Actual cost of ecigs compared to cigarettes

[Pleasure Bird]

Hey all

If you don't feel like reading the whole thing, just skim the bolded letters.

I'm curious about your experiences with the cost difference between cigarettes and ecigs. I don't claim to know what's normal or if that even exists when considering the different costs of switching over. I do believe that the prices build up more than most would expect at first, when taking into account that you probably bought a blu starter kit or some other pen-style ecig to test the waters of vaporizing before buying a tank system such as an ego or protank, and then might not be completely satisfied with the first tank you buy, and buy at least one more. Then you have to buy a ton of different juice flavors

I was between a light and regular smoker -- i went through a pack in 2-3 days. I never quite got to the point of 1 pack a day. We'll call it 1 pack every 2 days for the sake of math. In my area (Minnesota) there was recently a tax hike on tobacco products to pay for the new Vikings stadium (... >_>) the price of a pack of Newports went from $6.20 or so to almost exactly $8.

Here's some quick, hopefully understandable, rough, but realistic math regarding my spending on ecigs and cigarettes.

Personally, I bought a pack of cigarettes every 2 days at $8per. With 30 days in a month, 8*15=$120 bucks a month. Before I switched over to ecigs I paid roughly $120 per month for cigs.

Now for my ecig expenses. Here's a list of everything I've bought so far with my reasoning for each purchase. It's been almost 2 months since I started all this.
-Blu Starter Kit - $70. This was how I started vaporizing. Definitely view this product as a foot in the door product. Buying tanks can be intimidating, owning one of these usually puts people on the right path to learning about clearomizers and other ways to vape. This includes myself. At this point I'm realizing it's possible to inhale nicotine without smelling like burnt stuff.
-Blu 5-pack cartridges - $10 each. I bought about 9 before I bought my first clearomizer and stopped purchasing these. $90 total. The prices for these are deceptive, and it's hard to compare them to real cigarettes, but take it from me, you are not saving money with those prices.
-eGo-CC Starter Kit - $50. This really started it for me. Blu couldn't quite keep me from smoking cigs, but once I got this thing figured out I practically quit cigarettes without trying to. Great purchase.
-12 bottles total of eliquid in 3 different shipments - $30 each shipment of 4. I'm still searching for my perfect flavor. I own so much liquid now, it would take months to finish it off. But I don't like every flavor I ordered, and I don't know if I've found a liquid I'm completely satisfied with yet.
-Kanger Protank Mini 2 - $16. The website I bought this from offered this for much cheaper than Kanger's website (which charges $20 for shipping???). Love this tank and even though it leaks onto the battery and requires a bit more maintenance than the eGo-CC, I like pretty much everything else about it better. Awesome purchase that makes me excited about vaporizing. My friend bought one of these because she liked it better than hers and needed a new tank.
-eGo-C Twist 650mAh Battery - $30. I wanted another battery with variable voltage. This seemed like a good choice and I trusted Joyetech. But this battery is totally broken for me. The variable voltage doesn't work right at all, and gets really really hot even when set to 3.2v. I sent an email to them but I don't expect to get my money back or anything like that. Wasted money.
-Kanger eVod 650mAh Battery - $15. I bought this because the twist is broken and I still wanted another battery. I heard Riva batteries are great but their prices are a bit steep. Plus, this is made by Kanger, who made the tank I'm using, so I'm assuming they should work nicely together. Hasn't arrived yet.

That's everything I've purchased since I started 2 months ago.
If you add up all those numbers - $361 before shipping costs. Adding shipping costs would put the total closer to $400.

In conclusion (For me personally):
Cigarettes: $120 month. Pack a day smokers in my area spend around $200 per month.
ecigs: $400+ in first 2 months. I know once I settle in more with my setup and e-liquids the monthly cost will go down, and I will only have to buy cheap replacement parts and new bottles as I run out. But I imagine these are similar numbers to at least some who switch over from smoke to vapor. And if you look at it, my first 2 month costs aren't even that much higher than what I was spending before on cigarettes, and is almost exactly the same as what a pack a day smoker would have been spending. I haven't even mentioned how great it is to go from smelling like smoke all the time to caramel or peanut butter, and being in Minnesota during the winter it's nice to not have to go outside and freeze my fingers off every time I need a fix.

I know that not everyone purchases the same kind of ecig equipment and that some prices are outrageously high for certain tanks and batteries, but I get a kick out of working out math like this when it involves my own money and hobbies. Obviously it's not perfect to the penny math but it's not off by much.

