Financial Costs
Depending on what state you live in, the personal cost of smoking cigarettes can range from $59,000 to $108,000 each year. Over a lifetime, this total can reach up to $5 million. These estimates are based on out-of-pocket expenses, lost income, health care spending and other costs associated with smoking cigarettes. Check out how your state ranks in the map below:
If you are unable to view the above map, visit this link to access it directly from WalletHub.
To see how much you currently spend on tobacco products, check out this savings calculator.Time Costs
In addition to money, there is often a time cost associated with smoking. If you smoke, ask yourself the following:
How much time do you spend buying or using tobacco products?
Think about how you could use this time to do other things you enjoy.
Does smoking cause you to miss work or other important activities?
Reflect on how your productivity is impacted by smoking.
Does smoking negatively influence the quality of your work?
Consider why your work is being affected and how it could improve.
Well-being Costs
Smoking can also be costly to your well-being. You may find it impacts mental, emotional, social and occupational areas of your life more than you realize. If you smoke, consider the following questions:
Does smoking causes disruptions to your daily life?
Think about how you can limit the strain on those areas of your life by cutting back on or quitting smoking.
How does smoking affect your relationships?
Consider how continuing to smoke impacts your friends and family. Is smoking worth possibly harming those connections?
How does smoking affect your mood?
Reflect on how your attitude changes throughout a normal day, especially when you are unable to reach for a cigarette.
Smoking can take a toll on your life, health and finances. It is never too late to take control of your smoking. For more information about tobacco and quitting smoking, visit the Warfighter Wellness Thinking About Quitting Tobacco webpage. If you or someone you know is trying to quit, check out the additional resources section below.