There is nothing easy about quitting smoking. Just like any addiction, it can take over your mind and make it next to impossible to move on with your life and kick the habit. Smoking is expensive, so thinking about the money you can save is a great motivator. Obviously, we all know about the health risks that come from smoking. It annoys people around you, and second hand smoke can be just as dangerous as first hand.
I hope that these reasons will help motivate you to kick the habit, but there are also plenty of applications available for your smartphone that will help you drop it as well. Whether you are an Android iOS or Blackberry user, there are applications out there that can help you get on with your life without the smoking habit hanging around bothering you. Of course, there is no quick fix, and it will still not be easy, but these apps can help soften the blow a little.
QuitNow! (Android, Free)
This is an incredibly full featured Android quit smoking app to help you kick the nasty habit. It has everything you need to quit, and it is highly rated on Google Play (4.5 stars as of this writing). One of the best features of QuitNow! is the social aspect. Quitting smoking is something to be proud of, and the app makes it easy for you to share your progress with your friends.
QuitNow! shows you the exact amount of time since your last cigarette, the number of cigarettes you would have smoked if you had not quit and the amount of money and time you have saved. It even has achievements that make quitting feel more like a game.
Livestrong MyQuit Coach (iOS, $3.99)
This app is among the more expensive stop smoking apps, but it is also the most feature rich. If you think about the cost relative to a pack of cigarettes (which is 8 dollars where I live) it is actually quite affordable. It offers a fully personalized quitting plan, so you can tailor it to your needs. You can tell the app what motivates you, and it will help remind you of those things to help you quit.
It keeps track of all your data, which you can view in handy charts. This lets you know how you are doing, and it gives you a visual representation of your progress. It also is capable of adjusting you plan. Everyone slips up sometimes, and the app will allow that. It has badges and awards to help motivate you.
Quitter (iOS, Free)
This is a really simple app for someone who needs the money factor to motivate them. You simply enter how much you smoke, how much it costs and when you quit. It will tell you exactly how much money you saved. If you feel the craving, boot up this app and look at all the money you are not spending on cigarettes anymore. This should help you fight off that pesky craving.
Get Rich or Die Smoking (Android, Free)
This app takes showing you the money you have saved by not smoking to the next level. Not only does it show you all the money you have saved since you kicked the habit, it also shows you the cool stuff you can buy with that money. It has all kinds of other cool features such as achievements, tips, support for several currencies, and tracking the positive effect on your health.
It is a fantastic quit smoking app, and being able to see the awesome stuff you could own instead of killing yourself with cigarettes should prove to be a fantastic motivator.
Stop Smoking Assistant (Blackberry, $.99)
This app is similar to Quitter on iOS. It tells you how much money you have saved on smoking, and how long it has been since your last cigarette. It is also full of helpful tips to help you quit, and most importantly, help you stay quit.
Conclusion
With the help of these fantastic apps and a little bit of willpower, you can quit smoking. You can help save your health and a whole lot of money. You just have to believe you can do it, and with a little nudge from these apps, you can.
Did these apps help you kick the habit? If not these apps, what apps did the job for you? Let us know in the comments!