I was spending about £60 a month on disposables until I did the math and realized that’s £720 a year on what’s basically trash after three days. Here’s what I’ve figured out after two years of trying to vape without going broke.
I know vaping has become a widely recognized alternative to traditional cigarettes and while it can still involve ongoing costs, there are many ways to ensure that you don’t spend more than necessary. We have assembled the most comprehensive advice on cutting down the expenses associated with vape pens, from picking the most suitable device to finding reliable discounts. Below, you will find a wide array of strategies that can help you enjoy your vape without emptying your wallet.
Contents
- 1 Skip the Fancy Stuff You Won’t Use
- 2 The Bulk Buying Math That Saves Real Money
- 3 Where People Actually Post Real Discount Codes
- 4 The Coil Cleaning Trick Nobody Talks About
- 5 Local Shop Politics That Save You Money
- 6 The Subscription Trap vs Smart Buying
- 7 DIY Liquid – The Real Numbers
- 8 Used Devices That Aren’t Sketchy
- 9 The Loyalty Programs That Actually Pay Off
- 10 Stop Wasting Money on These Things
- 11 The Real Monthly Cost
- 12 Explore Local Vape Communities and Events
- 13
Skip the Fancy Stuff You Won’t Use
My first “real” vape was this £120 box mod with temperature control, custom wattage curves, and a screen that showed me graphs I never looked at. Used it on the same setting for six months until it broke. Now I use a £35 Vaporesso XROS that does exactly what I need – nothing more.
The features that actually matter:
- Adjustable airflow (tight for mouth-to-lung, loose for direct)
- USB-C charging (because micro-USB in 2024 is criminal)
- Decent battery that lasts a full day
Everything else – Bluetooth connectivity, LED screens showing puff counters, apps that track your nicotine – just adds cost and breaks faster.
The Bulk Buying Math That Saves Real Money
Here’s the actual breakdown from my last order:
Buying 10ml bottles individually: £4.99 each at my local shop Buying 5x10ml multipacks online: £15 (£3 per bottle) Buying 100ml shortfills and adding nic shots: £12 + £1 for the shot = £1.30 per 10ml
That third option saves me about £30 a month. Yeah, you need to mix in the nicotine shot yourself, but it takes 30 seconds of shaking. The only catch is you need to like the flavor enough to commit to 100ml of it. Learned that after buying 100ml of “birthday cake” that tasted like vanilla plastic.
Where People Actually Post Real Discount Codes
Reddit’s r/ecr_uk and r/Vaping communities – people post codes that actually work because they just used them. Found a 30% off code for Vape Club last week that saved me £18. You can visit the CouponToaster Vape section as well.
The brands’ own Instagram stories – not their main posts, their stories. Geekvape dropped a 40% flash sale code that lasted 4 hours. Followed them after missing it once.
Discord servers for specific brands – OXVA has one where they drop codes for members before public sales. Got my device for £22 instead of £40. I found some active coupons at Rokin Vapes as well.
The Coil Cleaning Trick Nobody Talks About
Coils cost £3-4 each and supposedly last a week. But if you vape sweet flavors, they gunk up in three days. Instead of buying new ones constantly, I clean them.
Take the coil out, rinse under hot water until it runs clear, let it dry overnight on a paper towel, then dry burn it (pulse the fire button without cotton until the gunk burns off). A coil that would’ve been trash works for another week. Do this twice before actually replacing it. That’s saving £12 a month right there.
Local Shop Politics That Save You Money
My local vape shop gives me 20% off because I’m there every two weeks. Not a official discount – just the “regular customer” price. But here’s what really works:
Go in Tuesday-Thursday afternoons when it’s dead. The guy working has time to chat, remembers what you like, and tells you when stuff’s going on sale tomorrow. Found out they mark down old stock every first Monday of the month by 50%. Got three bottles of premium liquid for £15 total.
Also, ask about testers. Most shops have opened bottles for testing flavors. When they’re almost empty, they sell them for £1-2. It’s maybe 5ml, but it’s enough to know if you like something before buying 100ml online.
The Subscription Trap vs Smart Buying
Those vape subscription boxes seem like deals – “£30 of value for £20!” But you get random flavors you’d never pick, coils that don’t fit your device, and accessories you don’t need. Cancelled mine after three months of accumulating bottles of tobacco flavor I’ll never touch.
Instead, I wait for actual sales. Black Friday is obvious, but Chinese New Year (January/February) is when Chinese manufacturers like Voopoo and Geekvape do massive sales. Got my backup device for 60% off because they were clearing stock.
DIY Liquid – The Real Numbers
Everyone says make your own liquid, but here’s the actual startup cost:
- Scale that measures 0.01g: £15
- VG and PG (1 liter each): £20
- Nicotine shots: £10
- Flavor concentrates (5 to start): £25
- Bottles and labels: £10
That’s £80 before you make anything. And your first five batches will probably suck. But once you nail a recipe, 100ml costs about £2 to make versus £15 to buy. I make one flavor I love (strawberry custard) and buy everything else. Saves me about £20 a month.
Used Devices That Aren’t Sketchy
Facebook Marketplace is full of stolen vapes and devices that “just need a new coil” (translation: they’re broken). But vaping forums have classified sections where people sell their collection overflow. These aren’t desperate sellers – they’re collectors with too much gear.
Bought a £90 Lost Vape device for £40 from someone upgrading. It had the box, receipts, spare pods, everything. Check the UKVapers forum or Planet of the Vapes classifieds. Just use PayPal goods and services for protection.
The Loyalty Programs That Actually Pay Off
Most loyalty programs give you 1 point per pound, need 500 points for £5 off. Worthless. But some are different:
Vape Club’s points stack with sales. Saved points for six months, used them during a 25% off sale, got £80 of stuff for £35.
Local shops sometimes do punch cards – buy 9 bottles, 10th free. That’s an 11% discount if you were buying anyway.
Stop Wasting Money on These Things
- Premium cotton: Muji cotton pads work exactly the same as “competition grade” cotton that costs 5x more. £5 for a lifetime supply.
- Special battery wraps: Your batteries are inside the device. Nobody sees them. The free wraps that come with batteries work fine.
- Vape bands: Those silicone rings to “protect” your tank. Your tank’s either in your pocket or your hand. Save the £3.
- Drip tips: Unless yours is broken, that £15 “wide bore” tip hits exactly like the one that came with your tank.
The Real Monthly Cost
After all this, here’s what I actually spend:
- Liquid: £20 (mix of DIY and bought)
- Coils: £8 (cleaning extends life)
- Random supplies: £5
That’s £33 a month versus the £60+ I was spending on disposables, or the £100+ some people spend buying everything at retail. The savings don’t come from one trick – it’s doing all the small things that add up.
Explore Local Vape Communities and Events
Vape meetups and events can be an excellent environment to discover the latest deals, swap hardware or try out new devices without committing to buying first.
I find that these gatherings often feature:
- Free Samples: Vendors and sponsors hand out trial products for attendees to test and review.
- Show Specials: Events frequently include exclusive discounts available only on-site.
- Community Support: Engaging with others can introduce you to money-saving hacks and tips that aren’t widely known online.
Beyond immediate savings, these gatherings help you build relationships that can lead to further discounts or trade opportunities in the future.
