To wonder how people afford to smoke?

[paintingbutterflies]

I know addictions are just awful. But so many people seem to be struggling with money and smoke. I wonder where the money comes from. Do people just go without basic things?

[anytimeanywhere]

Most people I know on low incomes who smoke either use roll ups or buy bootleg cigarettes. Very few would be paying full shop prices.

I've been on benefits for a long time and it's very tight at times but I don't smoke or drink so I've found it just about manageable to meet food/utility bills. Paying for cigarettes or even roll ups definitely make a difference on a low income. But then I have other luxuries like paying for activities for the dc so I suppose if I were addicted to cigarettes I'd cut things like that out.

[donajimena]

When I smoked I didn't buy myself nice clothes or go on holiday. I never went 'without' life is so much better now but I don't judge because it was the hardest thing I ever did quitting!

[highinthesky]

I was pondering the same question yesterday evening. There was a huge queue for a food bank in Covent Gdn / The Strand, and it took me a moment to process what the crowd was waiting for. A good number of the homeless were smoking. So desperate for food (cheap compared to smoking) they were prepared to spend what little money they had on cigarettes instead? I don't begrudge them a meal, but smoking has always been in my view unaffordable, why would you do it?

I am familiar with the nature of addictions, but nicotine can be beaten without support if someone has the choice between smoking and starving.

[LassWiTheDelicateAir]

No, but their children probably do

I worked with someone who with her partner got through 4 packets a day but "couldn't afford" to continue paying for her daughter's music lessons. Weekly music lessons cost a fraction of an 80 fag a day habit.

[Damnthatonestaken]

Have to say i'm a bit at people comparing a gym membership to smoking. I dont care whether people smoke, thats their business, but a gym membership is an investment in your health and longevity

[maddiemookins16mum]

I've earned (before tax), £124 today. I'm off for a fag, in my garden, that I feckin own.

[Ragwort]

Why should parents buy their children everything they want? You seem to think that all disposable income should be spent on the children and the adults shouldn't have anything to spend on themselves

I totally agree with this comment. Personally I don't smoke but do drink but equally I certainly don't buy my teenager everything he wants - what a bizarre idea - I am sure he would love designer clothes, an iPad, tickets to concerts & whatever else it is that teenagers want but he understands that he needs to save up for these things from birthday/Christmas money and a part time job. I probably could afford to 'buy' him more luxuries but I don't think it would help him long term and I prefer to save for my own pension .

[stormytherabbit]

'I don't owe money to no one! I love my amber leaf! You're all perfetic!'

[stormytherabbit]

perfetic! life imitates art

[LaptopLoverrr]

perfetic

[Ilovechocolate111]

It's called budgeting!

[LaptopLoverrr]

I wonder the same about Sky subscriptions, branded sportswear, and football season tickets.

[saritah]

Of course it's up to people what they spend their money on, but loads of kids in low-income families go without what their friends take for granted because their parents smoke their money away, and it's such a shame. My brother can never afford emergencies or a holiday unless our family pays. We end up paying his way and then feel like we're subbing his habit (while the kids have to live with the health problems). It wouldn't make it any better if he could afford it, but how can you not judge?

[Ilovechocolate111]

Well I smoke.
I have 3 kids and married. No-one goes without in my house!
I buy the kids what every they want.
Cuz they already got what they need.
I don't socialize with people (cuz most people are horrible) I dont drink cuz i don't like to drink.
The only treat I ever get is 50g of gold leaf which is £16 which will also last me over a week.
I dont drive so I'm not wasting my money on petrol.
I don't own my house I rent it (which I pay for)
I spend over £200pound a week on food and nappies ect.
I have never been in debt. I dont owe a penny to no one. If I couldn't afford to buy my kids something I would do without simple. I don't go buy posh expensive make-up or cloths. I don't buy designer thing. My kids eat healthily maybe once a week they will eat crap.
So think what you want. Your all perfetic.
So NO not all kids do without.

