To think that people who smoke aren't totally skint?

[Greedymiss]

Probably going to get shot to pieces for this, but aibu to think that if you are are buying cigarettes, then you aren't actually totally broke?

This has come from someone who has been saying that they can't afford food, but are spending between £40-£70 per week on cigarettes.

I do get that times are tough and the reason that this has made me feel angry is because it reminded me of my parents when I was growing up. We never had money for any luxuries like days out or nice clothes, because they were always poor. Yet they both smoked like chimneys and drank like fish.

I suppose I could get my hair and nails done, buy some nicer clothes or drive a nicer a car instead of smoking - that would be nice.

But as a 'lifetime' carer for my disabled son, spending most of my time 'alone', working alone at home too, it would be more of a waste of money to spend any money on the nicer things, to sit at home alone, than drag on a fag.

If any non-smoker wants to take over for a few weeks so I can spend some time giving up my 45 year fag addiction I'm more than happy to take them up on it.

Agreed.

Until the fix is had it consumes the thought process. It’s a vicious cycle.

I gave up smoking about ten years ago when it hit £7 a packet of cheap ones. We still spend £300 a month on oh cigs as he doesn't want to give up. I think it's a waste but he's an adult

Couldn't agree more with this

I think we can say that about many things

there is lots is things people who say they are skint do or have that aren’t “ Necessary “

YANBU. Giving up smoking was one of the hardest things I have ever done, but I realised I was being selfish and a very poor role model.
So I did it.

Yanbu I agree. I actually stopped smoking ti said money as I just couldn't afford it. Plus it bloody stinks. And was killing me.

To save**

Smokers, public smokers at least, are really selfish. Sick of walking along the road and suddenly a plume of disgusting smelling smoke hits me in the face. Same with vapes.

Aye.

www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/health/put-cancer-in-e-cigarettes-say-non-smokers-2014021983765

That's impossible.

Vaping devices don't produce smoke. They produce...vapour. Clue's in the name.

There are plenty of disgusting smelling things in this life, the stench of cheese puff-type crisps being eaten on the bus, rice cakes and microwave meals in the office or staff canteen, an unchanged baby, unwashed people etc. These odours, like vaping, are all the result of other people's choices. I can't get het up about someone who has more than likely stopped smoking (and therefore showing some degree of consideration for themselves, others and the environment) when there are far more inconsiderate people around.

Even if the vapour smells like a branch of Lush (which I highly doubt it would...), it is generally occurring because someone is giving up smoking. That is to be applauded.

You are right, you are definitely not skint if you can afford cigarettes ..there are times when I would have given an arm for a fag but I saved the money for my weekly food shop instead, and just went without
nope, they are definitely not skint

@discobrain it is a choice, even if it’s a nicotine addiction. It’s definitely a choice smokers arent addicted to nicotine in the same way that heroin addicts are addicted to heroin. People on here would have you think they are the same thing -when they are not

it is dangerous to suddenly stop drinking alcohol if addicted and it’s dangerous to suddenly stop using heroin or benzos for instance
. However it’s not dangerous suddenly stop smoking tobacco and people have every choice to stop
there are nicotine patches and lots of different smoking aids including vapes in order to help people stop smoking however many smokers just don’t want to quit because they actually like smoking

@RobertaFirmino not everybody who Vapes are used to smoke. I started vaping before I started smoking. Funnily enough. Ridiculous, I know.
I don’t type anymore because I used to get a pain going down in my chest. I don’t know if that was caused something else or caused by the vape, but it stopped when I stopped vaping
I think it is good when some people have replaced smoking with Vapes. However, I agree with the poster in that when people blow out vape vapour - they tend to blow out a big plume of vapour which u cannot escape and you end up face full in somebody else’s breath and I can’t stand that, kids also have it on the bus and trains because they don’t see a smoking even though they’re not allowed
I don’t want to walk into anyone smoke or vapour
and when I used to do both, it was always well away from other people

Without details of what budget people have it's impossible to have an opinion. People drinking alcohol is just as bad isn't it- a bottle of wine must be around the same price as a packet of cigarettes?

Seem to remember a song line ' either cut down on beer or the kids new gear- it's a big decision ' by the Jam. Spending money on what others consider irresponsible has always been an issue.

Can you imagine being refused a pay rise because you smoke, or like a glass of wine, takeaway food, waste money in coffee shops, buy expensive handbags? It's a slippery slope to communism:)

No it's not particularly dangerous to suddenly quit heroin.

Thank you ☺️

And yes, it would be very easy to go back down that road.

If I spent £40 to £70 a week on ciggies, I'd be skint.

This wasn't really my point. Of course it's up to the individual how they spend their spare money. We all have different priorities.

But if you only have a certain amount of money leftover after your bills, and you are spending it all on cigarettes but then blaming other people that you've got no money for any food it's very hard not to judge. When you know that the cigarettes money or even some of it could get a decent shop in.

And if are a parent and you are making your children live without basics and essentials but you are drinking and smoking then I think that's awful to be honest.

I grew up in poverty with a father on benefits who smoked and drank constantly. Anyone who chooses cigarettes and booze over looking after their children is a loser in my book. I know they are both addictions (boy do I know) but it is still unforgivable to prioritise them over food, heat, clothes and caring for children. OP, YANBU.

I was teaching in the mid 80s.
We did a project where we calculated the price of a 20 a day habit, and then worked the maths to see what we could buy instead per day, per week over a term. Then we forecast for a year, a decade. How long before a Ferrari was in reach.
It made a big impact on the class of 10 year olds.
Yes, they cost little back then, but so did everything else.

I used to have a friend who would plead poverty and moan she couldn't feed her kids, yet was able to muster the funds to keep her heavy smoking habit going.

I certainly wouldn't be giving someone food money that was spending that much on cigarettes, and if they have children that's even worse, I would starve myself, go without literally everything before my children went hungry or without.

It's hard to understand

With everything we know about smoking, how does anyone get addicted in the first place

One of the few things that works to make people quit is raising prices - every time it happens a proportion of smokers will quit.

Any drug addiction is costly.

I don’t think silly hyperbole from posters who ‘would’ (entirely hypothetically) starve themselves to death etc rather than see their children miss a meal is worth anything at all. Pointless remarks.