Mom used to smoke 2 1/2 packs a day, or a carton every 4 days. Doing some math, 365 days in a year times 2 1/2 packs a day is 912 packs per year. 10 packs in a carton comes down to 91 cartons a year. I smoked about the same. That's another 91 cartons a year.
Cigarettes cost between $50 and $55 per carton presently. That's $50 times 182 cartons = $9100/yr for mom and me to smoke.
Being forever mad at the government for taxing them so much, and forever broke, I found that by rolling my own cigarettes, I could make them for $10.57 per carton. So a few years back I cut the smoking costs to $10.57 times 182 cartons = $1,923 for mom and me to smoke. The downside? It took almost an hour a day, every single day, to make enough cigarettes for both of us. I cut that in half last December, so I have only been spending 30 minutes a day making cigarettes.
One of the biggest questions I had when I bought my trombone earlier this year was, "Where am I going to find 30-45 minutes a day to play this thing?" It takes that much time. I can't stand to play badly. I didn't have time to budget for this.
It has been a wonderful gift to be able to reallocate 30-45 minutes a day away from something harmful (but necessary?) toward something enjoyable and healthy. I have had time to play the horn for no other reason except that I'm not making cigarettes.
Some days after Mom quit smoking, I opened a new carton of tubes (to make the few that I smoke still). I can't remember which day it was. Probably November 3 or maybe 5. This is December 13, and I just now opened another carton.
That's pretty much 40 days per carton. Translate to 9 times $10.57 = less than $100/year.
Suddenly I realize that I can pay for the trombone 3 times, have time to play it and still save money in just the first year.
If I ever needed proof of concept on the Wellness and Strength year, I now have it! Wow!
Thanks, Mom!