The financial stress of paying for smoking cessation programs, pills, and patches can make an already daunting task feel impossible. But you may not realize that the government mandates insurers to offer some level of smoking cessation assistance. There are also many free and low-cost methods to quit smoking, from reading self-help books to online smoking programs. To help ease the process, we’ve provided five of the cheapest ways to quit smoking cigarettes (plus one to avoid). Even if you spend some money, you’ll save in the end. According to the American Lung Association, people who quit smoking save between $1,380 and $2,540 a year — not to mention the health benefits.
Free or Low-Cost Nicotine Replacement Therapy
Some states and insurers offer free nicotine replacement therapy. We recommend you contact your insurer and call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) to see if you’re eligible for discounted treatment. Through 802Quits, the Vermont Department of Health will also ship free patches, gums, and lozenges straight to your door.
Consult a Book
Although self-help treatment methods have the lowest quit rate among common smoking cessation techniques, it still works for around 9-12% of people, according to a Public Health Service report. Many former smokers and experts online recommend Allen Carr’s “Easy Way to Stop Smoking”
($12 on Amazon) and Karen Pine and Ben Fletcher’s “Love Not Smoking: Do Something” ($15 on Amazon).For more budget health and wellness tips, please sign up for our free newsletters.
Free Online Programs
There aren’t that many free smoking cessation programs online, but the government does offer Smokefree, a text messaging program that offers “encouragement, advice, and tips.” For more virtual support, check out EX, a Mayo Clinic-affiliated program that provides a customized quitting plan, live coaching, free nicotine patches, and other resources. Free apps like EasyQuit, Get Rich or Die Smoking, and Quit Genius can also guide you on your smoke-free journey.
Related: So You Need Therapy but Can’t Afford It. Now What?
Meditation and Mindfulness
While it might not be enough on its own, meditation can help make your withdrawal more manageable. Some experts speculate that mindfulness can help improve self-control and moderate stress — in one study, students showed a 60% decrease in smoking after two weeks of meditation — though more research is needed.
Related: How To Create a Brain-Calming Morning Routine for Less Than $40
Prescription Medications
Whether you’re on Medicaid, employer-sponsored insurance, or a marketplace plan, your insurance is required to cover 90 days of FDA-approved smoking cessation medications. According to GoodRx, popular options include antidepressants like Bupropion and Zyban, or nicotine agonists such as Chantix. Talk to your doctor and your insurance provider to see what medications work best for you.
Related: 16 Ways to Get Help With Expensive Prescriptions
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Cold Turkey
Although it may seem appealing to stop smoking completely and without support, Dr. J. Taylor Hays of the Mayo Clinic says that research shows that 95% of smokers fail when they go “cold turkey.” It’s far more effective to seek support and combine counseling and medication.
