When it comes to quitting cigarettes, the journey itself is nothing less than an incredible challenge. Since you’re already addicted to nicotine, it’s going to take more than just a little bit of willpower to put the cigarettes down for good, but when you finally do, you’ll be so grateful to have your health, energy, and confidence back.
The cessation process can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few years, depending on several factors including your environment, stress levels, and the support you get during your cessation period. Here, we’ll cover five budget-friendly ways to quit smoking that won’t break the wallet or your spirits. Let’s get started!
1. Tobaccoless Dip
Thousands of smokers are turning to tobaccoless dips and other products (from brands like Black Buffalo) as a way to give up smoking for good. While tobaccoless products usually do contain nicotine, you’re still not getting all of the harmful effects that tobacco products like cigarettes have to offer.
Cigarettes are dangerous, causing around 500,000 deaths per year and costing the healthcare system somewhere around $300 billion annually. You’re likely spending thousands of dollars already per year on your cigarettes alone. That’s not even accounting for the healthcare costs you may have incurred already or the ones you most definitely will incur should you continue your habit.
Tobaccoless dip is affordable and can help replace the ritual of smoking or using chewing tobacco. You’ll still get nicotine, but you won’t have to worry about the health complications that usually follow smoking.
2. Exercise
Did you know that daily exercise can help you quit smoking? Exercise is linked to so many incredible health benefits that it would take four articles to cover them all, but for the sake of this one, we’ll talk about how it helps you quit smoking for good.
In certain studies, exercise has been shown to help reduce the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal, which can be irritability, lack of energy, and mood swings. Exercise releases “feel good” chemicals in the brain called endorphins, which affect mood, among other things.
Not to mention, focusing on exercising can help distract your brain from the effects of withdrawal and keep you from reaching for a cigarette just to ease the cravings. Exercise will also help you begin to repair some of the damage your habit has caused to your internal organs.
3. CBD Oils and Products
CBD is a naturally-occurring compound found in Cannabis, and it’s been linked to all kinds of amazing health benefits, including stress and anxiety reduction, treatment of certain seizure conditions, improved focus, reduced pain and inflammation, and even reducing the effects of addiction.
It’s believed that CBD can actually help block receptors in the brain that are responsible for addiction. It could be an effective treatment for everything from nicotine addiction to opioid addiction, but more research is needed to solidify it as such. However, thousands of users swear by CBD for quitting cigarettes.
You can get CBD in several forms, including oils, creams, and capsules, or gummies. The options are pretty much limitless, and CBD has no major side-effects!
4. Cessation Apps
Technology has connected the world and made our lives that much easier, and now it’s here to help you put down the cigarettes as well. With hundreds of cessation apps available on both the Apple and Google stores, you’ll have plenty of options to choose from.
Cessation apps are great because they help connect you to a community of people who are also giving up the habit. You can track your progress, milestones, and get the inspiration you need right in the palm of your hand. You don’t have to quit alone with cessation apps!
Many of these apps are free to use, so you won’t have to worry about monthly premiums or upfront costs. Simply go to the online store, download the one you think fits your needs, and you’ll be on your way to a happier, healthier future.
5. Support Groups
Support groups are completely free, and more people experience success when giving up a habit if they’re supported by friends, family, or like-minded people. Support groups exist on and offline, and you can find groups on social media that are always accepting new members.
Having support will help you pick yourself up when things get difficult. You’ll have the empathy of people sharing the same struggle, and you can share wisdom, tips, and take the journey together.
Final Thoughts
We all know smoking is dangerous, and with public smoking bans in place in most states, the general public is growing tired of the cost and effects of the habit. Don’t let your body fall victim to the destructive force of a cigarette habit; choose one or more of these budget-friendly ways to quit smoking, and you’ll thank yourself for taking control of your health and your life.
