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?

Is just priorities. When I was a student I would do without food to have fags. I mean if you’re addicted you have to have them don’t you?

Helvetia I find your attitude really nasty and simplistic. It’s weak to smoke? Unless you are perfect are in no position to judge. I understand why you do though, because it makes you feel good to be superior

We didn't have money growing up but dad smoked 40 a day. We never had any holidays or new furniture and we got necessary clothes as birthday presents. He would smoke in the car while we coughed and I remember vividly being told once to shut up moaning when I begged him to open a window but he wouldn't because it was cold and he wouldn't put himself through any discomfort to ease his children's. I can't understand that mentality. It just sums up the man: selfish selfish selfish.

It costs about £300 a month for DH to smoke so a lot but we can afford it. I quit last year but only smoked 5 a day. I'm sure less people smoke now due to the cost.

Most people that I know that smoke a lot smoke roll ups and get the pouches from some guy at the local pub.

I dare say there are people who have spent similar amounts on biscuits. Would you demonise them the same way? Not being goady, it’s a genuine question.

yy to this. Smoking is generally a poor person's habit. IME.

They go without other things, which others may regard as more important. It depends on your priorities. We were really rather hard up as children but Dad smoked 240 fags a week - I've idea how much they cost.

When I met my future husband he was disgusted when I told him that we'd hardly ever taken a summer holiday - he felt that if Dad hadn't smoked we could gone away every year with the money saved.

I dare say there are people who have spent similar amounts on biscuits. Would you demonise them the same way? Not being goady, it’s a genuine question

And there are also people who spend money that should be used to feed their children on heroin or other illegal drugs. Should we make excuses for them too?

Anyone who spends on luxuries, whether it is cigarettes, biscuits, nights out or anything else that is not necessary while neglecting to pay for the roof over their heads or properly provide for their DCs needs to take a good look at themselves and be a functioning adult and seek help such as a stopping smoking clinic if they need to.

A lot of the struggles of not having enough money will be eased somewhat if they aren't literally setting light to a good portion of it.

Well I'm glad it costs a fortune to smoke!

Yes I know it's addictive - I used to smoke. Now I don't. I gave up. It is possible to break the addiction if you want/need to. And the price is a good incentive (I gave up when the price hit £3 a packet!)

There are far fewer smokers now, especially in the young, than when I was young. On the continent, there are noticeably more smokers in all ages. ( I live in Germany, where it's about £8/30)

On our holiday in Croatia last year everyone smoked, even quite young children (say 12-13). The coughing was hideous. The restaurants were awful with smokers lighting up every ten minutes.

KhalliWali

I would have a very similar view of someone who spent between £3000-£4000 on biscuits a year and prioritised their biscuits above other needs.

Smoking is generally a poor person's habit. IME.

Not where I live!

i think the same about people who spend thousands a year in alchhol. There was a thread before Christmas with people admitting they spent several thousand a year on booze!
People who smoke just spend their money differently, they might have older cars, just Freeview instead of SKY packages etc or as someone said up thread, they don't buy a £3 Starbucks twice a day.

As i said earlier my corner shop sells a packet of twenty for £3.60 [knock off] they re normal brands of cigarette but in other languages so marketed for other European countries im sure this isnt a unique occurance

My mum was a very heavy smoker and died (predictably) of lung cancer. She smoked from when she was 14, through two pregnancies in the 1970's and died aged 70. We live in Australia, which has the most expensive cigarettes in the world. They cost about $1.00 each and my mother smoked between 50 and 100 per day at her heaviest consumption. I know that she was also anorexic, so wasn't spending anything on food. Most of the cost of cigarettes in Australia is tax. Hopefully it is paying for the medical care required by most smokers.

I think cigarettes bought legally are really expensive, but as others have said you can get them abroad or get dodgier sources. Most poorer people I know who smoke use roll ups which is apparently cheaper. I've never smoked and rarely drink, and I don't own a car, and that meant that despite being on a low income/benefits for years I was able to afford other things like holidays, gadgets, extracurricular activities, hobbies, and never had to choose between heating and eating. Lots of people on the same financial income as me have said they couldn't afford those things, but then I can but I can't imagine being able to afford to smoke and drink or run a car. It's just about financial choices in the end.

£10.50 for 30g of gold leaf tobacco. Lasted me a week.

I smoke roll ups and get my tobacco cheap, so £13.50 every 2 weeks.

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

Well aren't you delightful

I used to buy 10 cigarettes with my lunch money in the 90s, it hasn't always been pricey. Not that ling ago they were half the price.

I dare say there are people who have spent similar amounts on biscuits.

Actual what??

I doubt there’s anyone spending $20-$30 on biscuits a day.

i think the same about people who spend thousands a year in alchhol I spend thousands a year on alcohol. I can afford it. No kids so not depriving anyone else of anything. I think its daft that people buy a brand new car every year or spend thousands on clothes but its none of my business so I don't care.

I’m with you OP, my mum and Dad both smoke- they smoke 40+ each a day, they were buying cigarettes for my 3 siblings too. The amount they were spending was more than went into my household at one point on cigarettes alone.

Even at the time when it was just my parents smoking, that was still a huge amount that could’ve bought shoes/clothes which we really needed. The money could’ve gone on a holiday or days out for the family.

It never did, I prefer holidays and nice things, which is why I don’t smoke.

In my mind, because of my life experience I see it as smoking becomes the choice to not have these things.

My Mum - who recently died of lung cancer - paid extra into her pension (retired in 1980s) so she could afford to smoke. It still wasn't enough. She bravely gave up and lived another 6 years and got to know my dd. Mum had a tough life and really enjoyed her cigarettes. I get that.
Having watched her die from lung cancer only a fucking idiot would keep doing it.

Ex smoker here. I gave up 12 years ago. Fags were cheap when I started smoking in the 70s, 20p a pack, also attitudes were so different. The majority of people smoked and you could light up every where. I distinctly remember smoking in hospital in the 70s and people used to walk round Tesco with a fag on. It was just seen as totally normal. I smoked in my workplace, in company cars and on public transport. I was on a low wage but had no problems affording fags. My very best friend and I were dedicated smokers. I gave up, but my friend died of lung cancer a few years ago. I miss her terribly and wish we had never smoked at all. I sometimes wonder how long I have got after 30 years of determined puffing.