One final question: Do you notice your monthly costs going down (finding a groove) or up (branching out) as you progress further into your vaping career?

I also want to thank everyone on this forum for their contributions. I've learned a ton and saved a lot of money because of you guys.

 

[*deleon517*]

when we quit the wife and I were paying $12 bucks a pack in NY. For her she isn't a gear junkie, she just sticks with her vamo and vivi nova (that i rebuild the coil on). she was a pack every 3 days. so she normally spent about 120 a month on her cigs. now she spends like 20 bucks a month. saving her ~100 bucks a month over the last 3 years.

however I still spend a tad bit more then that. On gear I allot myself no more then 100 per month on new toys. On juice i spend about 80 a month. I was also a 2-3 pack a day smoker before converting.

So all in all she has saved almost 4k by switching, I have spent about 6k in the 3 years of vaping. Just depends on which end of vaping you fall on. you can either be simple and content or a juice and mod ...... That will determine your savings or cost over all.

 

[Wingsfan0310]

Welcome to ECF
Lots of information in this thread asking if the cost for vaping is cheaper than smoking
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...86647-vaping-really-cheaper-than-smoking.html

 

[Pleasure Bird]

Welcome to ECF
Lots of information in this thread asking if the cost for vaping is cheaper than smoking
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...86647-vaping-really-cheaper-than-smoking.html

Thank you, that thread is quite helpful. I meant for this to be somewhat informative and organized so people can see an honest account of what someone leaping into ecigs might encounter. There aren't that many actual numbers being compared on that thread, and I wanted to have a reason to work out all the math anyway.

 

[WizOz]

Vaping is WAY cheaper once you find your "groove". DIY liquids make it even cheaper. Currently I am set on everything I need for 6+months and don't need to spend a dime on anything to vape. Will I spend a dime on new vaping gear? Hell freakin' YEAH! lol. Anyways, for some it's more expensive, for the spend thrift, it's way cheaper. WAY cheaper. I am currently on a iTaste SVD with 3 Vamo backups and DIY e-liquids using kanger protanks II's. I rebuild the coils and DIY the liquids. Realisticlly if i don't blow cash on unneeded new "toys" and "experiments", i am at about 40-50 cents a day vaping costs. I vape about 7-10ml a day at 24mg strength, just for reference. P.S- I am waiting on my VTR in the mail...plus some new flavors....and some other "toys"...lol. G'luck!

 

[Pleasure Bird]

Vaping is WAY cheaper once you find your "groove". DIY liquids make it even cheaper. Currently I am set on everything I need for 6+months and don't need to spend a dime on anything to vape. Will I spend a dime on new vaping gear? Hell freakin' YEAH! lol. Anyways, for some it's more expensive, for the spend thrift, it's way cheaper. WAY cheaper. I am currently on a iTaste SVD with 3 Vamo backups and DIY e-liquids using kanger protanks II's. I rebuild the coils and DIY the liquids. Realisticlly if i don't blow cash on unneeded new "toys" and "experiments", i am at about 40-50 cents a day vaping costs. I vape about 7-10ml a day at 24mg strength, just for reference. P.S- I am waiting on my VTR in the mail...plus some new flavors....and some other "toys"...lol. G'luck!

How do you vape 10ml in a day? my tank holds about 1.5 and usually lasts me all day, I can't even imagine using it 5 times as often in a day. I noticed the pt mini 2 eats up liquid faster than the ego-cc, would you say bigger tanks eat liquid faster? it probably has something to do with the atomizer right?

 

[WizOz]

I use the protank II's and they say 2.5-3ml(If you fill it to the brim). I usually refill 3 times a day(when I'm getting my drunk on it's a fourth....lol). I vape ALOT, my friend who vapes is at one tank a day sometimes needing a refill @night. As to the tank set-up and which tanks, yes that does make a difference. I have just switched coil setups and it seems in the few hours I have been using them that it might have reduced the liquid usage. I also don't sleep much lol. When it's just me roaming the dark hours or sitting outside enjoying the air, I vape even more. I prob sound defensive...lol. I hear about how much I vape from a friend already...lol. I started on ego's and when you move to the mods, you use more liquid(my opinion), I think that it's because you can get more "power" to the coil. Also, the type of wicking material makes a difference(I think), I tried cotton(switched from silica wicks), not bad but to much maintenance for my vaping habit and went back to silica wicks.Hope that makes sense, feeling abit loopy tonight,

 

