By Porsche Miles Grant
I know what you are thinking, “I am grown and I can do what I want to do!” Right? Wrong. On the journey to financial success, you cannot do what you want to do. You have to be open to listen, preferably to an expert. You have to be willing to sacrifice your wants and replace them with your needs. You have to be willing to adjust and make changes, because that is the only way to succeed. When we think about needs and wants, we are positively sure that smoking is definitely a want, and a bad one at that. You literally cannot benefit from smoking in any way, besides it may eliminate some stress short-term. However, long-term it can result in an abundance of negativity.
As you may know, smoking causes health issues, decreases your lung power, senses and taste buds, causes you to smell, damages your teeth, affects your skin and sex drive, disrupts your sleep, and ultimately leads to death, but that’s not all. While you’re alive, it will also suck you dry of your finances; finances needed to send your child to school, to afford you that new car and new place, and finances that could’ve been used for your savings. That’s right, your savings. Oh, how we forget. Your saving is imperative, putting away 10%-20% of your income will afford you the finances needed to prepare for setbacks and emergencies. Most importantly, it is that extra cushion needed when you want to do something special for yourself.
Yet, you are like a broken record constantly complaining about not having enough money to save, or do the things you want and need to do. The most interesting part of all of this is that you cannot find the money to save, but you always find the money to smoke. Making the decision to smoke, instead of save is your downfall. Statistics show that if you give up a 1 pack of cigarettes a day at an average cost of $6.18, you can save $2,200 a year. Depending on how many packs of cigarettes you smoke in a day, you could be saving thousands of dollars a year. In addition to this change, you are able to change your financial outcome as a whole. Many people found that once they made the choice to slow down on smoking or quit all together, they received lower insurance premiums. Once again, another perk to quitting and all of the reason to save.
I dare you to sit down and work out the numbers. Calculate how many packs of cigarettes you smoke a day, and what that equals out in months, and years. The numbers will be appalling, but this is the reality check you need to become accountable, and to wake up. You cannot afford this habit, even if you can financially afford it. It is a detriment to you, your family, finances, and your future.
I can promise you that once you decide to stop smoking, you will gain your freedom. Such habits can be shameful, embarrassing and a burden. Having that sense of freedom will rid you of dreading long flights, or sneaking out side to grab a smoke, or receiving dirty looks from others when smoking in the car with your children. You will be free and a bit more financially stable, and that is the key.
Porsche Miles-Grant is a Certified Financial Counselor and the CEO and Founder of Financial Success Services, LLC. She can be contacted at 313-753-2696 at Porsche.miles2288@gmail.com. She may also be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/financesandeducation/.
This was printed in the October 16, 2106 – October 29, 2016 edition
