Smoking: It’s gonna cost ya.
I won’t regale you with the scary things you’ve already heard about smoking – The cancers, lung diseases, artery damage and the harm caused to others from second hand smoke. No, this rant is about money. If fear of death doesn’t do it for you, perhaps fear of destitution will.
Smoking costs you a ton of cash!
As a habitual smoker, you may be oblivious to sticker shock when buying a pack. If so, do the math. Smoking a pack a day at $6 a pack costs you $42 a week, $180 a month, and $2,190 a year. A 40-year-old who quits and puts the savings into a 401(k) could save almost $250,000 by not smoking by age 70.
Ouch!
The tab is onerous when you add up the cost for cigarettes, yellow teeth, holes in clothes, dry cleaning, higher insurance. And you could even lose your job for not quitting.
Be honest: Would you want to employ somebody who takes breaks throughout the day to suck on carcinogens? The cost to insure smokers increases the price of insurance for the whole company.
Nonsmokers can generally expect to receive a minimum 10% discount on homeowner’s insurance. The insurers have noticed that smokers are far more likely to burn down their houses.
There is prejudice against smokers – and it’s perfectly legal in most states. A few examples:
Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Michigan, no longer hires smokers.
Alaska Airlines, based in Washington state, does not hire smokers. You must pass a nicotine test before they’ll consider hiring you.
The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, Washington state, has job applicants sign an affidavit swearing to non-tobacco use.
Union Pacific railroad has a stated policy that they will not hire smokers.
The list goes on and on.
Now who would you rather be – stinky breath or healthy and wealthy?
Many state governments offer free assistance to help you stop smoking. Why pay to quit if you don’t have to? Check with your state government’s websites to find resources.
However you need to do it – just quit, and save money!
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