Excuse me for a minute....I'll post this anywhere I have to.

a reply to: jude11

Good for you for quitting!! Stick with it - it does get easier over time, but it can come back around, even after months of not smoking and rear its ugly head. The thing is - the more you fight and win, the more you are used to fighting and winning, you know? Fighting and winning will become your new habit, if you will. Be ready for it.

I quit this year in January after smoking for *gasp* 26 years. My blood pressure was 191 over 119, and it was either quit or stroke out, so I opted to quit. NIcotine and caffeine are both out of my life now, and it feels like 2 major weights have been lifted off of me.

So I started with the mint flavored nicotine lozenges for about 3 months, and then switched to mint flavored, regular old gum. Pavlovian response and all - and it works to this day - a piece of minty gum calms me right down.

Keep going! I figured up how much I'm saving a year - about $2,000 U.S.

Now I don't have to worry about all the stupid crap I used to worry about (setting a horrible example for my kids, running outside in the hot and cold because I don't smoke in the house, hurrying through dinner so I can run outside because the restaurant is non-smoking, worrying about going out of town because all the hotels are non-smoking, clothes/hair/breath smelling horrible, etc.)

AND neither do you! You're doing the right stuff - keep it up. Post when you need to and remind yourself of the good, positive things that are coming from this.

You're free brother!!

It seems we are on similar paths, I quit just over two weeks ago.
My reason was that I need prophylactic surgery which they won't perform it unless I'm smoke free for at least 3 months. So I had my reason. I went to the doc and got champix, I had tried them a couple times before but kept forgetting to take them, I was not motivated to quit, just thought I should.
I must say I'm quite shocked how it's worked for me, no stress or anxiety,, a few after dinner cravings but I'm over it soon enough.
I had the plan of putting the money away but that hasn't worked out as I never actually carry cash but I love your idea! We pay $28 a box here which is actually more than an oz of silver so I'm going to start doing the same, I've already had a quick look at what I can get, so far ive noticed there are a few scammers out there selling bogus silver, any tips or hints on getting the real deal?

Kudos in your achievements so far

a reply to: jude11

just don't pick up another smoke. Quitting sucks so, very, very bad. If you start again, you will just have to do this same mind numbing exercise again. So keep all that in mind, and replace the cravings with exercise, not food.

I quit. Others quit. So it can be done, and you aren't any weaker then I am.