Time to quit smoking!

Would you like an extra $1460 this year? If you smoke a pack of cigarettes everyday, that is the amount that you could save in the next 12 months. We all know that it’s tough to quit smoking; here are some tips to improve your chances of success:

• Write down why you want to quit (the benefits of quitting): live longer, feel better, for your family, save money, smell better, find a mate more easily, etc. You know what's bad about smoking and you know what you'll get by quitting. Put it on paper and read it daily.


• Set a quit date. Decide what day you will extinguish your cigarettes forever. Write it down. Plan for it. Prepare your mind for the "first day of the rest of your life".


• Talk with your doctor about quitting. Support and guidance from a physician is a proven way to better your chances to quit.


• Begin an exercise program. Exercise is simply incompatible with smoking. Exercise relieves stress and helps your body recover from years of damage from cigarettes. If necessary, start slow, with a short walk once or twice per day.


• Do some deep breathing each day for 3 to 5 minutes. Breathe in through your nose very slowly, hold the breath for a few seconds, and exhale very slowly through your mouth.

Find another smoker who is trying to quit, and help each other with positive words and by lending an ear when quitting becomes difficult.
Would you like more advice on quitting? Check smokefree.gov for resources from the United States government.