Years of carting home cartons and lighting up countless packs of cigarettes can burn a izable hole in the family budget. With the recently proposed $368.5 billion tobacco ttlement, smokers would have to cough up even more per pack to maintain their habits. It can get very expensive, said Joe Cherner, president of SmokeFree Educational Services, a health vocacy group based in New York. There are so many other extra costs that people dont even realize Just how many extras Cigarettes aside, the nations estimated 48 million regular smokers usually incur more everyday expenses than the rest of the population in cleaning bills and personal hygiene products.They may shell out more in overall doctors visits, surance premiums, and in some cases, earn lower wages due to lower productivity or lost job opportunities. While its difficult to quantify, all that can add up to a lot of money gone up in smoke over the years, financial resources that could have been invested, used to lower debts or spent in other ways. Balk, who quit smoking six years ago, conservatively timates losses around $15,000, not including the money spent trying to kick her habit through cupuncture and other methods. Success came after one $150 hypnotherapy session Arnie Willcuts, vice president for Phoenixbased Smokenders, which provides behaviormodification courses and seminars, says the first thing he tells clients is: Put the money that you would have spent on cigarettes away in a jar for two weeks, then blow it on something you always wanted to as a reward A New York subway ad for the nicotine chewing gum Nicorette, arketed by Philadelphiabased SmithKline Beecham, gives a whimsical example. Stop smoking now ... Save enough by this time next year to be not smoking in Cancun, the ad reads. A pack of cigarettes sells for around $2, depending on taxes. At that price, a packaday smoker would spend around $730 a year, $3,650 in five, $7,300 in 10, $14,600 in 20 and $36,500 in 50. Of course, these figures dont take inflation into account or lost accumulative interest had the money been invested. At 7 percent interest, the amount spent the first year almost doubles in 10 years. Over 30 years its 7.6 times the amount. Over 50 years it would be 29.5 times, said Cherner. Even if the $368.5 billion smoking settl ement isnt approved by Congress, cigarette companies facing increased litigation costs are likely to pass their expenses to consumers.

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