They're raising taxes on tobacco again, this time to cover for even more administrative follies that smokers did not cause. And at the same time, smoking is still becoming more of a target of political correctness! How can both things be true? Because nobody ever said it had to make sense.

Most smokers agree; it would have been better not to start, than to feel helpless and want to quit smoking. Unfortunately, moderation is not an option for most people. Once the subconscious gets a taste of that nicotine rush and makes it a clear habit, it wants it all the time. Then you are not the boss any more. Some people can smoke occasionally, but those folks, like their smokes, are few and far between. Yes, it is a good time to get rid of the habit. It will be better to get your jollies from something else anyhow, such as accomplishment, making money, reading or artwork, for example. That way you won't have to gamble on poor circulation or respiratory problems from the smoke, either. And everything will be cleaner.

Face it - however painful, becoming free from cigarettes is an attractive thing. You can be relaxed anywhere, not merely 'waiting' for the next opportunity to smoke. And the money! Taxes have made the cost of tobacco completely ridiculous. So, say you have decided to quit, and the only problem is the difficulty and how to go about stopping.

The answer is right there in that last sentence: Decided! We are talking 100%, no ifs and or BUTTS decided. You can handle a few days of the heebie-jeebies with a little help from some clever tools. Not the patch, or the gum, mind you, those are just more nicotine to prolong the agony. You want to be free from all of that stuff. Be aware, though, your subconscious is going to try to trick you, and it is very good at it.

Guess what? You can trick it right back, using subliminal and/or hypnosis audio. The subconscious is ALWAYS listening! And those things are very inexpensive, maybe the price of only two packs of cigarettes or so. But you have to be determined and actually use them. You can get a subliminal .mp3 download or hypnosis from anywhere. You can play the silent subliminal one anywhere with anything else going on, and it will help.

Cold turkey, while not the "easiest," is by far the best and most effective way to stop smoking cigarettes. As if there was an easy way. For some people it's the only way, but since we are all so different, for some people cold turkey is not even an option. The cravings are just too overwhelming, and the will power beats the won't power. So just know yourself and decide. Decide at the deepest level possible, the unconscious mind. It is easy to say it, and 'decide' at the conscious level, but convincing the deeper self is another story. But you can do it. Lots of people prove this all the time. If yours is a tough nut to crack, you'll need stronger crutches. But just don't give up on giving it up; be strong, and decide your way to freedom!

By : Dave Asprooth (http://www.sprudio.net)

In the last year the cost of living has gone up tremendously. In our area electricity, water and food all cost more than one year ago. And if gas prices rise to where they were last summer, it will hurt our budget even more.

So if you, like our family, are trying to find ways to reduce spending, here is one way you could save thousands of dollars each year: stop smoking.

If you are trying to quit smoking it is often necessary to really look at your overall budget to get a real reason to quit. Simply trying to stop smoking for your health sometimes is just not enough. You need to really open your eyes at times to see how much smoking really is costing you each year that you smoke. Additionally, this can also be impacted if you require a great amount of health care due to smoking related complications. However, at a minimum the costs that you can count on for certain will include the costs of the cigarettes themselves.

If you have ever stopped to think about how much you are spending a week on cigarettes you have surely noticed that it is a rather significant amount. Prices are climbing higher than ever before, and this is largely due to the fact that many states as well as the federal government are imposing extremely costly taxes on cigarettes to help offset many of the increased health problems that are created.

On average, all around the country cigarettes can cost as much as $5 per pack. If you have a habit of smoking that consists of only a single pack per day, you are smoking seven packs in a single week. This might not seem like much, but if you consider that each week, you are spending $35 on cigarettes, it can add up quickly. In a single week if each pack costs $5 you will have spent as much as $35 on your cigarettes! For many people this is a tank of gas, a trip to a movie theater, or even a new outfit if you know how to shop right. You could even put the money in a savings account and start to find how your money could actually grow, rather than be burned.

