Cigarette Money Jar: 12 Ways to Save What You Used to Smoke

A cigarette money jar turns the money you used to burn into something you can see, count and spend on purpose. This guide gives 12 ways to run one, compares a jar with a bank pot and an app goal, shows example yearly totals at an assumed $8 pack, and explains what research does and does not say about linking money to quitting.

The Short Answer

A cigarette money jar is a visible container where you put the money you would have spent on cigarettes. It works because it turns an abstract saving into something you can see, count and spend on purpose. The simplest version: each day you do not buy cigarettes, put that day’s usual spend into the jar.

Below are 12 ways to run one, a comparison of jar, bank pot and app goal, and a worked example with round numbers that you should swap for your own. The Smokefree.gov quit plan builder makes the same point: “Take a moment to think about the specific things you’ll do with the extra money.” For ideas on what to spend it on, see what to do with the money you save.

Why a Cigarette Money Jar Works

Money saved by quitting is easy to lose track of. It disappears into groceries and bills, and the sense of reward fades. A jar fixes that in three ways.

• It is visible. Watching it fill is a daily reminder that the habit has an opportunity cost.
• It is specific. Money in a jar labeled “trip” or “new bike” has a job. Money left in your account does not.
• It replaces a ritual. If you used to buy cigarettes at the same time every day, dropping coins in the jar at that moment gives your hands and your routine something to do.

The same Smokefree.gov page lists rewards as part of quitting: “That’s why it’s important to celebrate your successes, whether big or small. Rewarding yourself by doing something positive or enjoyable can help you cope with tough times or setbacks.” A jar is a simple way to fund them.

What the evidence does and does not say

Research on a literal coin jar is lacking, so this guide does not claim one works. What exists is a randomized trial in rural Thailand (American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2013) that enrolled 215 smokers, of whom 201 were randomized in two-person teams. It tested “counseling plus offer of a commitment contract, team incentives, and text message reminders” against counseling alone. Biochemically verified abstinence at the primary 6-month endpoint was 44.3% in the intervention group and 18.8% in the control group. The authors also note that “self-reports at 14 months suggest tapering of the treatment effect.”

That study used money as a commitment tool, which is related to the jar idea but not the same thing. Treat it as a reason to link money to your goal, not as proof that a jar will keep you quit.

12 Ways to Fill a Cigarette Money Jar

Pick one or two. A method you will keep doing beats a clever one you drop in week two.

1. The daily drop. Put the cost of your usual daily smoking into the jar every evening.
2. The pack-price drop. Each time you pass the shop where you used to buy a pack, put the pack price in.
3. The craving coin. Every time you beat a craving, add a fixed coin or bill. Cravings become a small earning moment.
4. The payday transfer. On payday, move a month of your old spend into a separate pot in one go.
5. The automatic transfer. Set a recurring transfer to a separate savings pot so it happens without willpower.
6. The rounding rule. Round every purchase up to the next whole dollar and put the difference in the jar.
7. The cash-only stash. Keep a visible stack of bills. A pile you can see is harder to forget.
8. The labeled goal jar. Write the target on the jar: a trip, a gift, a repair fund.
9. The milestone envelope. Split the money into envelopes opened at 1 week, 1 month and 3 months smoke-free.
10. The shared jar. If a partner or friend quit too, run one jar between you and agree what it buys.
11. The debt payer. Send the savings straight to a card or loan, so quitting shows up as a smaller balance.
12. The app goal. Track the saving in a quit app with a savings goal, and move the real money to match.

Keep claims about banks generic: product names, fees and interest rates change, so check your own provider before relying on any account. Our guide to investing your cigarette money covers the longer-term options.

A Short Video on the Money You Save

NHS Grampian Public Health has a short video on the financial benefits of stopping smoking. Use it as a prompt to work out your own number.

Jar vs Bank Pot vs App Goal

All three can work. The table is our rule of thumb, not research.

You can pair a jar with an app goal: the jar holds the cash, and the app tracks the total. In iQuit the money dashboard shows money saved, supports savings goals and is multi-currency. It tracks the number; it does not move any money for you.

Milestone Rewards That Fit the Jar

Spending some of the jar is part of the plan, not a failure of it. Choose rewards before you need them, and tie each to a milestone.

• 1 week smoke-free: a meal you enjoy, funded by the jar.
• 1 month: something for the house, a plant or a better pillow.
• 3 months: a day out, a ticket or a small experience.
• 6 months or more: a larger goal: a trip, a course or a piece of gear.

For more ideas, see our list of quit-smoking rewards. Splitting the jar between spending now and saving for later keeps both motivation and long-term progress alive.

What a Year Adds Up To

These are our own round-number examples at an assumed $8 per pack. Your price will differ, so replace the figures.

The Smokefree.gov quit plan builder shows weekly, monthly and yearly savings once you “Enter how many cigarettes you smoke and how much a pack of cigarettes costs.” If you want a calculator, use our money-saved calculator and compare with what you spend each week. For the very long view, see the lifetime cost of smoking.

Set Up Your Jar in Ten Minutes

The best time to start is before the first craving of your quit. Here is a quick setup.

1. Pick the container. A clear jar works best because you can see the level. A bank pot works if you prefer not to handle cash.
2. Write the goal on it. A specific target beats “savings”. Name the reward and the date you want it.
3. Choose the deposit rule. Use one of the 12 ways above and write the rule on a note beside the jar.
4. Set a reminder. If you deposit by habit, tie it to something you already do, such as brushing your teeth in the evening.
5. Tell one person. Telling a friend or family member makes the jar a small public commitment.

Skip anything that adds friction. A jar that needs a trip to the bank every week is easy to abandon.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Most jars fail for ordinary reasons, not because the idea is wrong.

• Dipping in for bills. Once the jar becomes a general fund, it stops being a reward. Keep a separate account for essentials.
• Setting the target too far away. A goal six months out is hard to feel. Add a one-month reward.
• Counting the wrong number. Use your real spend, not a hopeful one. Check a few receipts or your bank statement before you set the deposit.
• Treating a slip as a reset. A slip does not erase the days you stayed quit. Keep the jar going.
• Letting the jar hide the real work. Money motivation helps, but cravings still need a plan: triggers, substitutes and support.

Start Your Jar Today

You do not need a perfect plan. Choose a container, write a goal on it, and decide when the first deposit happens. Pair it with the practical items in our quit smoking kit checklist so the jar is part of a bigger setup rather than the only thing holding you up.

If you slip, do not empty the jar in frustration. Keep depositing for the days you do not smoke. The jar tracks progress, not perfection.

Where iQuit Fits

iQuit is free on Google Play and the App Store. For a money-focused quit, the relevant free parts are the money dashboard, which shows money saved with savings goals and is multi-currency, the craving log, SOS craving support with breathing exercises, grounding and distraction tips, and daily missions. It does not handle real money or link to any bank account.

Frequently Asked Questions