The first question my doctor asks me when I see her is, “do you smoke” or “have you been smoking?” Mind you, I’m not a smoker and I’ve had the same doctor for almost ten years. She asks the question anyway.
Why? Because smoking is terrible for your health. Everyone knows this, yet, there are still people who smoke. Living in a free country where you can make your own choices is not limited to only good ones.
We’ve established a well known fact that smoking is bad for your health. I’d like to focus on what smoking does to your wallet.
According to tobaccofreelife.org, the cheapest pack of cigarettes can be purchased in Virginia for $5.25. The most expensive pack can be purchased in New York for $12.85. I’m assuming both of these are averages since they didn’t specify brand.
Smoking is expensive. Using the pack of cigarettes from Virginia as our example, you’d spend roughly $2k a year feeding your addiction or over $4,500 using the example pack from New York (assuming you smoked a pack a day). Forget the health benefits of quitting, I’m simply too frugal to spend the money on it.
When you’re younger, smoking seems like the cool thing to do. As dumb as it sounds now, I actually attempted to become addicted to them when I was in college. I’d buy a cheap pack, smoke a couple and cross my fingers that the habit would stick. The idiocy of youth is amazing when you look back sometimes.
Aside from the occasional cigarette when I was drinking, I never got addicted or cared to be a smoker thereafter. For the cost alone, I’m thankful that’s the case. It’s bad enough that I have a minor chocolate addiction, one that I manage for about $1 a week by consuming two small pieces from a larger bar of chocolate.
The newer trend for many is vaping. As is the case with cigarettes, it has its downsides when it comes to health. The same can be said for the cost. A study conducted by aces.edu, places the average cost of vaping a JUUL e-cigarette at $84 a month or over $1K per year. The cost is even higher for a refillable e-cigarette, exceeding $1,500 per year.
According to a 2023 survey conducted by Bankrate.com, only 44% of Americans have enough savings to cover an unexpected $1,000 expense. Some of these people most likely smoke or vape. By kicking the habit, not only would it be better for their health, it may be easier for them to pay for that unexpected car repair.
For the most part, smokers are vilified and ostracized from society. That was actually the inspiration for this article. I saw a smoker and a vaper (not sure that’s a word) standing under a tree, puffing away. They were about 50 yards away from their workplace, shamefully holding the cigarette or vape device to their mouths as a light drizzle came down on their heads.
I thought to myself, “you’re spending money on this?” I’m fully aware that nicotine is addictive and it’s extremely difficult to break the habit. For my wallet and my sanity, I’d definitely have to try, really hard.
Might I recommend a nice chocolate addiction. It’s cheaper and perfectly acceptable in society. You can even eat a chocolate bar inside your workplace, nobody cares.
Ironically enough, I actually used to eat chocolate flavored cigarettes as a kid.
Come to think of it, maybe that’s how my addiction started.
