How the fuck do people afford to smoke?

[StrongerThanIThought76]

Let me start by saying I've never smoked. Never even tried it. My mum did, from her teens, all through my childhood, through some serious health issues and finally stopped after a smoking related cancer. Of course there are a hundred reasons not to smoke these days - health, social exclusion etc etc.

I worked out that over 50 years she's spent almost £150k on fags, conservatively basing that on 20 a day.

She's never had any savings, only been on a few holidays and still harbours resentment that my dad has a much wealthier lifestyle (bigger house, better car etc since they divorced 30 years ago).

So with the cost of a packet of 'premium' fags costing in excess of £10 a pack AIBU to think that smokers have got their priorities massively wrong money-wise?

My father smoked 20-30 a day and lung cancer killed him at 63.

He was a lovely bloke but utterly selfish when it came to his fags. Would light up without asking, smoked around my sister and I - smoked in the car taking me and my quinsy to ENT for emergency lancing when I could barely breathe!

Everything in the house stank.

My sister and I hated it. Mum put up with it as she always agreed with Dad,never had an opinion of her own (but that's another thread I think!)

It's basically a legal addiction. The way he acted was just like the users of illegal substances I used to work with!

I'm very anti-smoking, but am always baffled by the "How on earth do people afford X" threads. People afford things because they've got more money or because they prioritise that thing above others or because they are willing to go into debt. It's prettt obvious really.

Well Worra there are many children living with very poor parents, some even die at their parent's hands. Many people - family, neighbours - are aware of the poor parenting, and in spite of the tragic cases in the news, it is still the default position for people to 'mind their own business'. Overweight parents are the least of many children's concerns.

I used to smoke when I was younger, I still miss it. I'm always a bit shocked when I see people smoking these days firstly due to cost and secondly we are so much more knowledgeable to the dangers.

Ex smoker here. We vape now.

We couldn't afford for me and dp to smoke now. We stopped 4 years ago. Would cost us around £140 a week now.

My friend smokes. She can't afford to. Healthwise or financially. But she does because she goes without other things. Her choice.

She buys cheap cigs from the local shop that have been imported or made god knows where. As an ex smoker I don't mind the odd waft of fag smoke going over me. But her fags stink vile. And she stinks too. In fact I rewrapped the Christmas presents she sent because they stunk.

So she is paying for her habit by buying illegal fags at a cheaper price full of god knows what and doing even more damage than a £10 pack.

But her addiction is no different to a drug addicts or a prescription drug addicts buying tramadol or valium online.

It's just more socially acceptable. Only just though.

A lot of young people (20 ish) smoke at my work. About 40% I'd say. I hate it. I work in care sector and when they come back in smelling of smoke it makes me want to heave.
I have seen a few teenagers vaping, not so much smoking.
I personally couldn't afford to smoke but I also don't get people who blow £60 on a night out either.
I am addicted to food now though so I understand addictions and the will power required to quit.
I assume people who smoke must have a 'it won't happen to me' attitude.
Smoking related cancer has killed a couple of my close relatives. I wouldn't wish what they went through on anyone.

Yes it's an addiction. BUT, so many women give up when pregnant so as to not harm their unborn child, so priorities do play a part.

My mum smoked loads throughout my childhood but also plead poverty when me or my sister needed anything...my clothes also came from the local market and my hair cut by a woman my mum knew....My sister and I are both now in our 40's and have never smoked...

Non smokers probably think less about spending a tenner here and there on other things - coffee out, a round in a pub - so not exactly scientific to say you would have all the money spare that you would have spent on cigarettes. In my experience, people usually think 'I have £200 to spend this month ' or whatever, and that's what they'll spend. When I smoked, £40 would go from that £200 on cigarettes and now it probably goes on something else...

Smokers consider buying cigarettes a necessary evil, like council tax that has to be paid out of available funds.

I spend about £1000 a month on socialising. I can afford to. I don't have children. I don't question how people can afford to have children.

charlestonchaplin you could say exactly the same about the children of smokers.

Non smokers probably think less about spending a tenner here and there on other things - coffee out, a round in a pub

I understand what you are trying to say, but when I smoked, cigarettes were as essential as food. Coffees, eating out and other money-sinks are luxuries and wouldn’t be prioritised above clothing or bedding.

