It’s never easy to quit a vice. Never. After all, they’re vices for a reason:
They’re dangerously addictive.
And yet, there are individuals who’ve done it. Humans just like you and me. But the only difference here?
They’re willing to do whatever it takes, even if it involves a punishment of the highest order:
A ginormous fine of S$4 every single time you think of it.
Always wanted to meet a real legit Senpai? This is it.
37YO “Fines” Himself S$4 Every Time He Thinks About Smoking
According to China Press, a 37-year-old father who was addicted to smoking for 23 years has figured out a way to quit…
And save money at the same time.
According to the report, the man from Taiwan began smoking at the age of 14 and would smoke around one to two packs of cigarettes a day.
Well, that’s gotta be heavy on your lungs, alright.
And while he might’ve thought nothing of it, it all changed when he turned 37 years old and made a startling revelation:
His smoking habits could potentially affect the health of his four-month-old son, through thirdhand smoke.
Well, that has gotta stink.
And so, the determined dad made a pact: for every time he thought about smoking…
He will commit to a self-imposed fine of two 50 yuan coins.
That’s $4 in Singaporean dollars, by the way.
A real commitment, and really, nothing but the utmost respect for that.
Accumulates S$8,000 After 4 Years
It’s easy to impose fines on yourself.
It’s hard to actually enforce them on yourself.
After all, you’re your own disciplinarian. Who’s gonna know if you go back on your words, right?
However, this man’s different. Way different. Determined to the very core, he ended up practising the habit for a whopping four years, accumulating a total of…
176,350 yuan (~S$8,000) in the process.
And because he hasn’t smoked for four years, he has also effectively saved 133,650 yuan (~S$6,000) on smoking money, which would bring up his total savings plan to a rough God-tier estimate 310,000 yuan (~S$14,000).
Someone get this guy a TED Talk position, like asap.
But Wait, Is It Really As Perfect As They Say?
Well, apparently not. Because at the base of this seemingly perfect plan lies a single flaw:
The authenticity of the coins.
After the man’s story went viral on social media, there were two kinds of responses: appraisal of him for being a good father…
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And warnings about counterfeit coins.
And as it turns out… those warnings were not for nought. Upon depositing his money in the bank, the man realised a shocking truth:
There were three counterfeit coins in his collection!
Which, ‘luckily’, translated to only 150 yuan (~S$6), so he essentially still managed to save 176,200 yuan (~S$7,994).
Not too shabby, considering his roots.
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Not too shabby at all.
And so, let’s all learn from this guy, folks. Because he’s living proof that as long as we set our minds to it…
We can achieve it.
