saved 756, enough for a holiday to New York.

After a year: You will have saved 1512, enough for an Omega watch.

After 5 years: You will have saved 7560, enough for a brand new car.

After 10 years: You will have saved 15,210, enough to cover your childs college fees.

Im sure you get the idea. As soon as you pack in smoking, either start putting aside 5 in your drawer each day, or ask your bank to set up a new savings account which automatically debits 5 a day from your checking account. After a few months, you will be astonished at how much money you have in there.

The strange irony is that if I asked you, the smoker, to pay me 3000 to be stocked with cigarettes for the rest of your life, youd probably turn me down. On a deeper level, all smokers know they are being ripped off when it comes to smoking, and that they are making a significant financial contribution from their earnings to sustain the habit. Yet very few wish to believe they will be doing it forever.

Somebody once told me that the only way to beat smoking was to face up to the fact that you need to quit, and that statement is as true as they come. So many smokers hang their heads and live in denial, always believing that they will quit some day. Thats just an irrational qualifier your brain uses to allow you to keep smoking in relative peace. Be brave and face up to the fact you are an addict, that you are spending x a year on cigarettes, and then make the choice as to whether you wish to explore the possibility of giving up, or whether you wish to continue.