By Alex Nelson

Copyright glasgowworld

Stoptober 2025 is here, encouraging smokers and drinkers across the UK to quit for 28 daysCutting out cigarettes can save thousands: an average smoker could spend £2,400–£5,500 a yearAlcohol adds up too: regular drinking can cost £600–£1,500 annually, even at homeQuitting both has big savings: combined habits could cost £3,500–£4,000 a yearShort-term changes make a difference: one month off could cover groceries, bills, or treats

Wednesday, October 1 marks the start of Stoptober 2025 — the NHS-backed campaign that encourages people across the UK to give up smoking, drinking, or both for the month of October.

The point of Stoptober isn’t to guilt people into giving up overnight, it’s to encourage them to try cutting out harmful habits for just 28 days. Research suggests that if you can stop for four weeks, you’re up to five times more likely to quit for good.

While the health benefits are well-documented, there’s another incentive that could persuade people to stick with it: the financial savings.

With the cost of living still biting, cutting out expensive habits like cigarettes and alcohol can add up to hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds a year.

Smoking: a costly habit

Smoking is not only one of the leading causes of preventable illness in the UK, but it also takes a serious toll on your wallet. According to NHS data, the average smoker gets through around 10 to 20 cigarettes a day.

With the average price of a pack of 20 cigarettes now over £15, smoking 10 a day works out to around £200 a month, or roughly £2,400 a year. For a pack-a-day smoker, the annual spend jumps closer to £5,500.

Even vaping, which some people switch to as a less harmful alternative, still carries costs, though these are typically lower than cigarettes.

But going smoke-free altogether not only improves long-term health outcomes but frees up a significant chunk of disposable income.

Alcohol: sneaky spending

Drinking might feel less obviously expensive, but it adds up quickly. A pint of beer in the UK now averages around £4.50–£6, while a glass of wine can be similar.

For someone who has two or three pints on a Friday and Saturday night, that’s easily £50–£60 a month… or £600–£700 a year

But regular drinkers who enjoy a couple of drinks most evenings at home could be spending considerably more.

A bottle of wine bought from the supermarket (around £7–£9 on average) a few nights a week could total £1,000–£1,500 annually.

Those who cut back often find that alcohol spending sneaks up in ways they don’t notice: rounds at the pub, extra trips to the off-licence, or adding bottles to the weekly shop. Over time, the savings can be surprising.

Double benefit: quitting both

For people who both smoke and drink, the combined savings are even more striking.

A moderate smoker (10 cigarettes per day) who also drinks moderately (two bottles of wine a week and two pub visits a month) could easily be spending around £3,500–£4,000 a year.

That’s the equivalent of a family holiday abroad, a used car, or a healthy addition to an emergency savings fund.

Beyond the wallet

Financially, even one month off makes a difference. A smoker who quits for October could save £200–£450 in a single month.

A moderate drinker might save another £50–£100. Put together, that’s enough to cover a week’s groceries, a chunk of an energy bill, or a festive treat come December.

But while the monetary savings are significant, the health gains are even greater. Within weeks of stopping smoking, lung function begins to improve, circulation gets better, and breathing becomes easier.

Cutting back on alcohol lowers the risk of liver disease, high blood pressure, and even some cancers.

But from a cost-of-living perspective, the numbers speak for themselves. Giving up smoking and drinking, even temporarily, can free up hundreds of pounds that many households could put to better use.

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