The (insignificant) hidden financial cost of vaping

[Lord Vetinari]

My main point is the same as @Silver where I have realistically already saved many MANY thousands on health costs.

Also, the first year was pretty pricey, but since November I broke the impulsive buy habit, went back to low wattage tanks for all day vaping (I run a Goblin Mini with 24g Kanthal now), and found some reliable DIY recipes. Not seeing myself buy a new device for a good while, being satisfied with atties, and vaping only 6ml of DIY juice per day, in only two months I mamaged to turn a hobby into a business out of my spare cash.

It took some self control but I dare say I may now be getting my nic for under R200 a whole month!!! Ok lets call it 300 with cotton and wire included but a hundy is a lot of wick and wire for a month.

 

[Stosta]

The conversion of Amps to Watts at fixed voltage is governed by the equation Watts = Amps x Volts
For example 1 amp * 110 volts = 110 watt

Therefore charging at .5 amps at an average voltage of (I guess) 4.2V for about six hours (R25 Samsung) = 12.6 Watt hours.
At R1.65 per Kwh (1000W/h) : (12.6 / 1000) x 1.65 = R0.02079. Say 2 cents.

And that is all I have to say about that.

Regards

(Edit: That is 100% charger efficiency but even at 50% it would be 3c.)

I just rated your post that because now it almost has one of everything Thanks for working it out for us!

 

[craigb]

Conversations around cost can help when newbies come in, see some of the super collections out there and think to themselves this is too expensive. It is really nice to see what can be achieved but it also good to show that vaping can be done on a budget, given the current economic climate, especially if we want to get people of stinkies and onto something that, at worst, causes up to 5% of the damage that tobacco does.

We have 2 distinct groups here that do overlap in someways. Hobbyists, for whom cost is second to entertainment and recreational value, and addicts (this is mostly where I am) for whom the pleasure has to be moderated by cost.

With moderate self discipline, I can partake in vaping not only to meet my nicotine fix but also as a hobby. Yes, I won't be able to rock the same collection as some others out there, but they have worked damn hard to get to where they are to be able to afford it.

Can this be an expensive hobby - yes. Can this be a cost effective, 95% healthier alternative to smoking - hell yeah. There is room for both camps and you can even have a foot in the cost effective camp while occasionally dipping a toe in the hobby camp.

And now I can more confidently say to a 20+ a day smoker they can get a healthier, tastier, less obnoxious hit of nicotine for less than 30% of the monthly cost of smoking, the irony being, that to get that big a saving, they have to also treat it as a hobby (diy juice, diy coils) as much as a 'fix'

The 30% figure comes from my smoking camel Black @ R29 a pack. just over a pack a day comes to, lets round it to R1000. I'm about to break even on asset purchases, which just leaves monthly nic, concentrate, coil wire, base liquids, and battery charging as 'running costs'. Adjust prices for other smokes that go for R50+ a pack and you get a ridiculously large savings.

These running costs, if relatively disciplined, can be kept to under R300 a month. So the first R300 a month I spend is reclaimed 'cigarette money' and anything over that is luxury - spoiling myself for being an awesome person.

So, in conclusion, the hobbyists mustn't forget that some people are switching to try to save money - something that is entirely plausible, and the skint bastards (looking in a mirror when I say that) must not begrudge the guys that are willing to lay out a fair bundle of cash for something they get a lot of pleasure out of.

And of course, there are varying degrees of hobbyist and skint bastard in all of us.

 

[Dooky]

Devices and tanks are capital, not expenses... problem solved

 

[BubiSparks]

I have kept a spread sheet of what vaping has cost me and I break even on 2 March 2018
That is if I buy nothing from now on of course.............

 

[Schnappie]

For me the only hidden costs of vaping are those I keep hidden from my wife!

 

[zadiac]

I don't even factor in the cost of charging as it's almost nothing. I started vaping to quit smoking and not to cut costs. I also tell ALL my converts DO NOT start vaping to cut costs but start vaping if you really want to quit smoking. That should be the drive behind quitting and not costs. Now, after all the time they spent vaping, they agree with me.
Even if I spend twice as much on vaping as I spent on smoking, it's still a bargain because I don't get the tar and all the crap that comes with it.
This is my reasoning.

