It’s
exactly 5 months until Christmas –
How does a bit more cash to get your loved
ones something extra special this year sound?
By kicking
the habit now, the 30-a day smoker would
save themselves almost £1000 by Christmas.
This is the message from the Sheffield NHS
Stop Smoking Service, which is encouraging
smokers to join the free service to help
them quit for Christmas.
Jacqueline
Senior from Norfolk Park, Sheffield, gave
up her 60-a-day habit in 2002 and as a result
her daughters benefited from a brand new
computer last Christmas. This year Jacqueline
has persuaded her two sisters and son to
give up smoking, as a result her daughters
are looking forward to a sack full of bigger
and better presents than ever before.
Jacqueline
said: “Giving up smoking was the best
thing I have ever done for the family finances.
Not only did we get the girls larger Christmas
presents - which we would never have been
able to afford before - we have also been
on two family holidays to Majorca, have
had the house refurbished, bought a shed,
had the back-garden landscaped, and we are
now having the front-garden done. It’s
really exciting to think that all these
things have come thanks to giving up smoking,
and that’s without mentioning the
health benefits that myself and my family
have felt.
“You
can save so much money between now and Christmas
– a time when you really need those
extra pennies. I recommend that everybody
who smokes contact the NHS Stop Smoking
Service, their service really helps and
you really do benefit!”
Smokers’
pockets also benefit once they have kicked
the habit because by giving up people can
save money on the cost of life assurance.
Life assurance companies have traditionally
imposed higher premiums on smokers for many
types of cover, such as term assurance,
because of the increased risk of earlier
death or serious illness. A 30-year-old
man wanting £100,000 of cover for
25 years will pay £7.83 a month if
he is a non-smoker, but the premium rises
to £12.40 a month for a smoker –
a rise of £4.57 per month.
John Soady, Head of the Sheffield NHS Stop
Smoking Service said: “We are encouraging
smokers to take a look at their finances
and give serious thought to the benefits
of stopping smoking. The big bonus from
quitting is the health gain but many people
overlook the financial ones. Christmas is
a time to think of others but we are urging
Sheffield people to do something for themselves
this year and give their health and bank
balance a boost.”
The
Sheffield NHS Stop Smoking Service is a
free service that offers comprehensive support
locally. For details on your nearest quit
group please call the freephone number on
0800 068 4490. |
