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going from being a smoker, to using a vape, to building my own coils, to making my own liquid has been so very financially liberating and is a skill set I take much pride in.
submitted almost 9 years ago by ifiwereacatSuccessful Sidebar Reader!

It's really nice when someone tries my liquid, asks what liquid it is and i get to tell them that it's MY liquid and that i pay about $3 a week on my habit. wonderful.

i used to be a pack a day smoker. that's like $50 a week. that's $200 a month. that's a fucking car payment bros. a fucking car. what was i thinking?

Comments
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10 points
 
by hankscorpiozalmost 9 years ago

I'm in the same boat dude feels fucking epic.

1 points
 
by vasco_over 8 years ago

> I'm in the same boat

The idea that I could have bought a boat with all the money spent on cigs pains me.

1 points
 
by hankscorpiozover 8 years ago

Tell me about I spent 16 years wasting my time and money on them.

9 points
 
by coryperryalmost 9 years ago

My wife and I were spending about $450 a month on smokes. Those days are over. I'm now in the DIY boat and loving it.

3 points
 
by manysover 8 years ago

Yep, I was a solid packaday at $8. Sad part is I never see my corner store and newsstand people anymore.

11 points
 
by Desert_raverover 8 years ago

Take up heavy drinking!

/shittylifeprotips

1 points
 
by DGsirb1978almost 9 years ago

My progression was the same and I smoked even more, plus my girl smoked and switched with me

1 points
 
by BlazeDemBeatzover 8 years agoMentholatier

700 a month here w me and the wife. 3 packs a day between us. It's just insane to think about.

7 points
 
by cwazywabbit74almost 9 years ago

Fuck it, I'll expect the down votes.

I followed much the same path, and it was great. Problem really for me was exit strategy. Once I was fully independent of buying juice I took the same pride and satisfaction in making my own..... Lots and lots of it. I went so far as to wholesale my juice locally, while leveraging a small profit. It became overwhelming tbh. I came in the door to quit a habit, and now I'm perpetuating a new habit. I turned back to just mixing for myself, and as life became busier, I had less and less time to mix, even a large batch. Plus I was getting bored with my go to recipes. So I would end up back at the local shop on the other side of the exchange once again. At this point I've stopped mixing altogether even though it kills me to pay a 300% premium. I figured that would be my exit strategy, but I guess I've just come to terms with it.

Just my path - your mileage may vary.

1 points
 
by thattswhatshesaidover 8 years ago

I started to feel the same boredom with my mixes. Sometimes I just want something fully packaged and ready for consumption, something different than what I would put together, but also good juice of course. I kind of miss the retail experience but I still refuse to spend that kind of money on "premium". So I'm running an exchange with other mixers at r/mixersclub and I am stoked to have a number of juices coming my way to try, each and every month, from here on out, for pennies in supplies and stamps. And then if you find something you love you'll know exactly how to mix quantity for no money at all.

7 points
 
by RuntDastardlyover 8 years agoOne of "The Damned"

As the FDA cracks down harder, and more and more people turn to DIY to keep from smoking, there will be a lot more grateful self-starters thanking this sub for the help.

You could do worse in terms of shitposts, really. It's kinda' nice. It sure beats the usual.

With all these flavors, why choose salty?

3 points
 
by parko4almost 9 years ago

Willful ignorance I guess. I just calculated how much my buddy will spend this year on smokes and showed it to him ($2000+), gave him my old Evod for free, he still won't go out to buy a bottle of 12 mg juice "cuz it's too expensive and twice the price of a pack."

I might have to make him a bottle just for him to realize himself.

2 points
 
by BlazeDemBeatzover 8 years agoMentholatier

I was the same way when my father kept trying to convince me to swap over. I didn't want to spend the initial investment on a decent vape and some juice. Well worth it in the long run.