 

[Stosta]

Haha! Off-topic here but I really do love you guys! Colourful ratings for @Raindance 's post!

 

[craigb]

I don't even factor in the cost of charging as it's almost nothing. I started vaping to quit smoking and not to cut costs. I also tell ALL my converts DO NOT start vaping to cut costs but start vaping if you really want to quit smoking. That should be the drive behind quitting and not costs. Now, after all the time they spent vaping, they agree with me.
Even if I spend twice as much on vaping as I spent on smoking, it's still a bargain because I don't get the tar and all the crap that comes with it.
This is my reasoning.

Different arguments work on different people.

Going to try tweak the thread title to indicate the "significance" we have discovered for the cost of charging.

 

[Raindance]

Haha! Off-topic here but I really do love you guys! Colourful ratings for @Raindance 's post!

Return on investment to be deducted from start up costs...

Different arguments work on different people.

Going to try tweak the thread title to indicate the "significance" we have discovered for the cost of charging.

It costs more to strike a match to lite a single stinky that it costs to charge a battery! We forgot about the hidden costs of smoking!

 

[Schnappie]

My main point is the same as @Silver where I have realistically already saved many MANY thousands on health costs.

Also, the first year was pretty pricey, but since November I broke the impulsive buy habit, went back to low wattage tanks for all day vaping (I run a Goblin Mini with 24g Kanthal now), and found some reliable DIY recipes. Not seeing myself buy a new device for a good while, being satisfied with atties, and vaping only 6ml of DIY juice per day, in only two months I mamaged to turn a hobby into a business out of my spare cash.

It took some self control but I dare say I may now be getting my nic for under R200 a whole month!!! Ok lets call it 300 with cotton and wire included but a hundy is a lot of wick and wire for a month.

@Lord Vetinari , you are back!!(unless you were never gone and i missed all your posts)

 

[Warlock]

I would like to comment on this.

Because my wife and I were heavy smoker (average total of 60 cigarettes a day, Dunhill R2.00 each) it has been easier for us to break even.

I have only purchased four mods and five tanks/atomizers.

I diy 90% of my juices and recoil even the ssocc coils.

Just did a stock take ... 1300ml of ready to vape liquids, 650ml steeping, R5850.00 concentrates, nic, Pg and Vg in stock. I have not included my spare batteries, three chargers, tank glasses, tank spare rubber seals, cottons, wire and other paraphernalia accumulated over the last six months in the stock figure.

I have not included charging costs, paper towel or time spent on labour to prepare the juices or storage cabinets, but have included cost of materials spent on them in the expenditure.

I have kept meticulous records and am happy to say it is possible to save money vaping. I passed the R9500.00 positive balance tonight

 

[Spydro]

Smoking was astronomically cheaper than vaping. I didn't collect cigarette butts!

 

[kev mac]

So like many others, one of the main reasons I switched over to vaping was to cut costs.

Yes, the first couple of months while you are getting up to speed, it can be more expensive than stinkies, but if you are working with an absolute budget imposed by the size of your bank account, you break even fairly easily.

I keep track of my expenses and savings in an android app and will break even (again) at 7h44 on the 8th of Jan. I've got what I need to build a few months worth of coils, and a small top up of nic and VG at the end of the month will still probably have me better financially than if I were still smoking.

But...

Who takes into consideration the cost of charging batteries? How could we figure that out?

Granted, I do most of my charging at work , but still do a fair amount at home and that is a definite cost that I do not know how to take into consideration.

I keep telling people it's cheaper for me to vape than smoke but is it really, or am I at least overstating my savings?

