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Tuesday, January 05, 2016

What I spent my not-smoking savings on

Smokefree days: 486 days
Cigarettes NOT smoked: 14580
Total savings: $13,073.40

That's just 2 weeks until the 500 day mark.

I'm officially on annual leave this week, but I went into work this morning as I wanted to speak to the manager. I needed to let him know how my transition is advancing and that when I return to the office on Monday my appearance won't be the non-threatening compromise I worked out for myself in August and I will be asking others to use my new name.

I know where that $13,000 has gone. Since August I've completely replaced my wardrobe. All the good condition menswear has been donated to the city mission and most of the rest recycled as rags. I have filled the void in my wardrobes and dressing tables with a medley from Autograph,  K-Mart, Millers, The Warehouse etc.

I have a good wardrobe, built from scratch in a short time and if I was still smoking I doubt it would have been as easy to assemble. I've been able to give myself permission to experiment in a way I wouldn't if I'd been spending 10,000 a year on smoking.

Ironically I had to go back to the office a second time today as 3 parcels each containing a pair of dress boots had arrived from China for me. The price differential is such I'm prepared to risk buying mail-order footwear.

It's only slightly ironic to say that quitting smoking  has made a woman of me. It certainly has helped free me to pursue this change both financially and by teaching me I have the strength to change myself for the better.

Oh, and the name's now Julia, so that's what I've renamed this blog as. Pleased to meet you