3 points
 
by Blaizefedalmost 9 years ago

I am in England and I was smoking marlboros to the tune of 25 a day or so. I quit that 4 months ago. So far, according to my phone app, I am £1300+ better off. IN 4 MONTHS!!!!! How I did that for so long...... The app says my habit was a little over £4000 ($5500) per year (top shelf cigarettes are eyewateringly expensive in England). Not only is that a car, but thats a pretty decent car, or a very nice motorcycle.

1 points
 
by chiefs23over 8 years ago

What is considered top shelf for cigarettes over there?

Marlboro and Camel are considered top shelf here or at least the most commonly smoked. But they aren't the highest priced cigs here.

2 points
 
by SubOhmEover 8 years ago

Benson & Hedges are the Quality Tobacco here!

1 points
 
by Blaizefedover 8 years ago

I am actually American, I just live in England. So I mean the same thing you do. All the "name brands" are the same over here, it's only the cheap ones that are different. Marlboro are the most expensive usually with Camel just a bit less.

I'm sure there are more expensive brands here as well, but I am talking about normal, available at the gas station cigs.

3 points
 
by ocdudebroover 8 years agoFrugivore

Indeed

3 points
 
by 1227liquidsover 8 years ago

Wait wait... tell me more about the part where you started making your own juice and didn't spent thousands on flavorings.. that's where you lost me, or where I spent thousands.

0 points
 
by iowabeansover 8 years ago

Thousands? You don't feel like that's a slight exaggeration? If not an exaggeration, a little excessive. That much flavor extract would last longer than I care to calculate. You can pick up 40+ different flavors to toy with for ~$100. Last week I picked up 4 gallons of VG, 500ml Nude Nicotine Nic, 54 flavors from the flavor apprentice, 30 syringes, 100 5ml bottles, 50 60ml bottles, 30 30ml bottles, 200 pipettes, nitrate gloves and goggles for a little under $400. I can provide recipts, can you show me where you spent 'thousands' on just flavoring when you started?

3 points
 
by 1227liquidsover 8 years ago

I got a little obsessed.. 3 trips to medicine flower, too many 4 ounce bottles of other PG free flavorings. As well as almost any PG free flavoring I could get my hands on from wizard labs. Tried every sweetener from NN, and all of the other stock solutions. I went ahead and bought 360 30ml, 80 60ml and 64 120ml bottles.

I meant it more as a joke, one that isn't a joke at all.. I've got the receipts and debt to back it up. I did plan on selling juice, but that really just gave me an excuse to buy that 'one last thing' over and over again.

2 points
 
by iowabeansover 8 years ago

You sir, are just bananas. Though I am slightly jealous.

1 points
 
by skiddlzninjaover 8 years agoThat one moderator. You know, the honey guy.

Well, at least you spent it at once and were aware of it at the time. I'm 2 years in and have been making bimonthly orders at an average $60 per order, so it just kinda crept up on me

3 points
 
by Ghaberghaover 8 years ago

I went through the exact same stages. I have not had an analog for 3 years and I've saved thousands of dollars. Vaping probably saved my life. I smoked a pack a day for 15 years, and if vaping hadn't come along, years from now I would have ended up with cancer, emphysema, heart/ lung disease or COPD. The FDA should really pull their heads out of their asses, this technology has staggering potential to save lives and improve public health. It's frustrating to see that agency be constantly manipulated by the tobacco lobby.... Please ensure you vote to keep this life saving tech in the hands of the people.

2 points
 
by miatatonyalmost 9 years ago

I'm doing the same thing, just placed my first order for DIY liquid, practicing making my first coils. the other day I bought two packs and it cost me $14 for two days of nicotine, I also spend $200 a month or more on cigarettes but I never felt how pricey it was until I started vaping and realized it's a total ripoff.

1 points
 
by Desert_raverover 8 years ago

Im poor, so everytime I lost or broke a vape, I just counted the extra it was choosing me until I could afford a new vape.

Sometimes losing a vape cost $80 (vape) plus $100 in smokes.

Ugh

2 points
 
by Enyawreklawover 8 years agoCreator - Best Recipe of 2015: Rhodonite

Right on man. That's what it's all about. That extra money you'll start to see is a fun thing to play with!