Vapeing is cheaper than smoking as cigarettes are $10.00 a pack in R.I.(u.s.a.) That said, if one uses some restraint and avoids frivolous buys and incorporates DIY yes it can be IMO..Face it one really needs only a couple or decent mods and tanks (RTAs) and a suitable amount of batteries,and shopping for the best prices helps.Sticking to this prescription one could vape cheaper than the cost of a pack a day habit.Then figure in the health benefits ( priceless) All this coming from a guy with hardly any will power concerning buying new gear.Too bad I can't follow my own advice.

 

[Jakey]

a dash more expensive

Lol, just a dash

 

[Raindance]

Smoking was astronomically cheaper than vaping. I didn't collect cigarette butts!

Sure but this brings to light another hidden cost of smoking. The cost of ashtrays!

Vapeing is cheaper than smoking as cigarettes are $10.00 a pack in R.I.(u.s.a.) ....

$10 a pack!! That is R140/R150 a pack in our currency! Geez!

Regards

 

[Hardtail1969]

at 230 bucks a carton a week...

i would say, despite initial cost

i am saving all the way.

 

[Spydro]

Sure but this brings to light another hidden cost of smoking. The cost of ashtrays!



$10 a pack!! That is R140/R150 a pack in our currency! Geez!

Regards

Ashtrays didn't cost me much. The ex (who didn't smoke) did buy some large "decor" ashtrays as our home was always the party place the first 10 years together, and the smoke free entertainment place from when she got pregnant after that. Like I did for her and our son the rest of our lives together guests had to go outside to smoke. My personal "working ashtrays" were all free. At age 13 I had several glass logo hotel/motel ashtrays that guests were suppose to take as advertising. I got them on family vacations. But the main ashtrays that I used all my life was military issue that I acquired during my Vietnam service days from the mid 60's.

I had 10-11 of these (aluminum)... gave them away over the years but still have the first one I got in boot camp and used the most during all those decades I smoked. Never had to worry about tipping this one over, or a burning cig getting away, and they hold a hell of a lot of butts. Just pop off the tight fitting lid to dump/clean.



This one was always either on my home desk or on a side table by my easy chair/recliner. When you want to empty the shallow "tray" after each cig you push the real amber topped knob down, the bottom of the tray goes down and spins the ashes/butt off into the vase before popping back up. Has the extra advantage of trapping any lingering smoke and the smell. Came from a Naval Air Station officers club, was already a decades old antique when I got it about 50 years ago. I still have it.



I also had a couple of pipe ashtrays for my large collection of pipes.

 

[RichJB]

Let's do the sums for the first year of vaping for a 20-a-day smoker who has absolutely iron willpower, can avoid FOMO and is willing to DIY both coils and juice:

Smoking
365 packs @ R30 average for pack of 20: 10 950
Let's include disposable lighters and replacing the odd broken ashtray for a round figure of R11 000.
Year 2: 11 000
Year 3: 11 000
Year 4: 11 000
4 year total: 44 000
I haven't factored inflation into the cost for either as it's likely to affect both much the same. However, annual sin tax increases on cigarettes are likely to swing the balance slightly in vaping's favour.

Vaping
Again these prices are just ballpark and are based on 10ml juice consumption per day
Start-up costs:
Primary dual cell mod: 1200
Back-up Pico: 600
6x 18650 batteries to have spares for both mods @R180 ea: 1 080
2x atties @550 ea: 1100
Charger: 350
Coiling kit: 900
Wire: 300
Cotton: 140
Juice supplies - 3 650ml of DIY juice required for the year, I've based it on 4000ml to accommodate spills and mistakes
Scale: 300 inc rechargeable batteries
Bottles/droppers/syringes/pipettes: 200
Juice @ 16% total flavouring, 70/30, 3mg nic
Nic: 333ml @ R180 per 100ml = 600
PG: 226ml @ R50 per 500ml = 30
VG: 2800ml @ R180 per 2000ml = 270
Flavours: 640ml @ R42 ave per 10ml = 2688
But you will never use up flavours exactly so let's build in a 50% buffer = 4 032
Year 1 total: 11 102
Let's add in R198 for sundries like paper towels, washing up liquid, sterilising fluid, etc = R11 300