[Pleasure Bird]

I use the protank II's and they say 2.5-3ml(If you fill it to the brim). I usually refill 3 times a day(when I'm getting my drunk on it's a fourth....lol). I vape ALOT, my friend who vapes is at one tank a day sometimes needing a refill @night. As to the tank set-up and which tanks, yes that does make a difference. I have just switched coil setups and it seems in the few hours I have been using them that it might have reduced the liquid usage. I also don't sleep much lol. When it's just me roaming the dark hours or sitting outside enjoying the air, I vape even more. I prob sound defensive...lol. I hear about how much I vape from a friend already...lol. I started on ego's and when you move to the mods, you use more liquid(my opinion), I think that it's because you can get more "power" to the coil. Also, the type of wicking material makes a difference(I think), I tried cotton(switched from silica wicks), not bad but to much maintenance for my vaping habit and went back to silica wicks.Hope that makes sense, feeling abit loopy tonight,

Hey, at least it's not cigarettes. Would you say you've noticed any negative health effects from vaping so much? I'm convinced ecigs are healthier than cigs but not so sure about them being just as healthy as if you didn't smoke or vape at all.

 

[WizOz]

Since switching to vaping from analogs, I no longer have my chest coughs. When I do sleep I guess I sleep hard, but people have told me that I used to cough through the night. When I would wake up I would always have a coughing fit, I no longer get those. They have disappeared completely. Some of the adverse things i noticed were when I first started I would get what would appeared to have been "chemical" burns on my lips. I haven't experienced those in months though. Now the thing I notice the most is that sometimes my "taste buds" appear to get scorched, but this side effect only last for hours. I think it's related to how much I "play" with the settings and stuff just experimenting with different resistances and wicks. I am soooo grateful to be off analogs. As to the health factor, vaping is in my opinion alot healthier than analogs. It has nothing to do with the nicotine content either. There are studies(too lazy to google and link lol srry) that suggest nicotine in moderate amounts is actually good for you. I am not getting the extra chemicals that are added to analogs into my lungs and am also not getting the plant material. I am getting a 50/50 mix of PG\VG plus flavorings into my lungs, but it is my belief this is a major harm reduction from regular analogs. Any addiction is probably not good, just some addictions "pay-off" isn't as bad as others. Take my crack addiction for instance....lol JOKING!!!

 

[Thrasher]

I know that not everyone purchases the same kind of ecig equipment and that some prices are outrageously high for certain tanks and batteries

the thing not being accounted for is it is usually well made and only paid for once. sure my atty costs 150.00 but that was 14 months ago.
wick and wire is approx $25 a year if i dont sit and tinker endlessly.

The more cheap stuff and disposables you play with the higher you will continually drive the costs. there is an interesting phenomenon in vaping where you can either get it out of the way and pay now to get all set up with good gear, or continually play with lesser quality and disposable driven gear and continually keep paying a little at a time. (this tank, that tank, these heads, that carto, this clearo, this ego that ego)


for me personally
except for my new mod I havent actually bought anything in several months so all money saved.
DIY juice costs me around 20 bucks for a 16 oz bottle. (thats 16 30ml bottles!)


then there is the collector mentality............... but thats another thread lol

 

[cassandraschild]

There are two different answers in my experience.

I have spent more on vaping in the last month than I would have on cigarettes. In the past when I quit, it evened out over the months I had quit, but I'm still searching for my vape nirvana... and I seem to be difficult. Therefore I spend more money while I search.

The lady I live with, I got her to switch completely in march. For her, things have been so much more simple. She bought an ego 650 mah starter kit. She helps me pay for 1/2 our DIY supplies. I think since March she has paid about $150 bucks. She previously paid 5-6 dollars a day for cigarettes, so on the low end $150 a month. She has saved $1,200 approx.

That is not taking any health benefits and lack of losing sick time in to account.

 

[pikachu525]

Granted the start up cost is a little much. Another item comes out and we all want it. It's like kids in a toy store. I've spent a lot over the years picking up with the new stuff, but have finally locked down on my mech mod. I do DIY liquid now so I just saved on any liquid for the next year?? The other cost you're not calculating is your health, that right there is your cost savings for vaping.

 

[Ryedan]

I used to spend $130 a month on cigarettes. When I switched to vaping, I broke even in a couple of months and I never got behind again. I now use RBA/RDA's and make my own juice. I haven't checked in a while, but I think it costs me about $50 a month to vape, including hardware.

