I can't believe it's been a week since I quit my 13+ year habit of smoking cigarettes. Around this time last week, I smoked my last cigarette. Smoking my last cigarette made me feel really good about my decision to quit. The reason I say that is that when I took the last cigarette from my pack, it was broken in half. Maybe it was some kind of sign....
I tried to stop smoking about 4 years ago but only made it 5 days. One of the reasons I think that I wasn't successful that first time was because I wasn't really motivated or ready to quit. This time, I am motivated and ready to quit. Not only and I motivated and ready to quit, I have a great support network.
I appreciated all of the positive comments and well wishes you guys left on my initial post regarding my decision to quit smoking. Not only do I have you guys to support me, I have all of my friends and co-workers helping me to continue to be a quitter. Most of them check with me daily to make sure I haven't smoked.
I also signed up with a website called Quitnet. Quitnet is a great website if you are trying to quit smoking. All you need to do is complete a short sign up form and they will send you daily tips to make the process easier. Each day, I get an email advising me of how long I have been smoke free, how many cigarettes I have not smoked, how much money I've saved and how long I've increased my lifespan.
As I mentioned in my last post, each week that I am smoke free, I will transfer $14.70 into a separate savings account to be used for whatever I want. I made my first $14.70 transfer into my ING savings account today.
The first few days without smoking were very hard. I will write a separate post on that in the next few days.
Related Posts:
I'm Ready to Quit Smoking and Save Money
Nice work, keep it up my friend!
I'm at my one year mark of quitting smoking, so I know how tough it is. Keep it up, because it is so worth it--you'll feel better, breathe better, smell better, and (as you say) have more money!
One thing that helped me (because I always made excuses and thought it was okay to have "just one") was to realize that I will always be a smoker...I just choose not to practice anymore.
Good for you!
Way to go! I need to quit too - I've been saying that way too long now. Good luck and keep it up!!
Great job. I quit smoking too and I know how hard it was. Once you make it a few more days it will be so much easier. You can do it!
Woohooo!
Good for you and keep it up! My wife has quit several times, but she always falls back into her old smoking habit.
Stay strong ;)
Yay for you!
Congratulations to you. We're on the same boat. Today is my 26th smoke-free day.
Yayyy bravo!
I've heard of QuitNet - it sounds like a really cool tool. One of my blogger friends used it to show that she's saved over $3000 in the last several years from quitting. You're richer already!
Way to go. It is so hard. Good luck!!
Congratulations! I wish I could ditch my vice with strong willpower. You give me hope that I can do the same...one day. Keep up the good work!
Great job! I am three years smoke-free now and know what you are going through...it does get easier though!
Christy
Congrats on making it through that initial hump! I remember how hard that first week was. :)
Keep up the great work!! :D
It takes a lot of courage to take this step, well done!
You made a great decision. Wishing you the best.
Wow, You convinced me in the possibility of living without a cigarette. That looked as the pure fantastic prior reading your post, but your testimony convinced me in the reality of the freedom from our bad habits. Thank you for the wonderful encouragement. I too will try to follow your example now.
Congratulations! Way to go!
I have been smoke free for 5 months now, and this is coming from someone who smoked for 39 years and 2 /12 packs a day. I did use Chantix and it really helped me an awful lot. Don't get me wrong I still want a smoke now and then but nothing like it use to be, thank God. I feel so much better, I can breathe.
Good luck and just keep telling yourself you don't need the cig!
Jodi
I have never even tried smoking, but both my parents were smokers. My mom quit several years ago and I am so thankful. Her health isn't the best anyway, she is diabetic, but I am glad she at least is taking care of her lungs! :) Good luck in your journey, you have done such a fabulous job with everything else like paying off your debt and developing a great website to help motivate others. You really deserve to be successful!
I totally dig your mercenary motivation to quit. I'm a day behind you in the non-smoking department.
40 buxs to savings tomorrow. *woot*
@ALL: Thanks so much for all of the support. It really helps make this a little easier.
@Tomas: Good Luck. Once you take that first step, it gets easier down the road.
@Jodi: You smoked for 39 years? WOW. Congratulations on quitting!!!
@Rebecca: What do you plan to do with your no-smoking savings?
Congratulations! My husband quit smoking after thirty-some years. He never thought he'd be able to quit, but he did! The prices of the things just keep going up higher and higher!
Congrats and good luck keeping it up! Great idea to save the amount you'd otherwise spend on cigs.
"@Rebecca: What do you plan to do with your no-smoking savings?"
For now, I'm sticking it in an account and letting it sit.
Damn kid!! keep it up, that's crazy exciting :)
nice blog.. care to exchange links?
Congrats on quitting smoking, just as I read this post I heard an ad on the radio for that nicotine gum, spooky.
Pretty cool to think you've probably added 15 years to your life by quitting.
Great job! I'm very proud of you. Keep up the good work.
Keep it up. You're helping your wallet and your heath. BTW...do you chew a lot more gum now? When my dad has tried to quit smoking he really enjoyed chewing gum.
@The Passive Dad: I chewed a lot of gum for the first few days but I quickly got tired of it.