Year 2 vaping:
Based on occasional breakage/replacement of bottles/droppers
Bottles/droppers: 100
Wire: 300
Cotton: 140
Nic: 600
PG: 30
VG: 270
Flavours: 4 032
Sundries: 198
Total: 5 670

Year 3 vaping:
Based on a 24 month lifespan for mods, atties and batteries
2 x mods: 1 800
2 x atties: 1 100
6 x 18650: 1 080
Wire: 300
Cotton: 140
Bottles/droppers: 100
Nic: 600
PG: 30
VG: 270
Flavours: 4 032
Sundries: 198
Total: 9 650

Year 4 vaping:
Based on a 3/4 year lifespan for chargers and scales
Charger: 350
Scale: 300
Wire: 300
Cotton: 140
Bottles/droppers: 100
Nic: 600
PG: 30
VG: 270
Flavours: 4 032
Sundries: 198
Total: 6 320

Smoking 4 year total: 44 000
Vaping 4 year total: 32 940

So vaping can indeed be substantially cheaper if you DIY everything and - the biggie - you can avoid the FOMO. Of course, costs will vary from vaper to vaper. Someone who re-coils every three days and re-wicks every other day will go through a lot more wire and cotton than someone who re-wicks every three weeks and re-coils every two months. A vaper who needs staple staggered fused Claptons and pre-made coils (or a Daedalus) will spend a lot more than someone who only needs simple contact coils. But for a disciplined vaper on a budget, the savings are there to be had.

 

[Rude Rudi]

Let's do the sums for the first year of vaping for a 20-a-day smoker who has absolutely iron willpower, can avoid FOMO and is willing to DIY both coils and juice:

Smoking
365 packs @ R30 average for pack of 20: 10 950
Let's include disposable lighters and replacing the odd broken ashtray for a round figure of R11 000.
Year 2: 11 000
Year 3: 11 000
Year 4: 11 000
4 year total: 44 000
I haven't factored inflation into the cost for either as it's likely to affect both much the same. However, annual sin tax increases on cigarettes are likely to swing the balance slightly in vaping's favour.

Vaping
Again these prices are just ballpark and are based on 10ml juice consumption per day
Start-up costs:
Primary dual cell mod: 1200
Back-up Pico: 600
6x 18650 batteries to have spares for both mods @R180 ea: 1 080
2x atties @550 ea: 1100
Charger: 350
Coiling kit: 900
Wire: 300
Cotton: 140
Juice supplies - 3 650ml of DIY juice required for the year, I've based it on 4000ml to accommodate spills and mistakes
Scale: 300 inc rechargeable batteries
Bottles/droppers/syringes/pipettes: 200
Juice @ 16% total flavouring, 70/30, 3mg nic
Nic: 333ml @ R180 per 100ml = 600
PG: 226ml @ R50 per 500ml = 30
VG: 2800ml @ R180 per 2000ml = 270
Flavours: 640ml @ R42 ave per 10ml = 2688
But you will never use up flavours exactly so let's build in a 50% buffer = 4 032
Year 1 total: 11 102
Let's add in R198 for sundries like paper towels, washing up liquid, sterilising fluid, etc = R11 300

Year 2 vaping:
Based on occasional breakage/replacement of bottles/droppers
Bottles/droppers: 100
Wire: 300
Cotton: 140
Nic: 600
PG: 30
VG: 270
Flavours: 4 032
Sundries: 198
Total: 5 670

Year 3 vaping:
Based on a 24 month lifespan for mods, atties and batteries
2 x mods: 1 800
2 x atties: 1 100
6 x 18650: 1 080
Wire: 300
Cotton: 140
Bottles/droppers: 100
Nic: 600
PG: 30
VG: 270
Flavours: 4 032
Sundries: 198
Total: 9 650

Year 4 vaping:
Based on a 3/4 year lifespan for chargers and scales
Charger: 350
Scale: 300
Wire: 300
Cotton: 140
Bottles/droppers: 100
Nic: 600
PG: 30
VG: 270
Flavours: 4 032
Sundries: 198
Total: 6 320

Smoking 4 year total: 44 000
Vaping 4 year total: 32 940

So vaping can indeed be substantially cheaper if you DIY everything and - the biggie - you can avoid the FOMO. Of course, costs will vary from vaper to vaper. Someone who re-coils every three days and re-wicks every other day will go through a lot more wire and cotton than someone who re-wicks every three weeks and re-coils every two months. A vaper who needs staple staggered fused Claptons and pre-made coils (or a Daedalus) will spend a lot more than someone who only needs simple contact coils. But for a disciplined vaper on a budget, the savings are there to be had.

