This is part 4 of an 8 part series.. Feed back, your personal experiences, stories about family and friends are welcome in the comments. Guest Post submissions are also welcomed.
I’m not judging anybody. We all have our vices—mine’s sweets. Donuts, cakes, pies… and yeah, my waistline shows it. These posts are just here to help if you’re thinking about quitting smoking. What you do is 100% your call.
We all know smoking is bad for your lungs—but what about your wallet?
If you’re a trucker smoking a pack a day, you’re burning more than just tobacco. You’re literally lighting up $70–$100 a week. That’s up to $5,000 a year, depending on where you buy and what you smoke.
That number hits even harder when you break it down into real things you could buy, fix, or save for. So let’s get brutally honest and take a look at what quitting could actually put back in your pocket.
💵 Weekly: $70–$100
- Truck stop showers every day instead of skipping
- Fill your cooler with actual groceries, not junk snacks
- Streaming subscriptions (music, shows, audiobooks) for road sanity
- Gas for your personal car or pickup
📅 Monthly: $300–$400
- One truck payment (or a good chunk of it)
- Upgrade your seat or mattress for comfort and back health
- Decent Bluetooth headset or dash cam
- Send a bigger check home
- Treat yourself to a weekend hotel and real rest
📆 Yearly: $3,500–$5,000
- Down payment on a newer used truck
- Emergency savings account (for breakdowns, tires, missed loads)
- Pay off credit card debt
- Take your kid or grandkid on vacation
- Major dental or health care needs that get put off
🎯 What’s the Point?
Smoking may feel like a stress reliever, but that relief comes at a price—and it’s high. Every time you say “It’s only one pack,” you’re choosing to spend your hard-earned miles on something that gives nothing back but damage.
Quitting gives you more than breath in your lungs. It gives you breathing room in your budget.
✅ A 30-Day Challenge
Try this:
- Put $10 a day in a separate envelope or savings app.
- Keep a written or digital log of what you’re skipping (packs, cravings, slip-ups).
- At the end of the month, take the money and do something awesome with it—not just groceries. A reward. A memory.
It’s not just about saving money. It’s about taking control back—from Big Tobacco and from the stress that made you light up in the first place.
✅ U.S. National & Government Resources
-
Smokefree.gov
🔗 https://smokefree.gov-
Offers personalized quit plans, texts, apps, and chat support.
-
Versions available for women, veterans, teens, and Spanish speakers.
-
-
CDC – Quit Smoking Resources
🔗 https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/quit_smoking/index.htm-
Offers practical tools, stats, health benefits timeline, and links to free services.
-
-
1-800-QUIT-NOW (National Quitline)
🔗 https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/quit-smoking/quitline/index.html-
Free confidential support by trained quit coaches in every U.S. state.
-
You can call 1-800-784-8669 or visit the site to be routed to local resources.
-
📱 Mobile Support & Apps
-
QuitGuide App (from Smokefree.gov)
🔗 https://smokefree.gov/tools-tips/apps/quitguide-
Tracks cravings, mood, triggers, and progress.
-
-
QuitSTART App (for teens and young adults, but anyone can use it)
🔗 https://smokefree.gov/tools-tips/apps/quitstart-
Encouraging and interactive tool for daily motivation and goal tracking.
-
❤️ Nonprofit Organizations
-
American Lung Association – How to Quit Smoking
🔗 https://www.lung.org/quit-smoking-
Includes Freedom From Smoking® program and resources for workplaces and schools.
-
-
Truth Initiative – BecomeAnEX
🔗 https://www.becomeanex.org-
Free plan and support community developed in partnership with Mayo Clinic.
-
-
Nicotine Anonymous
🔗 https://nicotine-anonymous.org-
12-step recovery program with online and in-person meetings.
-
🧠 Mental Health and Behavioral Support
-
My Life, My Quit (for Teens)
🔗 https://mylifemyquit.com-
Confidential teen-focused quit help by text, chat, or phone.
-
-
National Cancer Institute Quitline
🔗 https://smokefree.gov/help-others-quit/quitline-services
-
Direct help via live chat and cancer-specific resources for smokers.
Final Thoughts
Every cigarette you don’t smoke is a dollar you can use on something that actually makes your life better—safer gear, a stronger future, or time with the people who matter most.
Tell us what you’d do with your ‘smoke money’ at TruckStopReport.com. Your idea might just inspire the next driver to quit.
This is the part of a series. Here are the other posts:
-
- Part 1 – Smoking: The Habit That Starts in the Cab: Why Truckers Start Smoking—And How to Quit
- Part 2: 10 Ways to Stop Smoking Without Losing Your Mind
- Part 3: How to Help a Fellow Driver Quit—Without Being a Nag
- Part 5: Why Smoking Makes You a More Tired, More Dangerous Driver
- Part 6 – Smoking: Slipped Up? Don’t Give Up: How to Reset After a Smoking Relapse
- Part 7 – Smoking: When the Cravings Won’t Quit: Staying Smoke-Free on the Worst
- Part 8 – Smoking: Quitting While Quitting Alone: Beating Cigarettes Without a Support Crew
Comments