3 points
 
by T_Maceover 8 years agoTobacconist

Hookers n blow 6mg thanks for the giveaway!

2 points
 
by chiefs23over 8 years ago

I was a pack a day smoker also. Now im in the same boat. I do my own builds and diy my juice. Soo much cheaper and i feel so much better, too! I got really lucky when i started though. A friend of mine tried vaping in the past and decided it wasnt for him and quit. I had been window shopping for a decient direct lung setup and told him. He then gave me all his gear. Americlone Fuhatten mech tube / Dark Horse RDA 2 batteries and a charger. I quit smoking that same day and havent looked back.

About a month later i started saving up to buy an IPV5 and Smok TF-RTA G2. With batteries it was going to run me 80-100 bucks depending on where i got it. That same friend needed the a/c compressor on his truck replaced. He bought me the setup as payment for working on his truck. Basically if it wasn't for him i would probably still be smoking.

1 points
 
by manysover 8 years ago

Got a liter of unflavored for $17 in June and it's still 3/4 full. If I want to treat myself I can buy a bottle of flavoring and put a couple squirts in, which is enough and makes the flavored juice last forever instead of two days.

1 points
 
by iowabeansover 8 years ago

Check out Nude Nicotine! GREAT quality VG ~$28/gallon. Or Essential Depot, they've got a sale going 4 gals of mix/match VG/PG for $48. Shipping ran an extra $20 after coupon code SHIP20 (20% off)

1 points
 
by HBWSucksover 8 years ago

Same here man, but now I'm at the point of being so fucking lazy with everything. I'll go as long as I can till I absolutely have to build a new coil. I'll rewick when it needs it but making aliens or claptons I don't have the patience for it like I use to.

1 points
 
by boondocktaintover 8 years ago

As so many others I'm sure, that's my exact story. Just got into making juice, and it's fantastic! I don't go crazy with it (yet), but I've got 7 or 8 recipes that keep my thirst for variety satisfied. Spending a couple of dollars to make a bottle that would cost 20 in the store is so great, plus you get to feel like a mad scientist

1 points
 
by Its_0verover 8 years ago

Same life 40 bucks a week for 10 years, less the 10 a week now

1 points
 
by Eddit13over 8 years ago

By the way, same here. I bought juice yesterday in another town because I was caught unprepared going out. First time in months - at least it was good house juice.

0 points
 
by Eddit13over 8 years ago

THIS IS WHY THE TOBACCO COMPANIES ARE LOSING THEY MINDS! Think about 300 - 700 dollars a month times 52 weeks times MILLIONS of people - that BILLONS they lose. No wonder they are buying congress and the FDA.

1 points
 
by brando555over 8 years ago

Then if they get their way they'll shit all over a decade of vaping innovation and get people hooked on their garbage cigalikes and $1/ml juice.

-11 points
 
by Tamachickenalmost 9 years agoMixologist

Grats, but not the right place to post this.

5 points
 
by skiddIzninjaover 8 years ago

Oh shut the fuck up would you.

4 points
 
by project_twenty5oh1over 8 years agoMixologist

savage

1 points
 
by Tamachickenover 8 years agoMixologist

Sure. I'll stop trying to keep shitposts off the main page.

1 points
 
by skiddIzninjaover 8 years ago

Should be easy, just stop posting.

1 points
 
by Tamachickenover 8 years agoMixologist

How about posting with your real account too, eh? Wuss.

4 points
 
by jcraig312almost 9 years ago

How is this not the right place to post this?

1 points
 
by Tamachickenalmost 9 years agoMixologist

Lots of posts about "making it" or "thanks for X" Seeing them a lot, best putting them in the new mixer's thread where it'll be welcome.

2 points
 
by CtrlaltDelTacoover 8 years agoYellow Cake Apologist

This is what it's all about. Making e liquid and some sweet sweet love.

1 points
 
by Cynicatedover 8 years ago

Oddly, they seem to welcome by everyone but a select few. Perhaps, and I'm just throwing this out there, the majority of people like these posts.

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