[MacabreMikolaj]

So, tomorrow (today) I quit smoking with Shay-la. My main issue is money - I currently spend $300 a month on cigarettes which equals $3,600 a YEAR. How absolutely disgusting is that? As if it wasn't annoying enough having to be aware of the health issues, and having to smoke outside in -40, now it's making me broke to? HOW DARE YOU!? :lol:

Anyway, we're making plans and goals to really help us. To make myself feel better about quitting, we're both bottling up all the cash we'd spend on smokes. We are then allowed to buy ourselves something extravagant that we don't normally buy because we're always broke from dang smokes!

I have decided to gift myself with chaps. And I mean, proper fringed Western chaps. I have wanted them for ages, and yet never been able to part with several hundred dollars for them. They are going to be my month one gift, so I'd like to keep them around the $300 mark if possible.

Any suggestions or opinions? At the moment, I've got my eye on these:
Western Equitation Chap [DRC0764]

Does anybody else have advice based on their own purchases? Has anyone bought these particular chaps? Do you have some you love to pieces? Keep in mind I'm in Canada - I don't mind paying shipping, but I don't want the shipping costs to be half what the actual product was! :lol:

 

[SouthernTrails]

Congratulations on the quitting Smoking


My wife bought these a few years ago, they are nice and 1/3 the price

Western Boot Cut Chaps - Horse.com


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[horseluver250]

I've never tryed those chaps, but I just wanted to say that it is wonderful that you are quitting Thats a great idea to gift yourself. I hope you stick with it!

 

[Mingiz]

Congrats on quitting..I'm on my 3rd week now. I'm taking Chantix. Which does help a lot with cravings....I think my savings will be spent on a new saddle for Reno. Unless i start gaining a bunch of weight then it will go for a gym membership....:lol:

 

[MacabreMikolaj]

I'm almost positive I have a psychological addiction. When I'm at people's houses, I can go entire evenings without smoking because I don't feel like being outside alone. Obviously I do have SOME nicotine tolerance, but I honestly believe I'm going to have a tougher time with the actual act of quitting then withdrawl symptoms. I plan on starting out with Nicorette today, something to keep my mouth busy and a little bit of nicotine to ease myself down faster.

11:19am and so far so good - I've only been awake since 8:45am and thinking about smoking the entire time. It's so much worse when you KNOW you don't have them and can't do it. Ah well - one day at a time!

Thanks SouthernTrails. Are they quite durable? I have no issues paying extra money, I don't want something cheap, I want something long lasting and heavy duty. Greenhawk IS the master of over pricing though *rolls eyes* I'll look into them!

 

[Indyhorse]

Again, no advice from here on the chaps - mine I bought at the shipsy auction *l* But way to go on quitting smoking! I'm on a month and a half now of having quit. I was like you - fine as long as I wasn't thinking about it. The best advice I can give you is to identify the times you crave it most (for me it was while driving or with my morning coffee) and give yourself another something to play with - gum, or I used mint toothpicks to chew on. This is what I did last time, and am doing now. I quit once before successfully (if you can say that) I WAS quit for nearly six years. Started up again on a night of stupid overindulgence at a club. Avoid situations where you will be tempted, and good luck!

 

[SouthernTrails]

Thanks SouthernTrails. Are they quite durable? I have no issues paying extra money, I don't want something cheap, I want something long lasting and heavy duty. Greenhawk IS the master of over pricing though *rolls eyes* I'll look into them!

Well, have you ever heard the saying, someone could tear up a brick wall :lol:

She is pretty rough on her stuff and so far so good... goes to find some wood to knock on......


.

 

[mayfieldk]

Take a look at rods chaps and Hobby Horse chaps--that is, if you want show chaps.

If you want equitation chaps, don't get the ones with the big silver conchos on the back--they call attention to your hips moving. It's just a nicer picture without the conchos.