Fantastic write up as usual! So, I can finally show my wife some evidence that vaping is in fact more economical! The problem is that I do indeed suffer from FOMO and frequently buy new mods and tanks which skews the sums a bit.




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[craigb]

Let's do the sums for the first year of vaping for a 20-a-day smoker who has absolutely iron willpower, can avoid FOMO and is willing to DIY both coils and juice:

Smoking
365 packs @ R30 average for pack of 20: 10 950
Let's include disposable lighters and replacing the odd broken ashtray for a round figure of R11 000.
Year 2: 11 000
Year 3: 11 000
Year 4: 11 000
4 year total: 44 000
I haven't factored inflation into the cost for either as it's likely to affect both much the same. However, annual sin tax increases on cigarettes are likely to swing the balance slightly in vaping's favour.

Vaping
Again these prices are just ballpark and are based on 10ml juice consumption per day
Start-up costs:
Primary dual cell mod: 1200
Back-up Pico: 600
6x 18650 batteries to have spares for both mods @R180 ea: 1 080
2x atties @550 ea: 1100
Charger: 350
Coiling kit: 900
Wire: 300
Cotton: 140
Juice supplies - 3 650ml of DIY juice required for the year, I've based it on 4000ml to accommodate spills and mistakes
Scale: 300 inc rechargeable batteries
Bottles/droppers/syringes/pipettes: 200
Juice @ 16% total flavouring, 70/30, 3mg nic
Nic: 333ml @ R180 per 100ml = 600
PG: 226ml @ R50 per 500ml = 30
VG: 2800ml @ R180 per 2000ml = 270
Flavours: 640ml @ R42 ave per 10ml = 2688
But you will never use up flavours exactly so let's build in a 50% buffer = 4 032
Year 1 total: 11 102
Let's add in R198 for sundries like paper towels, washing up liquid, sterilising fluid, etc = R11 300

Year 2 vaping:
Based on occasional breakage/replacement of bottles/droppers
Bottles/droppers: 100
Wire: 300
Cotton: 140
Nic: 600
PG: 30
VG: 270
Flavours: 4 032
Sundries: 198
Total: 5 670

Year 3 vaping:
Based on a 24 month lifespan for mods, atties and batteries
2 x mods: 1 800
2 x atties: 1 100
6 x 18650: 1 080
Wire: 300
Cotton: 140
Bottles/droppers: 100
Nic: 600
PG: 30
VG: 270
Flavours: 4 032
Sundries: 198
Total: 9 650

Year 4 vaping:
Based on a 3/4 year lifespan for chargers and scales
Charger: 350
Scale: 300
Wire: 300
Cotton: 140
Bottles/droppers: 100
Nic: 600
PG: 30
VG: 270
Flavours: 4 032
Sundries: 198
Total: 6 320

Smoking 4 year total: 44 000
Vaping 4 year total: 32 940

So vaping can indeed be substantially cheaper if you DIY everything and - the biggie - you can avoid the FOMO. Of course, costs will vary from vaper to vaper. Someone who re-coils every three days and re-wicks every other day will go through a lot more wire and cotton than someone who re-wicks every three weeks and re-coils every two months. A vaper who needs staple staggered fused Claptons and pre-made coils (or a Daedalus) will spend a lot more than someone who only needs simple contact coils. But for a disciplined vaper on a budget, the savings are there to be had.

I am almost speechless. That is a fantastic post @RichJB .

Thank you.