Smoking & Drinking add up to big bucks

[mom-from-missouri]

I have been working somewhat with a couple who come into the ministeral alliance where I often volunteer. The mr. makes about $24,000 a year, the mrs is a sahm who does some childcare out of her home. They have 3 preschoolers. They are not making it. They live rent free in the old farm house on his parents farm in exchange for helping his older parents do the farming.
Here is the first breakdown she gave me of their money spending.

Rent 0
electric 120
gas 60
water 0 (they have a well)
sewer 0 (septic tank)
trash service 0 (they burn)
car payment 320
food 500
internet 0 (no computer)
cable/dish 0 (rabbit ears only)
car fuel 200
auto insurance 60
health insurance 0 (his company pays 100%)
cell phone 25 (prepaid--no house phone)

They have been getting their clothing at the center. I could smell smoke on her, so I asked her if they smoked. She said yes. I asked here where that was on her budget, she said it wasn't. I then asked if they drank, and where that was on the budget--she said that wasn't on their either. So, I asked her if she could track the cig and alcohol for a month to see what that totalled up to.

She has added it up for the last 6 weeks, and it came to $708. That includes 2-3 cartons of cig a week, 2 -3 bottles of Jack Daniels a week and at least 2 cases of beer a week. That is what she knew of--he may of spent more.

I think she just saw the light as to why they are not making it.

This week she is going to check into his insurance to see if it will cover patches for them to quit smoking.

[sweeps]

I'll drink to that...

[texastek76]

I feel sorry for those three kids that have to live in a house where 2-3 bottle of Jack and 2 cases of beer get downed each week.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Hello! It kills you to faster. Sigh. Sounds like my grandfather, pack a day until the day he died.

[rob62521]

Many of these folks feel they have to live for now and drinking and smoking is their due. Hope the people you are counseling continue seeing the light and quit -- not only for the money but also for their health and their children's.

[mom-from-missouri]

Sad-she told me their drinking was their entertainment because they couldn't afford to do anything else....He loves NASCAR. I pointed out to them, that after 10 weeks, they could buy season tickets for 2 to the KS speedway. His head jerked up then and then he started paying more attention. They signed up for home counseling, I hope they show up. We have been working on this couple for a year now. I went to their home once-I really was surprised at how clean it was. And, they do not smoke in the home (his parents own it and wont let them). They only smoke outside and in their vehicle.
I fear they will find the quitting too hard and go back to it.

[disneysteve]

car payment 320

This week she is going to check into his insurance to see if it will cover patches for them to quit smoking.

1. That's an awfully high car payment for folks who only earn 24K/year. Let's assume it is a 5-year loan. That would mean total payments of $19,200. No way should these folks be spending anywhere near that much on a vehicle. If I were counseling them, I'd want to know the details of that loan. How close are they to paying it off? What is the current value of the car? If they are close to paying it off, terrific. Then just keep it until it dies. If they are not close and they are not upside down on the loan, sell it and buy something that fits their budget better.

2. Obviously, the cigarettes and booze are killing them, both financially and medically. I see this every day in my practice. Statistically, smoking and drinking rates are much higher among the poor. Same for gambling (have you asked them about lottery tickets?). What tells me that they just don't get it is the woman wanting to know if insurance will cover patches. Who cares? The patches are cheaper than the cigarettes and they seem to have no trouble buying those. Just switch to buying the patches whether insurance covers them or not. Truthfully, Chantix is a far better option than the patches. Around here, it runs about $120/month which is also probably less than they are spending on cigarettes.

[mom-from-missouri]

I think they will get the patches regardless of if they have coverage or not. His dad is fighting lung cancer and I think it is nagging on them. That is why he is helping his dad farm. She mentioned that a couple they run with from his work recently stopped smoking and said the insurance paid for them. But, she didn't know if that was his insurance or the wifes. I told her they could take the cig money and start a savings account with it for an emerg fund. They did like that idea.

I don't know if they have the will power to stop the drinking. But, we agreed they would tackle one thing at a time. They opted for smoking first. I just hope not smoking doesnt make them drink more!

As for the car payment, we did question it. That is actually for 2 cars that the credit union combined for them. The first car was not paid for, and was totaled. They had no insurance. I think they learned their lesson there. The were buying it from an individual and had to borrow to pay the individual back for it, and borrow for the van they now have. They are now into their last year of payments. The credit union put it as one payment.

They do have a child in a wheelchair, and the van is necessary. A local radio station installed a lift in it for them after they got it. He drives to work every other day and car pools on the days he does not drive. They only have the one vehicle.

Didn't ask about lottery--it wouldn't surprise me any though if they are also buying tickets.

However, I will give them credit for not having any credit card debt. She does have 1 visa card--for an emergency. She said she used it one time to buy a tire and it was paid off in 2 months. She keeps it frozen in an ice block in the freezer!

[disneysteve]

It is great that they are in their last year of car payments. Freeing up that $320/month will help a lot.

With a disabled child, do they get any government assistance? I bet they qualify for things they may not be taking full advantage of.

Anyway, we're getting away from the topic - how much vices cost people. As I said, I see it all the time at work. I had a patient (who just died recently as a matter of fact) who had skin cancer on his ear. I kept trying to get him to go to the specialist to have it taken care of. He said he wasn't wasting $15 for a copay for that. I happened to know that he played the lottery so I asked how much he spent on tickets. He said he spent $5/day. So this guy was spending $35/week on lottery tickets but felt that $15 to have a cancer removed from his body was a waste.

[JBL]

If they are smoking two to three cartons of cigarettes a week then they most likely will find quitting smoking quite difficult, and probably a few bottles of Jack Daniels plus beer every week won't help at all. I would definately point them towards support, either local groups or online (ffsonline.org, whyquit.com, woofmang.com) to help with both the smoking and the drinking. A lot of people who quit smoking relapse when drinking.

That seems to me to be a lot of cigarettes and booze.

[PrincessPerky]

While I understand the desire to quit one thing at a time...drinking and smoking go hand in hand (literally..one hand has the bottle, one the cigg...)

they might find it easier to quit both...or at least cut down dramatically the drinking.

I smoked while drinking for about a year after I 'quit'....though I wasn't a huge drinker. (and drinking wine with dinner no ciggs didn't bother me, just the social kind)

You must have amazing tact and patience to be able to help them! I am so glad you are willing to do it, and so glad you have been blessed with the skills to help them.

[myrdale]

She does have 1 visa card...... She keeps it frozen in an ice block in the freezer!

My sister came up with doing this on her own and I always get a kick out of hearing other people who do the same. Much like your friend she doesn't have any credit card debit, and this is a great way to prevent it.

As for drinking and smoking, it is horribly expensive. You could consider it a second car payment $700 / (6 weeks or about 2 months) = $350 per month. There are ALOT of things they will be able to do with that income to improve their situation once they get things straightened out.

Also I am curious about weither or not they play the lotto question aswell.

Best of luck too you and them.

[Rachel Madisyn]

Does anyone know if the top executives of cigarette companies smoke - or do they opt not to and stay healthy and rake in big bucks?

[kenyantykoon]

i hve never had the temptation to smoke or drink but that is not to say that i dont have little vices(if you will) concerning money. and i think that mine are a little worse that the average drinking smoker

[mtsen]

no kidding, I for one, is a real life case that I drink away my whole retirement ...