Rods usually has nice chaps that aren't necessarily 'show' chaps--they have a bit more selection. Good luck! Try replacing the habit with something better, like working out--a lot of smokers who quit gain weight because food tastes better. It will help exhaust you too and make you feel good about yourself--so going back to smoking will be even harder.

 

[MacabreMikolaj]

Thanks! I'm definately not looking for any sort of "show" chap - they're going to be pretty much strictly for the schooling and trail riding I do. I don't mind if they're show quality, but no, I definately don't want silver or on them, haha.

I swear, I almost called off this whole deal when I found out cigarettes actually act as both an appetite supressent and a drug that speeds up your metabolism. But I started a journel and I'm going to track myself. I'm going to do my best to stick to gum and straws and toothpicks to keep my mouth busy as opposed to candy! I also plan on hitting the gym as a way to avoid being in the house - where my mother still smokes :?

I'm feeling good about this though, it's time to stop being chained to this filthy habit. I can't spend this kind of money while my horses are stuck on a ****hole farm with a crazy lady. Just by quitting smoking, and doing my normal saving, I will have the downpayment for a farm within a year or less. That's my motivation - PONIES OUT MY BEDROOM WINDOW! :lol:

 

[kevinshorses]

Try to find a saddle maker and see what it costs to have them custom made. It might have to be your one and a half month gift but they will literally last a lifetime.

 

[MacabreMikolaj]

Try to find a saddle maker and see what it costs to have them custom made. It might have to be your one and a half month gift but they will literally last a lifetime.

I was actually seriously considering that. I've had disappointments in Greenhawk products before, and I swear if I pay $170 for chaps that fall apart in six months, smoking won't matter because I'll have gone to jail for burning down the store. :lol:

I'm going to look around and see what we have around here by way of leather workers.

 

[kevinshorses]

I know a really really good saddle and chap maker here locally and I know that he ships all over. He would just tell you what measurements he needs and you would tell him what type of tooling and hardware you want and then wait several weeks. His name is Clay Nicholas. Clay Nicholas Saddlery

 

[GoldRush]

Good job! Quitting was actually easy for me. I had been a smoker for 14 years, a pack to a pack and a half a day. I was going in for a tummy tuck (I had lost 100lbs) and the surgeon said that, for it to heal quickly and well, I had to stop smoking. AND, if she thought I was still smoking when she was going to do the surgery, she would refuse. I waited so long and worked so hard to get to that point, that I had a quit date lined up and everything. However, FATE stepped in. I was riding, got thrown, and ended up with a broken right arm. My left arm is just useless, and I couldn't light or smoke using it, so I ended up quitting that day!
I did have the surgery, and even the doc was suprised at how quickly I healed. I noticed how much TIME I had in each day (smoking 20-30 cigs a day at 5 -7 mins. per...) now that I wasn't running outside every hour or so to puff. The money thing is spot on.
One suggestion (and it helped with my hubby when he quit, right after we met!) is this: Once you quit, think of yourself as a non-smoker, not just someone trying to quit. When you get an urge to smoke, laugh and tell yourself "I don't smoke!" When you get the urge to buy cigs, laugh and ask yourself "Why would I do that? I don't smoke!" You are now a non smoker. Act like it. Leave the "try" part in the dust. No excuses, no "well, just this one..."
It IS easy..,.You just gotta get through the first three days...it will get easier and easier.

 

[mayfieldk]

I'm trying to get my SO to quit smoking, so I'm having him workout first. Maybe when we start running and he realizes how hard it is, it will be easier for him to do it. Hehe <3

Getting custom chaps would be pretty darn cool too! <3 Do that do that!

 

[Snaffle]

I'm not sure if they'll ship to Manitoba, but I've heard that his chaps are really nice. They start at $350, but they'll probably be 10 times better than the Greenhawk ones. I've seen them in person because I'm not too far away from them and they seem to be made well.

Richvale Saddlery, Custom Chaps, Leather Chaps, English Riding Chaps

Edit: Oh it seems like they can ship them.
http://www.tackshopcanada.com/store/2104075/product/Custom%20Chaps
You just have to make your own measurements.