What to Do with Your Smoking Money

Now that you've decided to quit smoking, you may want to continue taking that money out of your paycheck every week. Except now, you'll be putting it away for something you really want.

Stay motivated to quit smoking by choosing some luxury. Use the money you would have spent on cigarettes on these treats.

To make it easier, using a clear glass or plastic jar or box will show you just how quickly you can save money after you've quit smoking.

For ideas of what to do with your new-found money, here are some suggestions, based on a price of $5 for a pack of cigarettes, assuming you smoke two packs a day:

After one week

You've quit smoking for one week. Congratulations! Now you've saved $70. Take your husband or wife out for a nice meal, one where you get real napkins and tablecloths.

Or go to the mall and splurge on a great pair of strappy high heels or that fancy new leather handbag you've been eyeing. Guy, what about a pair of designer jeans or a couple of CDs? You can outfit your iPod nicely with $70.

After one month

After you've been saving your quit smoking money for one month, you'll have accumulated $280. How about joining a gym? With this money, you can join the gym and spring for cute new workout outfit, or guys, you can get a hot pair of sneakers or a muscle shirt.

Plus, with the time at the gym, you'll look hot in the new outfit you can buy with almost $300. Not into clothes, think about the books or CDs you can buy. Get an iPod or iPhone.

Take the kids away for the day, to a theme park or to the movies. Be the most popular parent on the block (even among the parents) and take your kids and couple of their friends to the movies and for pizza afterward.

After one year

If you've quit smoking for a year and saved every penny you would have spend on cigarettes, you'll have about $3,360. You can re-do your entire wardrobe. You can redecorate your bedroom. Plan a sunny getaway for your family or go all out at the holidays.

Go skiing. In Vail. Head overseas. You could go tech-crazy and buy a new computer, a new plasma television. You could even put down a nice down payment on a new car, or play the stock market.

You can even pursue dreams you though were long past possible: buy a piano and take lessons. Send the kids to summer camp, a nice one. Go on vacation, just you and your spouse, while they're there. So if you do decide to quit smoking, think of saving every cent you'd have spent on cigarettes.

Within only a few days, your quit smoking fund will have grown enough to show you a significant return. Within a year, you'll have the financial means to pursue all kinds of passions, hobbies, and pursuits, like fine dining, travel, new gadgets and games, and more.

While other people rely on fellow friends, family, and colleagues who have quit smoking for support, you on the other hand will have tangible evidence of all the possibilities open to you after you've quit smoking.

comments powered by Disqus