There was a nice post a few days ago by Eve York which touched on the financial benefits of not smoking. It prompted me to sit down with a pen, paper and calculator and do a few sums. Being based in the UK, they’re in pounds and pence rather than dollars and cents but I’m sure you’ll get the drift.
I smoke about 20 cigarettes a day. Based on the usual £6.05 that I pay for a pack of 20, that works out at £42.35 a week. That’s money I could really do something with. The monthly amount is £181.53 and it works out annually at £2,202.20.
Next I sat down and thought about what I could buy if I gave up smoking tomorrow and never started again…
After one day I could go out and buy a new book or a CD. £6.05 would just about cover a trip to the cinema.
If I saved up for a week I could buy a ticket to watch Manchester United, my favourite Premiership soccer team in action. I could take my girlfriend out for a half-decent meal or treat us to a take away and a more than decent bottle of wine. Or two.
After a month, my savings from not smoking could pay for a short city break, or a very nice shopping spree picking up some new clothes. Three months and we’re talking a new laptop or top of the range tablet. Over £540 would just about cover a season ticket in the cheap seats at Manchester United or fund a trip to an away game in the European Champions League. Imagine that, midweek in Madrid or Munich watching my team, courtesy of not smoking for 90 days.
Save my cigarette money for a year and we’re talking a fortnight’s holiday paid for, or a luxurious long weekend in London, staying in the best hotels, dining in the best restaurants and spending my savings in the best shops. Or I could be sensible, stick the money in a savings account and watch my new found extra cash grow.
In reality of course, money saved by quitting might well end up being eaten up in the household budget but seeing what I could do with my cigarette expenditure, well…it’s made me think.