addiction = stone-clad excuses. If we could funnel the brain power that addicts expend to cling to their habbit, we would have an alternate fuel source for the world. The pity would be that it would probably be renewable. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 12/29/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 17 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 175 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $85 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 15 [B]Mins:[/B] 48 [B]Seconds:[/B] 35

I've often heard criticism of people who are receiving welfare benefits and spending money on cigarettes and I always kept my mouth shut. Fortunately, my salary covers all my needs...but until 4 months ago....I probably believed that I would always have to smoke no matter what my circumstances. Sometimes I forget how fortunate I am..... Windy [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 9/11/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 126 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,531 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $630 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 12 [B]Hrs:[/B] 7 [B]Mins:[/B] 52 [B]Seconds:[/B] 56

Hi mate You summed it up we were all there once but NEVER again! Phil [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 8/8/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 160 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 3,365 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �840 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 32 [B]Hrs:[/B] 1 [B]Mins:[/B] 19 [B]Seconds:[/B] 59

Very good story Brent. Thanks for sharing. The thing I cannot believe is the moneything. Some people can not pay their bills but they can affort smoking. How weird is that? I came to my senses when I figured out how much money I blew up in the air. The healthissue was not my biggest reason to quit, the moneyissue was. Since I quit I can affort everything I want. Smoking blocks the mind from thinking they say.... Maybe that is not a bad thought afterall. Bye bye ;) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 4/1/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 289 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 8,683 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �852.55 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 40 [B]Hrs:[/B] 6 [B]Mins:[/B] 26 [B]Seconds:[/B] 13

I enjoyed reading this. Very timely. For some reason, smoking has crossed my mind several times today since I woke up. Usually it is just a passing thought. I was (and we all were) like your renters. Only difference is I could afford to smoke, so to speak. Since hubby and I have quit we have just about paid off ALL our debt. Like the rest of most Americans we owed money on credit cards...no more! House is just about paid for and the only other is a loan to replace the heat pump that recently went out. However, there but by the grace of God go I! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 9/8/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 129 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 6,475 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1032 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 13 [B]Hrs:[/B] 17 [B]Mins:[/B] 8 [B]Seconds:[/B] 23

We can want people to quit all we want, but they will not stop until they are ready. Your quit is a great example for them and other. When they are ready they will come to you. I had faimly members die from this additciton and it didn't stop me. It made my smoking uncomfortable for years, but didn't stop me. I have told a lot of people about this site and how wonderful it is. I get "I need to check that out" and that is all the further they go. The main thing is we are quit to-day and for that I am grateful. Have a good one :) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 12/11/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 35 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 355 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $105 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 4 [B]Hrs:[/B] 19 [B]Mins:[/B] 7 [B]Seconds:[/B] 19

My wife and I have a couple of small properties that we rent out and on the whole, we have very little bother with them. About a year ago, a new couple moved into one of them and through no fault of his own, the guy lost his job and became quite ill. We had a long saga of being understanding and allowing the rent arrears to build up, nearly having to go through the unpleasant process of eviction, but eventually, things have worked out and we seem to be back on track. You can't fail to notice however, that they both smoke. The house stinks, they stink, their dog stinks and their three kids stink. They smoke a packet of cigarettes a day each and they have very little other than a bit of furniture and some basic household goods. I called around the other day to see how they were and heard about the shadow on his lung. They are hoping that it is nothing serious and he has "cut down" his smoking. The conversation turned to smoking and I told them about this site and my own experiences. Basically they didn't want to know and talked about the subject in order to be polite. It did raise an eyebrow briefly when I worked out quickly that it cost them nearly �4000 per year to smoke. He also told me of a relative that had lost a leg through smoking. I wanted to slap them! How could they be so stupid! Did he not see that he was going to die young! Then the sobering thought............I spent 35 years with the same mindset that they have............. I would not talk about it, I pretended that it wouldn't happen to me, I mistook the relief of the withdrawral symptoms as "pleasure" and buried my head in the sand. Now I feel sad for them. Those of you who are at the beginning of the journey, please take comfort from the fact that the difficulties you have at the moment will pass. It gets easier very day but it is also easy to forget why you are stopping the addiction and for the drug to get you again. Perhaps the biggest encouragement should come from the fact that I managed to stop. As a confirmed smoker of 35 years experience, I had a trail of unsuccessful quits, excuses and junky reasons for giving up giving up. If I can do it then anyone can! The biggest reason that I succeeeded.............I found a forum that would put up with my

We just didn't understand our addiction until we quit smoking, took as step back and saw everything for what it was worth. We are now outsiders looking in. As quitters, there are times we have a hard time understanding the logic of the addiction. Isn't it interesting? When we quit smoking, "never smokers" couldn't understand what we were going through and "smokers" didn't get it either. They actually encouraged us to give up the fight and join them again in the addiction. Now as "ex-smokers" I believe we are in a class of our own. Just random thoughts for Monday morning. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 7/1/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 563 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 11,267 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1970.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 50 [B]Hrs:[/B] 20 [B]Mins:[/B] 35 [B]Seconds:[/B] 5

Brent, Thanks for sharing this touching story and we Hope others reading this can learn. You have come such a long way and we are very proud of you. Unfortunately it may take others longer to realize. How can you not pay rent and be sick, yet still afford to smoke? How can you have a friend dying from this sickness and continue to poison yourself? It may take that wake-up moment to get on the right track. We are glad so many of you are on the right track :) Josie _____________________ The SSC Support Team.