Vaping is much cheaper than smoking, fact. But, while nowhere near as expensive as using cigarettes, vaping can still be quite costly. Whether you vape single use devices, a disposable pod kit or a cloud chasing monster, here’s a guide about how to vape & save money.
What is costing you the most?
The first thing you need to do when assessing your vaping costs is figure out what you’re buying each month.
Coils
Most coils last on average about 1-2 weeks, or at least they should. If you’re going through a coil every 1-3 days then there are some things you could try to get a bit longer out of it.
Check your wattage – Coils are available in many resistances, but each has its own power threshold that it needs setting to. In most cases you can find this written on the side or base of your coils. If you run your device at a wattage that’s above or below this range then it’ll impact the life of your coils.
What liquid are you using? – Different types of coils need different types of liquid. You can read more about which one is best for your kit in our detailed guide. Liquid that’s too thin can cause leaking, which wastes your juice. But, if it’s too thick it’ll cause your coils to burn out a lot faster. Also, liquids that contain additives such as sugars and colouring can impact the life of your coils.
Are you priming your coils? – The term ‘priming’ basically means adding liquid to the coil before it’s used for the first time. If you allow the wicking material inside the coils to fully saturate, it means that you’ll get a longer life from them. In fact, if you don’t prime you could burn it out as soon as you fire it up. If your kit has a disposable pod, the best way to prime it is by filling up the pod, and then wait 5-10 minutes before you vape it for the first time.
E-Liquid
E-liquid is the second consumable part of your e-cig. How much you use varies from vaper to vaper, but you may have noticed that you’re going through a lot. As a point of reference most vapers use a 10ml bottle every 1-2 days.
If you’re using more than you think you should there are a couple of things to consider.
How are you vaping? – There are three distinct ways of vaping. MTL (mouth-to-lung) means you take the vapour into your mouth before taking it into the lungs. This closely imitates a cigarette and is usually where most vapers start. DL (direct-lung) vapers inhale directly into their lungs and is more common with powerful sub-ohm devices. RDL (restricted-direct-lung) is direct lung vaping but with a less powerful kit, which produces less vapour. The airflow is also a little tighter.
DL vaping uses high power to produce a lot of vapour. Naturally, this is going to use up more liquid. Especially if the juice is thinner such as 50/50. If you’re using a thin liquid then perhaps try switching to a thicker high VG brand. If you’re already using high VG e-liquid then maybe try using a less powerful device.
Nicotine strength – If you’re using a lot of liquid, maybe it’s time to increase the strength of your juice. If you do this then you’ll be getting more nicotine and you’ll need to vape less, which in turn will reduce the amount of liquid that you’re using.
Disposable Vaping
Disposables are by far the most expensive way to vape. Though they are still cheaper than smoking.
If you’re a fan of the experience and intense flavours provided by single use kit, there are alternatives.
Pre-filled pod kits – There are devices such as the Elf Bar ELFA, Elf Bar Mate 500 and VLTZ flex that use pre-filled, disposable pods. The liquid inside is the same found in single use devices and slashes your costs in half. It’s much better for the environment too, since you keep and recharge the battery and only bin the pods.
Bar salts – Bar salts are new variation of nic salt. This liquid provides immense value for money but provides the same great vape experience as disposables. Each 10ml bottle contains the same amount of liquid as 5 single use kits but costs less than one. Bar salts are best used in lower power MTL devices and work great in pod kits.
Multi-Buys & Subscriptions
The are ways to vape & save money without changing anything about your vaping style. The multi-buys on tecc.co.uk are a great way to save money on the products that you already use. There are offers on 10ml liquids such as 3 for £10 and 4 for £10. Shortfills are available at 2 for £20 or 2 for £25 and even include a free nic shot! Also, most coils have tiered pricing meaning that you save 5% when you buy 2-4 and 10% when you buy 5 or more.
Subscriptions provide even greater value and are much more convenient. Each selected period you’re billed for your order and the liquids are sent directly to your door without having to place it manually. You can choose to every 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 weeks and you can even change your selection or cancel your subscription up to 24 hours before it’s billed.
Another useful feature is that, when you place your order, it shows you the next few billing dates so you know exactly when we’ll send it. There’s even a subscription available for Elf Bar 600 and Lost Mary BM600!
