How I Paid Myself $86.63

I quit smoking 14 days, 7 hours, and 38 minutes ago, and I've got to say, it feels great. The first four days were a nightmare. The second week, I was plagued with coughing spells unlike anything I had ever experienced.

All of that has subsided. I'm left with a newfound sense of smell and taste, clothes and breath that doesn't smell like an ashtray, and best of all, $86.63 in my pocket. Cigarettes aren't cheap. Try taking a closer look at how much you spend. A person who smokes a pack of Marlboro Lights every day will spend about $160-$180 a month.

I decided that I couldn't let this extra cash just sit around, so instead, I had a little celebration yesterday with the friend who helped motivate me to quit. Steak, sweet potatoes, a salad and wine. Much tastier than a cigarette. And I haven't seen any reports lately about any of these things causing lung cancer, emphysema or COPD.

I pray that there is never a day in the future when I decide to pick up another cigarette, and I honestly don't think that will happen. The State of Texas provides an awesome set of resources to help you quit.

The website is http://www.yesquit.org/. It takes 15 minutes to sign up, and you'll be amazed at the tools they offer. It has helped me tremendously. I hope you find it as useful as I have. Just remember, for any of this to work, YOU MUST WANT TO QUIT!

Here are my stats so far: