Talking of saving money, I've stopped smoking altogether now, having spent very little in the last year on cigarettes (averaging about 1.5 per day) and even less replacing it with vaping. The main driver being that I can vape at my desk instead of having to go outside, but being able to get my nicotine fix in the car without having to open the window to let the cold/wind in, and without it stinking is a huge bonus.
By my reckoning I saved about £2000 last year, will save £2600 this year and £3000 next, going up to around £10,000/yr by 2025 if prices continue to rise as they've been doing recently
. I'm now spending about £25/yr on nicotine, £20/yr on flavourings, and about £100 on hardware as well as decreasing my risk of cancer and improving my health to boot
We even drove to Belgium last weekend to buy the wife's baccy, saving around £600 for the year. She's still resistant to the idea of vaping, and that shopping trip means she's stocked up so it'll be some time before I can turn her
Was a nice day out though.
Smoking is expensive, and it's going to get much, much worse in coming years. Get vaping, find flavours you like, and learn how to mix your own liquid before it becomes over-regulated (no flavours other than 'tobacco' and 'menthol') and taxed to buggery! Avoid anything that looks like a real cigarette though; those things are utter crap!
Over the long term, I'm cutting down my nicotine intake very gradually with the hope that one day I'll no longer be addicted. Governments absolutely does not want that to happen (as evidenced by bannings of 'lite' cigarettes and attempts to regulate e-liquid with just one fixed strength option), but mixing my own means I've been able to cut the strength of my liquid from 18% (equivalent to a normal fag) to 13.5% so far. Last time I smoked a real one, it nearly blew my head off and tasted foul, so I guess I'm on the right track
<steve_earwig> I think this forum is more about keeping our cars going with minimal outlay than giving our cars more reason to go bang
paid off the C Card and haven't touched it since. I hated the Card and what it represented (i.e. me having to spend money I didn't have, but not out of greed, but necessity) but I could never ever find any more money to pay it off especially with rising living costs AND trying to keep the overdraft in check - it was a real balancing act, and sh*t.
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run's for cover 