[Tiredtomybones]

I think spending choices are relative though. In asda today my dd was whining after a princess dress. She's already got several so I said no. When she asked why I said I haven't got enough money today. True in itself - I don't want to spend it on tat that will put more clutter in our house. At the till, DS wanted a magazine with cheap shit attached to it. I told him no, all for the same reasons as above. People in there were probably judging the crap out of me when I came out and got in my brand new, top of the range, much hated on Mumsnet brand of huge car. Probably thinking I was prioritising that over my dc. No. I drive 50+k a year and want to do it in comfort, DS didn't need the mag tat and dd didn't need an Elsa dress. Besides, they've already had their own weight in treats this holiday. Today was a snapshot. I don't see it as prioritising myself over my dcs and I expect many who smoke feel the same about buying their cigs.

[noeffingidea]

Painting why should parents buy their children everything they want? You seem to think that all disposable income should be spent on the children and the adults shouldn't have anything to spend on themselves.

[Badcat666]

painting the problem is a lot of parents buy things their children WANT but don't really need.

Kids don't NEED an iPad or pricey pc, they don't NEED the latest phone or games console, they don't NEED pricey designer clothes and shoes or holidays abroad or pricey trips out ffs.

There a weird idea, especially on mn that you HAVE to buy children everything they want these days to make them happy.

You don't!

As a child growing up and teenager I wanted the latest gadgets and consumer crap like any other child but my parents just said no as mostly they were eye watering expensive. If I wanted something badly enough I saved my pocket money and Saturday job cash to get it. Normally after I'd saved up I didn't want it anymore.

Was I a deprived child because my parents didn't bend to my every whim and my father spent money on cigarettes instead of the latest "now that what I call music" tape for me? No I bloody wasn't nor were my siblings.

My nieces and nephews were bought up the same as we were ("does my child really need the latest toy/ trainers/ etc") and my brothers and sisters had a lot more disposable income. They in turn are bringing their little ones up the same.

Just because a child WANTS something, doesn't mean they should get it.

What ever happened to just saying no?

[Ellisandra]

My sister earns a lot less than me. She has a council house.
She smokes.

I spend more on critical illness and life insurance each month than she does on cigarettes.

Because if I lose my job tomorrow through illness, I'm a bit fucked. Mortgage to pay, big salary drop to get used to.

If she can't work - well, she's PT minimum wage so there income drop won't be as large. And her housing is pretty secure. So she doesn't need the expensive critical illness cover that I have decided I do need.

The money she spends on cigarettes is coming out of the "could be spent on insurance" fund, not "could be spent on her kids" fund.

[Shockers]

I don't think that everyone who smokes is depriving their children, but working in a school with a high percentage of children who are from disadvantaged backgrounds, I can certainly see that some kids of smokers (and drinkers) do go short.

[BlurryFace]

We're low income and smoke. Rollies are cheap and my folks go away constantly and get me baccy duty free anyway. After I've gone through what they got me last time I plan to give vaping another shot as I'm learning to drive and could probably do with freeing up some funds to run a banger.

My kids have plenty of clothes, toys, good food, a warm house, a garden to play in, a family dog, playschool places, get taken to toddler groups/park/softplay/local events. What else do they need at 2 and 3?

[FluffyPineapple]

I often wonder how people can afford gym membership. Not that I want to go to the gym (I'm too fucking lazy for that). Still it's none of my business what people do with their money.

I don't think I could justify paying astronomical gym fees, even if I wanted to go. I guess it's the same with non smokers wondering how people can afford to smoke.

It's nobody's business what other people do...

[littlemisssweetness]

I should add tho- he only smokes at work so is no where near the kids and it only works out at £60 a month.

[littlemisssweetness]

My partner smokes, we're a one income family (with a sn child) and we definitely don't go without in, we even have enough left over to save at the end of the month I hate the blanket idea that everyone who smokes must be depriving their kids

[cushioncovers]

Yep and for pets as well second hand smoke must take a toll.

[AHedgehogCanNeverBeBuggered]

Setting aside the issue of affordability (and clearly smoking takes its toll on the family budget, which if you're not well off means DC going without), I don't get how people smoking with young DC can live with themselves - the impact on health from second and third hand smoke, the terrible example you're setting them, the risk to your own health meaning you're much more likely to die young or need years of extremely expensive care... I know this might happen anyway but WHY would you increase the risk? I'm sitting here holding my newborn DS and even the thought of someone exposing him to smoke or me dying and leaving him makes me tear up (disclaimer: newly delivered and therefore v hormonal!).