My mum still smokes (in her house) and my asthmatic brother lives with her. I would drop any of my ‘luxuries’ for the health of my family. How many smokers are willing/able to do the same?

All I meant is that smokers are directly affecting ME, whilst obese people not so much. I do find smokers worst than obese people, but I can see that it's harder to stop eating (which you can't!) than to stop smoking

I find people who know nothing about others yet still judge quite tedious.

Do you have a hierarchy of what people you find acceptable?

Oh and I don't and never have smoked.

Well, here's a thing I don't understand.....why on earth do we pay so much more for fags, than other EU countries?

My DH quit about 5 years ago, but sometimes (rarely), when we go on holiday, he will buy one packet to last the week, and have 2 or 3 a night.

Recently, in Spain, he fancied a fag, so he bought a packet from the machine in Reception...bear in mind this is a 5 * hotel, so I suspect the prices would be even cheaper in a supermarket.....he paid £3.20 for a pack of 20. So, the fact that people pay £10 here, seems ludicrous.

Coupled with the fact we could get a bottle of wine at the supermarket, for less than £1, I can see why so many people retire to Spain!

Well, here's a thing I don't understand.....why on earth do we pay so much more for fags, than other EU countries?

UK taxation

Sorry, yes, I realise it's taxation, but aren't Spanish fags taxed too? How can our tax be so much higher?

Both of my patents smoked - a lot. I still remember the humiliation of standing in a separate queue at school with my free lunch token. Obviously feeding your children wasn't their main priority

Dad died of lung cancer in his 50s.

Everyone's priorities are different I suppose.

It's sad when parents prioritise fags over feeding their children. Or folk complaining they can't afford to heat their homes and end up at food banks.

When I read threads on MN about people in terrible situations, living in poor housing, living on benefits etc and my first thought is always do they smoke.

It always makes me laugh when people try the "I/they deserve a treat" with regards to smoking.

It's not a treat. A treat is a nice thing.

Smoking makes you stink, and is killing you.

You smoke because you're addicted, and weak. You pay £10 per pack because your addicted, and weak. Not because you want to.

Anybody that says they smoke because they like it is a fool.

I'll never understand anybody who chooses to spend their time, effort, and money on smoking.

@wonderlime

Non smokers probably think less about spending a tenner here and there on other things - coffee out, a round in a pub

you realise that was exactly my point??

WonderLime

I understand what you are trying to say, but when I smoked, cigarettes were as essential as food. Coffees, eating out and other money-sinks are luxuries and wouldn’t be prioritised above clothing or bedding.*

You realise that was exactly my point??

[c+p wrong sentence!]

Yanbu op. The last time I smoked, 20 L&B were just under £4. Part of the reason dh and I gave up was because it was getting so expensive. £10 a pack is eye watering.

Addressing the question "how do people afford to smoke?" Well, I know many people who buy their fags from the man who comes round the pub with his bagful of cigarettes ordered by his mates. He regularly does a fag run to,dunno, somewhere on the continent.
And I once went for a hilarious coach trip to Calais for the weekend with some friends. Many,many,many cartons of fags were brought back from that jaunt.
Ever seen The Booze Cruise? Well, substitute fags for alcohol ...
its so easy, and legal, if bought for own consumption, to combine a weekend away with stocking up and I'm pretty sure that many do.
If I smoked, this is the route I'd take [shrug]

The tax on cigarettes in Spain are just lower, but still much higher than it used to be - they used to be even cheaper. Different taxation policies in different countries.

They're even cheaper still in the Canary Islands - about £1-2 per pack of 20. But much more expensive in Denmark and Finland. But obviously the flipside is that public services that are paid for by taxation are also different in different countries.

In Spain, people earn less and if you go into hospital, they don't feed and wash you, your family/friends have to do it.

And obviously in Scandinavia, they have the famously family friendly policies with lots of parental leave and very cheap childcare, which is heavily subsidised. Childcare is also cheap in Spain, but ratios and conditions would be generally considered unacceptable by UK parents.

A lot of people who smoke can afford it the least. People who smoke spend their disposable income on cigarettes first, and then everything else comes after.