Every June, Australians go slightly mad with end-of-financial-year spending. New laptops “for work.” A new office chair that’s definitely a tax deduction. Maybe a course or two that you’ll never finish. We throw money at things in June that we tell ourselves are investments.
Meanwhile, if you’re a smoker, you’re quietly burning through $350 every week. Nobody’s claiming that as a deduction. And nobody’s calling it what it is: the worst financial decision you’re making, every single day, on autopilot.
I’m Michael Haber, and I’m a clinical hypnotherapist in Woonona, Wollongong. I’m not a financial advisor. But after 15 years of helping people quit smoking, I can tell you this: the single biggest pay rise my clients have ever given themselves didn’t come from their boss. It came from stopping smoking.
The Money Conversation Nobody Wants to Have
I don’t start every session talking about money. But I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t one of the most powerful motivators. When people sit down with our Smoking Calculator and see their personal number, something shifts. The abstract idea of “smoking costs a lot” becomes a concrete, gut-punch figure.
Let me put it in Illawarra terms. If you’re on one pack a day at $50 a pack:
- $350 per week — that’s two decent weekly grocery shops for a family
- $1,500 per month — more than many people’s car repayments
- $18,250 per year — a family holiday to Bali. Every year. For doing nothing.
- $91,250 over five years — a house deposit in parts of the Illawarra
And that’s just the cigarettes. When you add the estimated $10,545 per year in additional medical costs that smokers incur in Australia — higher insurance, medications, dental work, GP visits — you’re looking at close to $28,000 a year. Gone. Every year.
One of my clients put it better than I ever could. He said he’d saved nearly $8,000 in under six months after quitting. He said, “Why would anyone not want to do that?” He’s not wrong.
Why EOFY Is the Perfect Time to Quit
I know, I know — there’s never a “perfect” time to quit smoking. But hear me out, because June actually stacks the deck in your favour.
You’re already thinking about money. EOFY puts everyone in a financial mindset. You’re reviewing expenses, doing your tax, looking at where the money went. If there was ever a moment to confront the smoking line item in your life budget, it’s now.
The new financial year is a clean slate. July 1st. New year. New you. It’s the same psychological reset that makes January 1st popular for resolutions, but this one comes with an actual financial calendar behind it. Quit in June, and from July 1st, every dollar that would have gone to cigarettes stays in your pocket.
Winter is actually your ally. Sounds counterintuitive, right? But think about it. Nobody wants to stand outside in the cold and rain at 7am smoking. The social smoking at BBQs and outdoor gatherings drops off in winter. There are fewer trigger situations. Fewer “just one at the pub” moments. Winter strips away some of the social scaffolding around smoking and leaves you face-to-face with the addiction itself. That’s exactly where hypnotherapy does its best work.
Private health insurance resets. Many health funds reset annual limits in January or on your anniversary date, but some people also review their cover at EOFY. Some private health funds offer partial rebates for clinical hypnotherapy under extras cover. It’s worth checking with your fund.
The Investment That Pays for Itself in Weeks
I call our session fee an “investment” on my website, and I’m deliberate about that word. Because it’s the most accurate description. The session cost is less than what a pack-a-day smoker spends in three to four weeks on cigarettes. After that? It’s all savings.
No ongoing purchases. No monthly patches. No repeat prescriptions. One session. Lifetime support. The maths is brutally simple.
Let’s say you’re spending $350 a week on cigarettes. You quit in June. By September, you’ve saved over $4,500. By Christmas, you’re up over $9,000. By this time next year, you’re $18,250 richer. And healthier. And you don’t smell like an ashtray anymore. Your kids don’t have to breathe it in. Your skin starts recovering. Your lungs start healing.
What other investment gives you that kind of return?
The Excuses Your Addiction Is Making for You
I’ve heard them all, and I don’t judge any of them. But I do want to gently challenge a few:
“I can’t afford to quit right now.” With respect — you can’t afford NOT to quit right now. At $18,250 a year, quitting is the single most profitable financial decision available to you. The session investment is recouped within weeks.
“I’ll quit after EOFY / after the holidays / when things settle down.” Things never settle down. There’s always a reason to push it back. That’s not you making a rational decision — that’s the addiction protecting itself.
“I’ve tried before and failed.” You haven’t tried this. Advanced clinical hypnotherapy combined with NLP works on a completely different level to willpower, patches, or basic hypnosis. Read the evidence behind it. And remember: our lifetime guarantee means if it doesn’t stick the first time, you come back for free.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much money will I save if I quit smoking in Australia?
At current prices of approximately $50 per pack, a pack-a-day smoker spends around $18,250 per year on cigarettes alone. Adding estimated healthcare costs, the total annual cost of smoking is approximately $28,000. Quitting eliminates this expense entirely.
Can I claim quit smoking hypnotherapy as an EOFY expense?
Hypnotherapy is generally not tax-deductible as a personal expense. However, some private health funds offer partial rebates under extras cover. Check with your health fund directly. The real financial benefit comes from the ongoing savings of not purchasing cigarettes.
How quickly will I see savings after quitting?
Immediately. The day you stop buying cigarettes is the day you start saving. Most pack-a-day smokers recoup the cost of a hypnotherapy session within three to four weeks of being smoke-free.
Is there a best time of year to quit smoking?
Any time is a good time to quit, but EOFY and the start of winter offer unique advantages: you’re already in a financial review mindset, there are fewer social smoking triggers during winter, and a July 1st quit date aligns with a fresh financial year.
Make EOFY Mean Something Different This Year
This EOFY, instead of buying something that depreciates the moment you walk out of the shop, invest in something that appreciates every single day: your health, your freedom, and your wallet. Call 1300 114 557 or 0408 880 606, or book online.
This EOFY, invest in yourself. Call Michael: 1300 114 557
You were born to be a non-smoker. Let’s get you back to that.
— Michael Haber
Clinical Hypnotherapist (CHt. ClinHyp) | NLP Practitioner
Quit Smoking 4Good, Woonona, Wollongong NSW
Disclaimer: This article provides general information only and should not be taken as medical advice. Hypnotherapy is a complementary therapy and individual results may vary. If you have specific health concerns, please consult your GP. Financial figures are estimates based on average Australian cigarette prices as of 2026 and general healthcare cost data. Individual savings will vary depending on smoking consumption and personal health circumstances. This article does not constitute financial or tax advice.
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