I stopped smoking 18 year's ago and, from the off, I put away the money I would have spent on cigarettes.

When I stopped, my brand used to cost £3.60 odd for 20, so I rounded it down to £3.50 and have saved £49 a fortnight ever since. I called it my household fund and bought everything that's needed replacing in a home over those years. It has also been spent on family treats from time to time. At present there is £360 in it and last August, on my 80th birthday I took family and friends to the Greyhound Stadium for a three course meal and an evening of dog racing.
I paid for everything including drinks but excluding their bets and it came to just under £500. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their evening and I didn't think of it as an extravagance simply due to the fact that that money used to just go up in smoke.

Since I stopped, I have saved £1,274 per year which is a staggering £22,932.

Makes you think, doesn't it?

I smoked my last cigarette on 28 October 1995. I had recently turned 45 and couldn't climb two flights of stairs without getting breathless so decided to challenge myself by going cold turkey. The next two weeks were hell.I literally grieved for my habit and would sob for hours at a time but, looking back, I'm not sorry I gave it up and I'm not sorry I experienced the withdrawal because I now know I'll never let myself get addicted to anything, ever again!

I didn't have the presence of mind to put the money saved to one side but, as OH also gave up at the same time, we soon noticed that, for the first time ever, there was still money left in the current account at the end of the month and we didn't have to rack up credit card bills to replace day to day items that needed it. The next year's summer holiday, we stayed in a decent hotel rather than a down market B&B, and so on .. AND I could run for a bus without gasping.

I think I was paying £3.50 for 20 at the time I stopped; someone said the other day that they're now close to £10 a pack so my 30 a day would be costing well over £2K per year. Beats me how anyone on a normal income could possibly afford it now!

Stopped in '96 after about fifty years (Istarted when I was 11).

Entirely by luck, I can't claim will power. I picked up a hospital acquired infection which knocked me out for six weeks. When I recovered I knew I'd be a fool to start again.

Missed it for about ten years.

I can honestly say say that I don't feel any better, my food doesn't taste better nor have I noticed any improvement in finances, or any of the other benefits one is supposed to see!

Stopped in 1970 when I was getting involved in winemaking. I was lucky in that I didn't really have a problem stopping. I did find though, that my olfactory equipment was very much improved. In my entire career (40 years) in the business I only found 1 winemaker who smoked. I think in the 10 years I smoked, my main reason was so I could flick a butt like James Dean!