TL;DR
Discover the Astonishing Amount You Could Save by Quitting Smoking and Boosting Your Finances with Our UK Calculator Quitting smoking is the single best thing you can do for your health. But have you ever stopped to think about what it could do for your bank balance? The amount of money you could save is truly staggering, and seeing the figures in black and white can be the ultimate motivation to kick the habit for good.
Key takeaways
- How many cigarettes do you smoke per day? Enter the average number. Be honest! If you smoke 10 on a weekday but 20 on a Saturday, try to find a daily average.
- How much does a pack of cigarettes cost? We pre-fill this with the UK average, but you can change it to the exact price you pay.
- How many cigarettes are in the pack? This is usually 20, but some brands differ. Adjust it if you need to.
- Daily Savings: The money you'll have back in your pocket each day.
- Weekly Savings: Enough for a nice meal out or your weekly food shop.
Discover the Astonishing Amount You Could Save by Quitting Smoking and Boosting Your Finances with Our UK Calculator
Quitting smoking is the single best thing you can do for your health. But have you ever stopped to think about what it could do for your bank balance? The amount of money you could save is truly staggering, and seeing the figures in black and white can be the ultimate motivation to kick the habit for good.
That's why we created the Quit Smoking Savings Calculator. This simple, practical tool shows you exactly how much cash you could free up by stopping smoking. The results might just shock you and provide the perfect springboard for a healthier, wealthier life.
The Real Cost of Smoking in the UK
The price of cigarettes in the UK is among the highest in Europe, and it rises almost every year. For many smokers, buying a pack is such a regular habit that they don't even register the true cost. But when you add it all up, the numbers are eye-watering.
Let's say an average pack of 20 cigarettes costs around £15.60. Here’s how the cost quickly multiplies for someone smoking 10 a day: (illustrative estimate)
| Time Period | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Per Day | £7.80 |
| Per Week | £54.60 |
| Per Month | £234 |
| Per Year | £2,847 |
That’s nearly £3,000 a year literally going up in smoke. For a 20-a-day smoker, you can double that to almost £6,000. Imagine what else you could do with that money – a luxury holiday, a new car, or a hefty boost to your savings. (illustrative estimate)
How to Use Our Quit Smoking Savings Calculator
Our calculator is designed to be quick and easy to use. In just a few seconds, you can get a personalised breakdown of your potential savings.
Here’s how it works:
Step 1: Your Smoking Habits
- How many cigarettes do you smoke per day? Enter the average number. Be honest! If you smoke 10 on a weekday but 20 on a Saturday, try to find a daily average.
- How much does a pack of cigarettes cost? We pre-fill this with the UK average, but you can change it to the exact price you pay.
- How many cigarettes are in the pack? This is usually 20, but some brands differ. Adjust it if you need to.
Step 2: See Your Savings Once you've entered your details, the Quit Smoking Savings Calculator will instantly show you:
- Daily Savings: The money you'll have back in your pocket each day.
- Weekly Savings: Enough for a nice meal out or your weekly food shop.
- Monthly Savings: A significant sum that could cover a bill or go straight into savings.
- Annual Savings: The big, headline-grabbing number that shows the true financial reward.
- Long-Term Savings: We also show you the incredible amounts you could save over 5, 10, and even 20 years. This is where you can see life-changing sums of money.
A Worked Example: Sarah's Savings Journey
Let's look at a real-world example. Sarah smokes 15 cigarettes a day and pays £15.60 for a pack of 20.
- Her cost per cigarette (illustrative): £15.60 / 20 = £0.78
- Her daily cost (illustrative): 15 x £0.78 = £11.70
She enters these details into the calculator. Here are her results:
- Weekly Savings (illustrative): £81.90
- Monthly Savings (illustrative): £351
- Annual Savings (illustrative): £4,270.50
- 5-Year Savings (illustrative): £21,352.50
- 10-Year Savings (illustrative): £42,705
For Sarah, that £4,270 in the first year alone is enough for an all-inclusive family holiday. Over ten years, she could save over £42,000 – a massive chunk towards a deposit on a house. Seeing these figures gives her a clear, tangible goal to aim for. (illustrative estimate)
Common Mistakes When Calculating Smoking Costs
When trying to work this out on your own, it's easy to make a few common mistakes.
- Underestimating Your Habit: It's easy to say "I only smoke 10 a day," but you might forget the extra ones you have on a night out or during a stressful week. Our calculator works best with an honest, average figure.
- Forgetting Price Rises: The UK government regularly increases tobacco duty. This means that your savings will likely be even greater in the future than our calculator projects.
- Ignoring the Extras: The cost isn't just the cigarettes. It includes lighters, rolling papers, and filters if you roll your own. These small costs add up over a year.
What to Do After You Get Your Result
Seeing your potential savings is the first step. The next is to take action.
- Make a Quitting Plan: Use the huge financial incentive as your motivation. Set a quit date and explore resources available to help you, like the NHS Stop Smoking Service.
- Set a Savings Goal: What will you do with the money? A holiday? A new phone? Paying off a credit card? Having a specific, exciting goal makes it easier to stick to your plan.
- Automate Your Savings: Open a new savings account. Every day or week, transfer the exact amount you would have spent on cigarettes into it. Watching the balance grow is incredibly rewarding and reinforces your positive new habit.
The Hidden Financial Benefits: Better Insurance Premiums
The savings don't stop with the money you no longer spend on tobacco. Quitting smoking has another massive financial benefit: it can drastically reduce the cost of your insurance.
Insurers see smokers as being at a higher risk of developing health problems, which means they charge them much higher premiums for cover like life insurance and private health insurance.
Private Medical Insurance (PMI)
PMI gives you fast access to high-quality private healthcare to diagnose and treat health issues. As a smoker, your premiums can be up to 50% higher than for a non-smoker.
It is vital to understand that UK PMI is designed to cover acute conditions that arise after your policy begins. It does not cover pre-existing conditions you already have, or chronic conditions that require long-term management.
By quitting smoking, you reduce your health risks in the eyes of an insurer. After you have been smoke-free (and often vape-free) for 12 months, you can be re-classified as a non-smoker and see your premiums fall significantly.
Life Insurance
Life insurance pays out a cash lump sum to your loved ones if you pass away, providing them with crucial financial security. For smokers, the cost of this protection can be double or even triple that of a non-smoker. Quitting can literally save you thousands of pounds over the life of the policy.
As expert brokers, WeCovr can help you compare quotes to see just how much you could save. We can even help you find potential discounts on other types of cover when you purchase a life insurance or PMI policy through us.
Supercharge Your Health and Savings with WeCovr
At WeCovr, we believe in supporting our customers' overall wellbeing. Quitting smoking is a journey that combines financial and physical health, and we're here to help.
To further support your health goals, all WeCovr customers get complimentary access to CalorieHero, our exclusive AI-powered calorie and nutrition tracking app. It's the perfect companion to your new smoke-free lifestyle, helping you build healthy eating habits while you build your savings.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Sources
- Office for National Statistics (ONS): Mortality, earnings, and household statistics.
- Financial Conduct Authority (FCA): Insurance and consumer protection guidance.
- Association of British Insurers (ABI): Life insurance and protection market publications.
- HMRC: Tax treatment guidance for relevant protection and benefits products.
Ready to see how much you could save? Don't wait another day. Use our free and confidential Quit Smoking Savings Calculator now to uncover the incredible financial benefits of a smoke-free life.
Once you have your results, contact the friendly team at WeCovr. We can provide you with no-obligation quotes to show you how quitting can slash your insurance costs and help you protect what matters most for less.