 

[AthensGa]

The problem is that there really is no actual way to calculate the cost of analogs vs vaping. I pay 3.50/pack, you pay 8 bucks and that poor sap, I mean guy, in NY pays $12. You like this widget, I like that widget. You vape ??mls/wk, I vape 40mls/wk. You buy from e juicorama.com, I DIY (well I got the bits to DIY except the nic which is in Californie somewheres.)

Jeez, I have never seen so many red lines in one short paragraph in my life.

I like to compare prices, but there are just so many variables. It's not like comparing a Toyota to a ... umm... other type of car.

 

[cocacola31173]

It does get cheaper after you find the right battery or mod. I have a Vamo 3 and a MVP2 and a couple of Vision Spinners. Usually I spend about 40 dollars a month for my juice and hardware.

Once you really start to advance and learn how to build coils it really gets cheap. I have a dripping atomizer that I use at home all the time and it costs hardly nothing to build the coil.

But don't rush into that though. I was vaping for over a year before attempting it. You really need to educate yourself before trying something like that but you will get there.

 

[K_Tech]

One final question: Do you notice your monthly costs going down (finding a groove) or up (branching out) as you progress further into your vaping career?

I'll answer this one. I've spent quite a bit on vape gear over the last three months, but my purchases are definitely slowing down.

 

[WileECoyote]

76 days to break even for me but I think I have all the gear I need. As far as just comparing the consumables (Cartos and juice) I am 5 days ahead. I hope I like this MVP2 enough that I stop shopping for mods and just stick with the consumables. I have 8 tanks, so that should keep my taste buds busy.

 

[Lord_Fubar]

Vaping for me and most of the people here is fun, if not at least more interesting then going to the store for more mindless analogs.

I'm still looking for my groove with hardware and juices. I got a starter kit of two 808's and prefilled cartomizers. I didn't care for the flavors too much or the price of the refills.
I still use the 808's while the eGo-T is charging. I have an eGo-Twist somewhere in vape mail wasteland along with 20 some juices to try.
After reading in other threads about how much money can be saved by DIY juicing, I changed my mind and will give it a go once I know what flavors I like the most.

I do like to window shop online and check out all the cool stuff. I may get a corded passthrough so I'm not charging all the time.

 

[jpargana]

Well, at the beginning, it is quite normal to spend some more, because of the initial investment in kits, batteries, and so on...
But later, those costs will drop (unless, of course, you start buying every new gadget on the market )

My personal experience? A pair of batteries will last for months in a row. A single atomizer, properly maintained and cleaned regularly will last for three, four months. I've stayed for almost five years with the several 'generations' of Janty e-cigs/Egos that have appeared meanwhile. So, the only 'regular', monthly expense is e-juice (with the occasional atomizers or pair of batteries for backup)

When I smoked, I went thru about 10/15 cigarettes a day. Mind this, I would have liked to smoke more than that. I just restrained myself, bacause of health concerns (Allergies, for example). Tobacco was not even that expensive here, 3.5 Eur when I quit in 2009. So, let's say arount 75 Eur a month.

When I started vaping, I gradually increased 'cigarette' use, because I started feeling better, and that need of restrain was gone. (I don't chain vape, but I surelly have more 'cigarettes' - around 15/20 puffs each - than I had in 2009).Today, I probably vape the equivalent of about 40 packs/month. Meanwhile, a pack of cigarettes has increased to 4 Eur/pack.

So, if I was still smoking cigarettes, without restraining myself, I would be spending around 160 Eur/month. But vaping the same amount only costs me about 30-35 Eur/month !!

In fact, unrestrained vaping costs me about an half of the cost or restrained smoking, by the old prices of 2009 !

 

[Virtual Life]

I have seen many threads with this theme, even started one myself. My conclusion after much reading is that depending on how frugal you are and how much you smoked, one can save from the start. Myself, not yet at the break even point but SOOOOOOO happy with the lack of stinkies that I just don't care. Seems that most will spend more up front, but look at all the signature banners with 6 months, 1 year, 2 years and the amount not spent on smokes. By the one year mark I will have some of the very best hardware available and still be spending less.

Then there is that health thing. Really, REALLY feels GOOD!

Sure do like exhaling vapor through my nose, been years since I dared do that with a smoke, it hurt. Not dead at the top of the stairs anymore, and I can make a round of Frisbee Golf without wheezing. Been weeks since I had a Claritin which was almost daily. And like OP said, don't have to freeze my rear off to have a fix. I drive with windows up now, and so on...