As much as the idea of $35 might seem like a lot of money, to many people it is just a minor price to pay for something that they thoroughly enjoy. If we consider that the average month has 30 days, and each day you are smoking a $5 pack of cigarettes the monthly price will jump up to approximately $150. This is a rather substantial amount and could easily cover most people’s gas bills, power bills, water bill, phone bill or even a great night out on the town occasionally. If you really want to see the overall impact of smoking each year, consider that each year you are smoking 365 packs of cigarettes. This multiplied by 20 comes up to 7,300 cigarettes each year, which comes up to an astonishing $1,825 dollars each year! Talk about a huge amount of money spent on smoking.

Remember, though, this is just the price of a single pack a day habit, and it is assuming that you are paying only $5 per pack. Many states have higher prices, while others are a bit cheaper. If you actually smoke more than a single pack a day, you would be looking at $3,650 a year for a two pack a day smoking habit as well as 14,600 cigarettes each year that you smoke!

The sheer price of cigarettes when added up in a single year is horrific. If you consider that you would probably be smoking for a period of 5 years you are looking at a total cost of $9,125 for a single pack a day habit and a striking $18,250 for a two pack a day habit. The amount of money that can be saved by not purchasing cigarettes is absolutely enormous.

If the idea of just improving your health is not enough to get you to quit smoking, you may have a sudden desire to quit after you see exactly what it is costing you each year to smoke. The prices of cigarettes are continuing to rise, and this combined with increased living expenses makes it extremely hard for families to make ends meet.

Saving money any way possible is a huge help, and even the expense of pricey stop smoking aids is significantly cheaper than the cost of actually continuing to smoke.

Looking to gain the biggest benefits that you can out of your goal to quit smoking is not insane, rather it is a good idea. Knowing exactly what is in store for you as you attempt to quit will help to keep you encouraged, plus it can be a great reminder about exactly why you set out on the adventure of stopping smoking when the going gets tough.

Making sure that you are most benefit possible is not only a wise idea, but it can also serve a huge benefit of ensuring that you take full advantage of the improvement in your lifestyle. One of the biggest benefits comes in your health. You can decrease your risk of lung cancer, heart disease, heart attack, stroke and even high blood pressure to name just a few of the health problems that are experienced by smokers.

While the time that it takes to decrease the risks vary, you should start to see an improvement in your health very quickly. This can be highly encouraging since you will be able to breathe better as you workout to stay in great physical health.

Money is another fabulous reason to quit smoking. With the average cost of smoking up to over $1,800 a year for a single pack a day habit, you are looking at a lot of money just burned away.

Keeping the money in your pocket can do a lot for your budget. It could even mean the difference between being able to buy that incredible sports car that you have had your eye on.

You might even decide to drop the money into a savings account and really get the maximum benefit, regardless of your choice you are going to be happy to hang onto the money, rather than burn it up.

Other benefits can include being able to keep your house, car and clothes smelling better. Everyone knows that cigarettes have a bad smell, and those who do not smoke can really pick up the smell.

As your desire to smoke goes away, your desire to smell good will increase. This can lead to a complete top to bottom cleaning that will put you in a great mood.

If you quit smoking in the spring you could just consider it your yearly spring cleaning spurt. You will definitely love the increased sense of smell though, after all those gorgeous flowers in the yard will now have a reason to exist beyond just looking pretty. The ultimate benefit that you will experience is your expected life span will be increased. What is better than finding the fountain of youth?

Just by stop smoking, you can significantly increase the amount of time that you are expected to live. This combined with the health benefits that quitting smoking offers you could find that you are looking at adding as much as 10 years onto your life. This is something that is absolutely huge, and just by quitting smoking as well.

Most who discover just how much they can add to their life are absolutely shocked, but taking care of yourself and quitting smoking for good is a great benefit that you will certainly appreciate when you are older and enjoying those added years.

Do not be afraid to live your life to the fullest, after you quit smoking you will have plenty of energy for a lot of great new activities that you can enjoy for years.